yet another self portrait.

12sndsgood · Jan 27, 2012

okay, this was my first shot with my new gear. focus is still off. used my D7000 with a ab400 camera right with a 40x60 softbox camera left i had my sb900 with umbrella. and then two flashes blowing out the white background. definatly got allot of learning to do. and look forward to having someone else standing so i can focus properly and not worry about being model and photgrapher. how did i do?

edit1_pp by Sndsgood, on Flickr

12sndsgood · Jan 28, 2012

no one has anything to say? come on guys. let me know how i did.

GeorgieGirl · Jan 28, 2012

Ok...I'll start off...for some reason I thought you were a female. Don't know why, I often have it mixed up... :blush2:

Aside from that good for you for starting off your lighting challenge with a White BG. (Having done that myself its the best and the worst to start out with.) You have some hot areas on the right side of your face and maybe its a little short on sharpness, but a good go at lighting.

12sndsgood · Jan 28, 2012

yeah im workign on the sharpness. havnt found the best way yet to get me in focus the best. normally i try setting something on the stool about the same height as my eyes, focus on it, switch to manual and then go. but i still don't think im nailing it. also agree that the right side does seema bit hot. the white background was a nice change. i have a black one too. thinking i should try some white shirt on white background and see if i can be sucsessful at that. not sure what to say on you thinking i was a women lol.

vtf · Jan 28, 2012

You aperture is at 5.6 you could go to f8 as long as the bg is blown out it shouldn't make a difference. Then maybe bring down shutter some to compensate. I generally do as you do and stand something on the stool to focus on. If I am oof it's usually because I shift at the last moment.

gopal · Jan 28, 2012

the settings i liked and the picture came nice.

12sndsgood · Jan 28, 2012

thanks. i'll have to try stepping up to f8 next time and see how that works out. i was having issues getting all of the background to blow out. think it has to do with not having a ton of space to work with. i'll see what i can come up with though.

TenaciousTins · Jan 28, 2012

:O you chopped off your hands!!!

That's my only critique.

That and I think you may look a bit younger without the beard. Oh wait, we're critiquing the photo, not the person :er:

I like it and I think you are well on your way to getting exactly what you want.

Derrel · Jan 28, 2012

GET A STRING. Mount the camera on a tripod. Tape the string to the back of the baseplate, near where the film plane indicator says the film plane is. Focus on something as far away as you'd like to be, then run the string out, and clip it off at that distance.. Then mount the camera on a tripod, and set yourself up so that the string touches the end of your nose. Focus problem solved. If your lens has some marked distances, like say 5,6,7,8,9,10,12 feet, you can set the focus to each marked distance, and then adjust the camera on the tripod to the EXACT distance where, at say 7 feet, the picture comes out sharp when the lens is set at 7 feet, and then tie a knot in the string at 7 feet...repeat for other marked distances...