Portrait Workshop images

codiac2600

I posted a while back about my opportunity to teach a portrait class at the US's number one private japanese garden. Class ended about 4 hours ago and I decided to edit the few shots I took since I was the instructor.

Enjoy!

First session was only using reflectors:





Second session we used a little bit of off camera lighting:





Last session was advanced lighting techniques (aka LOTS OF FLASH):

Qarik

gorgeous stuff. The model and her kimono are lovely

Tim Kamppinen

Very nice. I especially love the second shot. Great light. Care to fill us in on your reflector technique? I recently got a 43" collapsible 5-in-1 but I haven't had a chance to really use it yet. I'm normally a flash guy but I want to learn reflectors as well... just wondering what type of reflector, where postion/distance from model, and where the sun was in that shot... Looks like possibly a gold reflector, camera right, distance I have no idea, diffused sunlight through the trees from overheadish but more towards the camera than the subject... Yes? NO?

codiac2600

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

Very nice. I especially love the second shot. Great light. Care to fill us in on your reflector technique? I recently got a 43" collapsible 5-in-1 but I haven't had a chance to really use it yet. I'm normally a flash guy but I want to learn reflectors as well... just wondering what type of reflector, where postion/distance from model, and where the sun was in that shot... Looks like possibly a gold reflector, camera right, distance I have no idea, diffused sunlight through the trees from overheadish but more towards the camera than the subject... Yes? NO?

Great questions!

The first two images used the same setup and it was quite interesting to setup.

The model was standing on a rock in have direct overhead sun and half in partial spotty shade from the over head trees. To solve the issue of the ugly light hitting the model we used a 6ft by 3ft diffuser panel on the models right/cameras left about 4 feet away. This put the model in complete soft shade but the background was about 1 full stop brighter than she was now. I then had a student hold a 4ft by 2ft silver reflector on model left/camera right about 4 feet away again and bouncing sunlight from below the models head (so from knee to shoulder pointed upward toward the head) and also making sure the bounce was sent into the big diffuser to get a slight kickback.

Tim Kamppinen

Awesome. I was wondering how the trees were diffusing the sunlight so evenly...

So I need to make a huge scrim and dupe someone into lugging it around for me...

Also, I wasn't intending to yell at you with my "NO?" question... just a slip of the shift key apparently Thanks, though, very helpful info.