Yet Another Friend For C&C

musicaleCA · Jul 23, 2009

Well, actually, he wanted some headshots. He's planning on getting more serious about acting, so wanted some ho-hum headshots to give to an agency. Don't worry, he got his non-artsy-fartsy headshots, this one was a little of me messing around while I had my lights up. After some skin softening, contrast adjustments, and so on, I put it through Topaz Adjust too to bring-out some more detail in the image and make it less "blah, boring light is boring". :lol:

(Pretty close to the "Photo Pop" preset, with some tweaks and masking-out on the skin and shirt).

ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/200 (yes, yes, I should've slowed the shutter and closed-down the aperture to increase sharpness, live and learn; it was with my 50mm though, which is pretty tack sharp regardless)

As always, please be utterly brutal in your C&C. No feelings shall be hurt for being honest.

musicaleCA · Jul 23, 2009

Bump for great justice? (Or in the hope of some C&C.)

Bitter Jeweler · Jul 23, 2009

You might want to remove Ms. Pac-Man from his forehead.

musicaleCA · Jul 23, 2009

You mean that little dimple? I wasn't sure if he wanted it removed or not. Not terribly difficult though; could have that gone in two seconds with the heal brush.

Is there anything to say compositionally? Or in terms of lighting?

Bitter Jeweler · Jul 23, 2009

The composition looks perfectly fine to me.
I don't like people and I don't use flash, so I don't what I am looking for.
But on his forehead you can see, formed by the dimple and highlight Ms. Pac-Man.
I spotted it right off, and now I can't not see it.

Does the shadow bother you at all? I think it's to close to him. But again, I don't think in terms of portraiture, so I can't say its a bad thing or not.

mishele · Jul 23, 2009

musicaleCA · Jul 23, 2009

Aw nuts. It IS a Ms. Pac Man. Damn. :lmao:

See, this is why it's good to get a second opinion. Bahaha.

The shadow was the (intentional) result of cross lighting him. The light casting that is at the base of the stairs; I put another up for fill at the top of the stairs, and to get the catchlights. I thought the shadow was a neat sorta, reflection of him, if that makes sense.

(Do you find it bothersome Bitter?)

manaheim · Jul 23, 2009

wow.

Nice eye, bitter. :lol:

The shadow doesn't fill me up with joy and love and fuzzy carebear goodness, but I think it's overall a "fine" shot. I dunno. It really isn't exciting me. I honestly can't tell you why because I suck holy hell at people photography.

So, really, a good plan here would be to ignore me.

Yes.

Let's go with that.

kundalini · Jul 23, 2009

Here's my take on it. Personally, I don't care for the shadow as is. They look like conjoined twins but with the shadowed twin falling off into nothingness. I would have rather seen the shadow with a defined (not sharp edged) profile that completes the twins.

There is also some shadow to camera left of his head that is ....... distracting, I guess, implying triplets.

I think with the angle of his gaze and the position in frame, he is too far left. You would've needed to back off to have kept his left arm in tact.

His skin seems a bit red under the eyes, ears and hairline.

I think I might have shaven off some of the hump of sweater of his left shoulder and feathered in some (color) fill so that such a prominent "Vee" wasn't defined at his neck.

While I'm in agreement with many articles I've read about not having skin (arms) exposed in portraiture, a black sweater seen in July just makes me wilt....... it's hot, hazy and humid where I'am at. :biggrin:

.

All in all, I don't think I could have done any better........ no wait, All in all, I couldn't have done any better, but I can only see with my eyes, at least, without the peyote I don't.

(Ms. Pacman........ :biglaugh:

)

musicaleCA · Jul 23, 2009

Lol, manaheim, you always crack me up. :lol:

Well these were done with acting in mind, so there wasn't any real room for artsy stuff. Nice, boring light was the name of the game.

*goes off to look at some more people pictures to learn how to light better*

kundalini: Thank you very much for your input. Much appreciated.

(Keeping that in mind, next time I go for this look I'll make the light from the back harder and more powerful to get that shadow going and drown-out the other shadow behind.)

Dao · Jul 23, 2009

MS PACMAN ............

kundalini · Jul 23, 2009

.... a black sweater seen in July just makes me wilt....... it's hot, hazy and humid where I'am at. .

Did I mention that my AC has been out of commission for several days and I am only surviving on the sustenance of Jose Cuervo and the occasional lime? :lol:

AC is due to be repaired tomorrow.

manaheim · Jul 23, 2009

kundalini said:
.... a black sweater seen in July just makes me wilt....... it's hot, hazy and humid where I'am at. .

Click to expand...

Did I mention that my AC has been out of commission for several days and I am only surviving on the sustenance of Jose Cuervo and the occasional lime? AC is due to be repaired tomorrow.

You should move to Massachusetts. We have apparently decided to forgo summer this year as nearly every day has been cold and rainy. It's late July and it's 60 degrees out right now. :grumpy:

Bitter Jeweler · Jul 23, 2009

*pssst*

El Niño.

musicaleCA · Jul 23, 2009

kundalini said:
.... a black sweater seen in July just makes me wilt....... it's hot, hazy and humid where I'am at. .

Click to expand...

Did I mention that my AC has been out of commission for several days and I am only surviving on the sustenance of Jose Cuervo and the occasional lime? AC is due to be repaired tomorrow.