Self portrait fail

Josh66

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Posting this here instead of one of the gallery threads since the picture is 'bad'.


2012022202 by J E, on Flickr

First off - I'm going to reshoot that. That (self portrait) was a 2 second exposure at f/8 with 400 ISO film.

The obvious stuff: Change of wardrobe, faster film, open up (aperture) if needed - don't really want to do that though.

Next time, I'll use 3200 ISO film, that's three more stops, getting the exposure time down to 1/4 second. I think that might be doable. I don't really want to open up much past f/8... I'd rather push the film to 6400 or 12800 before opening up... I plan on using Delta 3200, which can be pushed that far if needed.

Anything I'm not thinking of? I thought of trying to add a rim light or something, but I'm not sure if I can get the power low enough at those ISOs... I also have no experience at that, so I would likely have to bracket an entire roll (12 frames) to do that.

How do you meter rim light? Can I just put the flash behind me and face the flash instead of the camera when I take the meter reading?
 
For the wardrobe change, I'm thinking "Indiana Jones". Fedora, leather jacket (?) or some other shirt, and satchel diagonally over the left (camera right) shoulder.

I'm using a bulb release (stepping on it to activate the shutter), so I could use my left hand to trigger a flash (with radio trigger). No clue what the flash power should be though. I do have a flash meter.
 
I think you should contrast the aged lantern with a modern heavy metal leather and chains outfit just to confuse people.
 
HAHA. Closest I have to that is a biker type leather jacket. No spikes or anything like that.
 
That reminds me - I was afraid to wear anything black, so it doesn't get lost in the background and make me look like a floating head...

I realize that a little rim lighting would solve that, but I'm not really sure how to do that, or how I should be metering the flash.
 
I have a jean jacket. :lol: I think I'd have to lose the fedora with a jean jacket though, lol.

(That actually sounds like a better idea than what I was planning on wearing.)

I also have a 'modern looking' field jacket - like the M-65 but slimmer and more modern looking ... maybe that could work too...
 
It is only a FAIL if you do not learn from it.
 
I agree! ^^^ You're probably going to have to meter for all your lighting, a little back-lighting is a good idea :) And a shorter exposure, 2 seconds is a long time to hold stock still!
 
It is only a FAIL if you do not learn from it.
I think I have already. Trying to limit the failure rate next time around. :lol:

I feel like I know what I want it to look like, but I also know that I don't know how to do that, lol.
 
I feel like I know what I want it to look like, but I also know that I don't know how to do that, lol.
Then you're better off than 80% of the people on here.
Show me an example of what you are trying to accomplish and let's see if we can get that sorted.
 
2 seconds is a long time to hold stock still!
Yes, it is!

I think I can pull off 1/4 second though. (I'm actually a little surprised how good this looks for a 2 second exposure.)


The thing I don't know, and have never really done before, is - how do you meter back lighting?

Could I just take a reading facing the flash (away from the camera), then take another reading at the background facing the camera to make sure there won't be any spill?

I think that's my main problem - in this shot, there was a wall about 5 or 6 feet behind me. I might have to find somewhere else to do this where there won't be a wall right behind me... Not sure how to get the back-lighting without any of it spilling over to the wall.


I don't have a studio, I have to figure out how to do it in my living room...lol.

I guess I can probably figure it out with a bunch of meter readings... See what power will expose me, but not the wall...

How 'hot' does the backlight need to be though? Just meter normally, or a stop over, a stop under...?
 
Show me an example of what you are trying to accomplish and let's see if we can get that sorted.
I can't really think of any specific example. Just imagine a typical 'searching a cave' scene in an adventure movie. Ambient on the front from the lantern, flash on the back for rim lighting to separate me from the black background.
 
I'm a film failure, I'd probably just meter with my digital and then take it with film *hangs head in shame*.

If the light is the same power as the front light, it should be the same right? And you'll be blocking most of it...Hopefully someone helpful jumps in!
 
Meter for the continuous light (the lamp) and then have a flash set to about -2 to -3 stops below that (or -2 to -3 TTL mode). The remainder of the light will come from the lamp itself. Don't forget to flag your flash so that it doesn't hit the lamp.
 

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