Recent Sessions....little bit of everything

[nkmaurer]

Here are some of my indoor shots..... I've come to realize that if I bought a meter it would help me out tremendously. I want to spend more time behind a camera instead of on the computer! Anyone have suggestions of which to get.....of course money is an issue, but I want to get what I need. Someting I really want help/advice with is white backdrops. Mine seem to have a gray cast to them. When I try to brighten it up I am obsiously doing it wrong because then it washes out the people.....notice it a lot now because people are more pale that are coming in. I didn't know if a third light source would help that is just for the background? My only problem is I don't know if I have the room for it. I'm thinking it would be so close to the backdrop that it would make a circle on my background pretty much.

Also, on the opposite end....black! I will explain a little more above the pictures.

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5 ok this is my niece.......I know it is a horrible picture besides the fact that she is adorable and loves posing! I love looking at black on black pictures, but her skin is pretty much glowing! I know the black hat really doesn't work either. I was just experimenting. Advice needed!

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Now this picture, I raised one of my lights to help keep her hair from blending in with the background. It makes the black look lighter, but better than the one above. Is this what I should have done?

7 Now for the white/gray....

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Thanks for everyone's comments......good or bad!

 

[nkmaurer]

sorry......first my pictures go from thumbnails to huge!!! I will get it figured out!

 

[djscarrd]

Yes, a meter would definitely help you. I use the Kenko KFM-1100 which works really good for me.

For your black background, you definitely need a third light source placed behind the subject to separate the subject from the background. What looks also good on black paper is using different color gels.

For your white background, this is where you are going to need your meter. I meter my background at f/11 and also my subject at f/11. While metering the background, meter at an area that will be in the photograph. If you have subjects sit or lay on the floor, bring your lights down. If you are using umbrellas which it looks like it, make sure the butt end of the light is facing directly towards your subject. If you do not want to keep moving your lights around you must establish a subject line.


Hope this helps.

Marvin

 

[nkmaurer]

I have a octagon softbox and umbrella.....If I get my third light source....I don't really know if I have room for an umbrella, if there any way for me to diffuse the light without the bulk of an umbrella. I'm really tight on space on the sides. Also, where would i place this light source. Downlow and shoot up or high and shoot down? Or would i have to move that around with every shot? I know that probably sounds like a 1st grade question Thanks for the advice!

 

[djscarrd]

I'm sorry, I meant softboxes. Not umbrellas. I always mix them up.

As for the third light source, the height is placed right behind the back of the subject facing directly towards the background. For photos where the subjects are on the ground, you may not be able to use the third light source because it may be difficult to hide it behind the subject.

 

[emogirl]

these are all really lovely shots! aside from the seperation you need in the dark background/child shot, these are beautiful and nothing to pick at...ok, maybe #2 is a little weird...LOL...
you can darken your background in #6 by using the black point tool in levels...

nice work!

 

[djscarrd]

I have one tip for your compositioning. Try not to cut off any limbs like in #3, 4, and 6. I love the emotion your photos portray though. Good work!

 

[nkmaurer]

oh wow.....never knew the black point tool was there!!! That helped a lot...also warmed up the picture some. Usually my black background shots have a blue cast that I have to fix and this helped out also. Thanks so much!