Question please.

[kristyj]

Hello all, I am new to the forum. I am a freelance photographer, been taking portraits of people for a couple of years now. I started off with a Canon Powershot then up-graded just last week to a Nikon 5100 and love it but here is my question because I am very curious. I am gonna post a photo and I would love to know what makes pictures turn out this way. Is it the camera? Or just editing? I use Adobe Light Room which is outstanding with my photography. I am working on learning how to work with Adobe Photoshop. I am just wondering how to get pics to look like this, editing, lens they use or just the camera itself. And if my Nikon can actually have pictures coming out like this if there's a special setting. I love how clear the D5100 pics come out by all means, just curious about how to make my pics look more like the one below.

 

[Malone]

You may want to be more specific instead of "just this way" or "look like this." What particular characteristics are you referring to?

All the factors you listed (editing, lens, lighting, etc) play into the final photo.

Maybe also post a few examples of you own work for more input.

 

[joealcantar]

So is this your image or is this what you would like your images to look like?
Post one of your favorite images and let us take it from there.
-
Shoot well, Joe

 

[480sparky]

Is the pix you posted one you took? If not, it's a violation of TPF rules to post someone else's work. Just saying........

 

[kristyj]

This photo I posted was one a friend sent to me of a photographer she knew a while back but if it's a violation I will be sure to post the link to the website instead. At the bottom is a portrait I took Saturday with the Nikon and just a little bit of editing. No special len filters. When I said I wanted my pictures to look more like the one above, I mean just the look of it in general, the softness, it might have to do with the lighting too. A photography friend told me that all the SLR cameras have the same effect it just depends on the lighting, the settings they use and also the lens and of course the editing. I am really wanting to know what I can use to make mine look more like that, I have a lens for making photos softer on the way. And like I said, I use light room and it helps to make the photos look more professional. Here's the photo.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

It's flat lighting you are after.

Notice the lack of shadows in th first image, an the abundance of them in the last?

Squint at the first one, a see how his head becomes a flat featureless mass?
Squint at the second one, and the face still has defining characteristics?

 

[subscuck]

I realize it's a personal preference, but I'm not sure why you would want to emulate the first pic. As Bitter said, the lighting is very flat. There's very little contrast which robs his face of character. There's no real three dimensionality to his face, and skin tones look washed out. Good lighting should leave enough shadow to give a face some shape, make it more three dimensional. That being said, I prefer lots of contrast, which is also a personal preference.

 

[kristyj]

Okay, thanks. I thought it was just a more expensive camera that made the pictures look different. I really think it depends on the lighting and the editing each photographer does. Any tips or hints for using Light room?

 

[subscuck]

My first suggestion would be not to use LR for editing. Use LR as the workflow/data base management tool it is, and invest in a program like Photoshop CS or Elements for your editing. LR has very little editing capability which is more for batch editing. It is designed first and foremost as an organizational tool. PS and Elements are designed to be first and foremost, image editing software. LR was designed by Adobe as a "go along" program for CS or Elements.

However, to answer your question, start here:

Amazon.com: The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) (9780321700919): Scott Kelby: Books

 

[gsgary]

I'm a bit lost, you want to know how to make your pictures look like a photo that is not that good, you just got your DSLR and don't know how to use photoshop but you are a Freelance Photographer with a point and shoot :er:

 

[kristyj]

I am experienced with Paintshop and have been using it for many years. I never really wanted to learn about Adobe Photoshop since I have a photography friend who says that its time consuming and she has been a photographer for years and has a very huge business. She uses Adobe Photoshop for very little things. And she mentioned using lightroom. Since I have been a photographer, I have stuck with paintshop pro and no other software. I have done several portraits for people with no complaints. And started out with my Canon Powershot S10.

 

[Kerbouchard]

I actually think the first image is fine. It does have shadows and defining characteristics...

The difference between that image and the one you posted is the lighting. While your shadows are harsh, the shadows in the original image are very soft. This is a function of how large the light source is that you use. Based on the catchlights, it looks like the original image was taken in slight shade with the entire sky providing a large, diffused, directional light. In this case, a reflector was probably used to help fill in the shadows.

The same effect can also be done with a softbox or an umbrellas positioned appropriately.

The rest is processing, appropriate curves adjustments, and sharpening.