Post your self-portrait

sam_justice · Oct 8, 2010

Post your self portrait, simple rules - can't be a point and shoot shot, has to be something you've set up.

Here's mine - SB800 put through a lamp shade to act as a softbox to the left (right) of me, using my 1.8 50mm at 1.8 to get the shallow depth of field.

kundalini · Oct 8, 2010

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/82332-post-picture-yourself.html

sam_justice · Oct 8, 2010

fail. :-(

kundalini · Oct 8, 2010

No worries.

I saw the other thread and guess you are trying the CLS out. I know you didn't ask for C&C, but I was curious about your lighting setup. It looks to me that your light source is too low for 'normal' portrait. If you're going for slightly manic or deranged, then your on the right track.

The catchlight is at about 4:00 o'clock and this is causing your shadows to rise rather than 'normally' falling. The 10:00 to 2:00 o'clock positions are more appealing in general. One setup you could try is to have the flash positioned 45° off camera axis (right or left) and pointed 45° down to subject. Then, instead of pointing the flash directly at you, try to feather the light by pointing the flash in front of you. You'll still get light overspill, but it will be much softer.

It also looks as if you did not set you built-in flash to (--), if you are using CLS to trigger the OCF, because of the two catchlights in the pupils. However, it is possible for the pre-flash to show on highly reflective surfaces (like eyeballs). Using a white business card or something similar, you can bounce the pre-flash and still trigger the flash. This will eliminate the beady little catchlights.

Just my 2¢.

mishele · Oct 8, 2010

K.......are you punishing your liver tonight?

reznap · Oct 8, 2010

Enjoy:

LCARSx32 · Oct 8, 2010

DerekMellott · Oct 8, 2010

sam_justice · Oct 9, 2010

kundalini said:
No worries.

I saw the other thread and guess you are trying the CLS out. I know you didn't ask for C&C, but I was curious about your lighting setup. It looks to me that your light source is too low for 'normal' portrait. If you're going for slightly manic or deranged, then your on the right track. The catchlight is at about 4:00 o'clock and this is causing your shadows to rise rather than 'normally' falling. The 10:00 to 2:00 o'clock positions are more appealing in general. One setup you could try is to have the flash positioned 45° off camera axis (right or left) and pointed 45° down to subject. Then, instead of pointing the flash directly at you, try to feather the light by pointing the flash in front of you. You'll still get light overspill, but it will be much softer.

It also looks as if you did not set you built-in flash to (--), if you are using CLS to trigger the OCF, because of the two catchlights in the pupils. However, it is possible for the pre-flash to show on highly reflective surfaces (like eyeballs). Using a white business card or something similar, you can bounce the pre-flash and still trigger the flash. This will eliminate the beady little catchlights.

Just my 2¢.

Spot on, I had no way to raise the light so it was sat about 4'o clock to the side of me