Today's SPs (and now for something completely different...)

divamum

So, fuelled ever onwards by our little group's SP activities (you can tell the weather is bad this weekend!), I did another batch. TOTALLY different approach and intentions this time.

I :lustmy diy softbox

Also, lesson learned (ladies and guys-who-have-to-advise-ladies): retouching time is reduced by about 75% - and much more successful - when you have nice, freshly washed, moisturized, plumped-up glowing skin BEFORE makeup goes on (you'd think I'd have learned that lesson by now, but the two batches of shots I took today conclusively proved it and I will never forget again!)

The other lesson learned is how much you can do with 1 flash and 1 reflector. That was IT for these shots - nothing else at all. The backround is a black velvet dress hung in the window (I'd been hoping the light falloff would create the neutral background for me, but the ambient sneaking in between the blinds meant it didn't quite work).

Anyway, after yesterday's "warts and all", no makeup, casual look, today some shots more in Diva Mode. Still working out retouching techniques (I seem to under- or over-do - haven't quite nailed it yet) but I was pretty pleased with the shots themselves and wanted to share and get feedback (Did I mention I love my diy softbox?!)

1.


2.



3. I know, I went WAY overboard on the retouching on this one - far too plasticky! I'll be having another go at it in due course

lisap

I LOVE THESE!! (oops..did I just yell that?)

The lighting, your expression, your EYES! Awesome job!!

I actually snuck some time in this afternoon to redo mine too. But I didn't change anything drastic like you did. Well done!! I'm definitely inspired now to keep trying this SP thing with different looks, etc.

-- Lisa P.

Elaine

Oh, it's been fun to watch all the SPs show up! Almost makes me want to try again.

I'm lovin' the catchlight and rich brown of your eyes here! The light feels a touch hot on the first one, but maybe that's just processing? I really like your head and eye position on the last one.

You've probably shared about your diy softbox before...would you mind sharing a link if you have? Thanks!

heatherfeather

Wowzers! I am impressed!
I don't think there is too much retouching in # 3 at all! Although I totally understand how it is with photos of yourself- you feel as though you are misrepresenting yourself if you do the tiniest thing but it doesn't bother me to do it to others... Go figure!

These are simply beautiful! You look like a classic beauty. My only nit is that we need to see more detail of your hair.... but seriously that is a small thing when compared to the amazing expressions and gorgeous soft lighting.

divamum

lisap wrote:

I LOVE THESE!! (oops..did I just yell that?)

The lighting, your expression, your EYES! Awesome job!!

I actually snuck some time in this afternoon to redo mine too. But I didn't change anything drastic like you did. Well done!! I'm definitely inspired now to keep trying this SP thing with different looks, etc.

-- Lisa P.

Thanks!

The change I made was as much in the *intention* of what i was trying to achieve - unlike yesterday's casual efforts, I meant for these to be formal portraits, spent the 45 minutes doin' the makeup thing (groan ... it's just so tedious to do it for oneself instead of sitting there being pampered by a good pro mu artist) and decided to see how much modelling light reflectors would give me. The first batch were a bit meh - the makeup wasn't quite right and I hadn't dug out the background for those so there was some annoying light from behind me - but the results of this 2nd try exceeded everything I thought possible with this little equipment

Was a perfect project for a cold, slow Sunday afternoon - kid was curled up with a good book, hubby has a computer game he's enjoying and it was just me and the softbox for a coupla hours - YEAH!

divamum

Elaine wrote:

Oh, it's been fun to watch all the SPs show up! Almost makes me want to try again.

I'm lovin' the catchlight and rich brown of your eyes here! The light feels a touch hot on the first one, but maybe that's just processing? I really like your head and eye position on the last one.

You've probably shared about your diy softbox before...would you mind sharing a link if you have? Thanks!

Here's the thread about the softbox (make sure to read the last several posts, as I made modifications and posted more pictures which show those at the very end - ETA #23 is the post with the modifications and pix of the final box). It is da BOMB for next to zero $.

I think you're right about the first one being hot in processing - I haven't quite got the developing from raw thing down yet; I'm getting there, but it's still pretty trial and error (plus my monitor isn't calibrated... :cry) I'll play with these some more, I'm sure.

Thanks for the constant encouragement - it's what's making this all possible!

divamum

heatherfeather wrote:

Wowzers! I am impressed!
I don't think there is too much retouching in # 3 at all! Although I totally understand how it is with photos of yourself- you feel as though you are misrepresenting yourself if you do the tiniest thing but it doesn't bother me to do it to others... Go figure!

These are simply beautiful! You look like a classic beauty. My only nit is that we need to see more detail of your hair.... but seriously that is a small thing when compared to the amazing expressions and gorgeous soft lighting.

Well, you've seen me "as I am" (more or less) in the (intentionally) unprettified shots of hte last two days, so it seems somewhat overdone to me!! I'm not sure people would recognise me IRL from these

Yeah, I should probably bump up the hair details some - I'll play with that. I was inititally thinking of the floating head look even closer cropped, but none of them quiiiiiiite worked on first glance; I want to do one in stark bw with almost nothing but FACE. We'll see if I manage to figure out how to make these work like that lol

Thanks again, Heather - your feedback is so appreciated and the support and encouragement from y'all makes it all such FUN to keep experimenting!!!!!!! I'm diggin' this whole process (in case it wasn't obvious :giggle)

divamum

Annnnddddd...

Here's a different attempt on the last one (I got the Kelby CS3 book out of the library and followed his technique). Hopefully a little cleaner and less plasticated...

Heather, I also tried to lift the brightness on the hair, too - I think it makes me look more of a redhead but I like that (hmmm.... that's giving me ideas... , so no worries there!

heatherfeather

Very nice texture of the skin in your retouching!

