2 shots of my brother Matt
I just bought a light kit and got my brother to help me with some test shots. Here are 2 of my favorites. Many more to come soon. What do you guys think?
My gear:
Nikon D300
24-85mm f/2.8-4
50mm f/1.4
70-200mm f/2.8
Nikon SB-600
Nikon D300
24-85mm f/2.8-4
50mm f/1.4
70-200mm f/2.8
Nikon SB-600
0
Comments
Nikon D300
24-85mm f/2.8-4
50mm f/1.4
70-200mm f/2.8
Nikon SB-600
May I know what does a light kit consists of? Is it a package of continuous lights or flashes? Softboxes? Light stands? Diffusion panels?
Just wanna know cos I would like to give you the correct comments for different setups.
For the 1st image, all I can see right now is you have 2 lights places on both left and right. The one on picture left is levelled at your subject's waist height. From the shadows casted, it looked to me that you have some sort of flash diffusion. Reflective Silver Umbrellas? On picture right, you have another light angled top down slightly above the head, probably at 30 degrees tilted down. Minimal light diffusion was used I guess... Maybe just an omnibounce or flash diffusion cap on, but minimal. The left light is slightly closer to you from the focal plane and the right light is slightly further away from you from the focal plane. Both light power seems almost equal, just a matter of the distance placement from the subject.
Post processing seemed like you created a soft light on the blue (or maybe red) channel slightly, giving a little Dave Hill or Jim Greenberg feel. Pretty good try!
Recommendation:
Try pulling the left light closer to you and beam your light from a high angle down. Then push your right light further back and angle them high down as well (if the ceiling allows of course). Try putting a light ratio of 1:2.5 or 1:3 on your lights with your right light being the key light. This means the flash power from your right light must be 2.5 ~ 3 stops higher than your left light. The result is a very nice lighting effect with well exposed skins on the left and dramatic shadows on the right with very well defined wrap around lighting on your subject's hair and outlined his physique dramatically.
The rest are camera adjustments you can make to ensure exposures which I am sure you can do.
I am not a photographer.
Zeckson's Image Boulevard
I think the look you're going for fits your brother's build very well. I like the hard side-lighting and impact of the black background. Nicely done!
I think one small change would improve the impact.
The light on our right (his left) seems to far towards the rear of the set. It's a good idea to side light a strong build because the shadows define the musculature and chisel the features...all good. But your right-side lighting misses the insides of his arms and makes them go flat and puts his left eye (to our right) completely into shadow. The eye in shadow bothers me on both shots...though it looks more natural when his head is tipped back. I wonder, does he have a scar there you're trying to hide? I wouldn't hide it - I think it would add to the feel, but he may not want it to show.
I think if you matched the left lighting angle (you can vary the intensity from side to side to get a ratio, but match the angle), the photo would show even better.
- Gary.