I don't see the red in your hair- I still wish there was more detail of hair past your bangs area... But that will come with future lighting experiments, I bet.

Again... you are so lovely! Looks so classy.

Llywellyn

Yay! Close-up with catchlights! Your rework of #3 is great. Me gusta mucho!

divamum

heatherfeather wrote:

I don't see the red in your hair- I still wish there was more detail of hair past your bangs area... But that will come with future lighting experiments, I bet.

Well, I suspect it will require a separation and/or hair light to get that (see, I'm even learning the lingo!) - with the small-ish flash, black background, and black hair I'm not sure I can do much more against a dark bg without more light, but fortunately that's the look I wanted this time out, so s'ok. I'm already hankering for a 2nd flash but there's no WAY I can spend any more money on camera gear for quite some time....

Thanks again!

divamum

Llywellyn wrote:

Yay! Close-up with catchlights! Your rework of #3 is great. Me gusta mucho!

Thanks!!

The retouching is thanks to you - while at the library today I remembered your mention of Kelby, they had his CS3 book AND it was checked in so I went and checked it OUT so I could read his methods in detail - THANKS for those tips!!

sweet caroline

NICE! Beautiful eyes.

Caroline

Mitchell

I think #3 is my favorite here. You've done a nice job on the PP acheiving a very natural look without losing too much detail.

ic4u

Love your re-work on #3! I like the head positioning you chose, it's very flattering!
I admire your persistence with everything you've been doing!

mpaulie

You are a diva! I like the original number 3, the expression shows more personality.

Scott_Quier

The last retouch effort (using the Kelby stuff) is soooo much better than your first attempt. I really appreciate the fact that you elected to leave much of your life experience intact - this give's the portrait so much more character than if you had tried to erase some of that. I like this photo!

The only thing I might do now is to either dial down the hot spot on your forehead or bring up the rest of your face to match it.

divamum

Scott_Quier wrote:

The last retouch effort (using the Kelby stuff) is soooo much better than your first attempt. I really appreciate the fact that you elected to leave much of your life experience intact - this give's the portrait so much more character than if you had tried to erase some of that. I like this photo!

The only thing I might do now is to either dial down the hot spot on your forehead or bring up the rest of your face to match it.

I've had the Opera Singer's Headshot Mantra banged into me for too many years: "A headshot should be flattering, but should still look like the you that walks through the door - you on a really good day for sure, but not a photographer's idea of what you'd look like in a perfect world" There are a couple of popular headshot photographers that casting directors actually HATE because the pictures are so instantly recognizable as that photographer's work, and they see that before the artist. As a photographer, I want to avoid that (hence the experimenting with very different looks and styles, too)

Even though these aren't intended as more than "studies" (ie I'm not planning on using them as headshots for myself), I'm pretty much conditioned to think like that

Bottom line: unlike many of our other recent SP ladies, I'm not 30, I don't look it (nor should I) and I also can't STAND over-retouched photos - in a perfect world, I'd want to achieve the result 90% by quality of light and positioning rather than PS. Which is why I'm sooo enjoying all these SP exchanges at the moment, since they are SERIOUSLY getting to the heart of the *technique* of lighting an positioning as we all work through it. It's the best class one could ever hope for!

And the Kelby techniques totally rock - I can't believe how easy it is to adjust once you know how

Agnieszka

I agree, #2 & 3 are great!!! I also don't think you over-photoshopped them, I think they look really beautiful! .... you do know that you're still missing an avatar, right

divamum

Agnieszka wrote:

I agree, #2 & 3 are great!!! I also don't think you over-photoshopped them, I think they look really beautiful! .... you do know that you're still missing an avatar, right

Wow, thanks A! I'm a huge admirer of yours (BIG time) so am so appreciative for your response!

Yeah, I should use an avatar. I have some of the earlier attempts up on FB, maybe it's time to redo them with this newfound retouching knowledge and use them here too... hmmm....

Thanks again!

Zarathustra

Wow! As great as the original #3 was, the re-work is phenomenal! I didn't know that Kelby had a book on PS published, so thanks for mentioning it. Great shots all around.

divamum

sweet caroline wrote:

NICE! Beautiful eyes.

Caroline

THANKS Caroline - I decided that this batch was going to be all about the eyes, so pleasd to know it came over that way!

divamum

Mitchell wrote:

I think #3 is my favorite here. You've done a nice job on the PP acheiving a very natural look without losing too much detail.

Thanks Mitchell!! I still prefer Magic Garage natural light (I think you should start a business and call it that - you'd certainly get some attention for a "unique" name!! lol), but I'm pleased with these as a study in single flash, softbox lighting. The Kelby technique is SO absurdly simple once you've seen it laid out - I'd read elsewhere about using a layer of gaussian blur and a layer of high pass filter, but not the order of the layers and a few of the other steps in between which make ALL the difference, and I'm thrilled to have it as a technique now. I'm going to work through his other techniques too, I think - they're really impressive (and his writing style is hilarious!)

divamum

ic4u wrote:

Love your re-work on #3! I like the head positioning you chose, it's very flattering!
I admire your persistence with everything you've been doing!

Oh yeah, persistence I got - limited skills, but I'm dogmatic alright! :bash :giggle

Thanks for the comments - appreciate the feedback!

divamum

Zarathustra wrote:

Wow! As great as the original #3 was, the re-work is phenomenal! I didn't know that Kelby had a book on PS published, so thanks for mentioning it. Great shots all around.

I am SERIOUSLY impressed - not only does he make it super clear and very easy to follow, but he's such a funny writer! I'll be buying a copy of the CS3 volume for extended reference - it's a keeper.