Sarah Hi-Key/Low-Key

kdog

Second attempt at a HK, building on comments from Tom Wise (angevin1) from my previous attempt (see Hi-Key Kid). Used a larger light modifier off to the side, and used a window for additional fill.

Hi-Key


Low-Key (You can really see the window-fill here off to camera right)


Thanks for looking.
-joel

angevin1

Hey Joel,

That second one almost looks as tho you pulled off three keys....at least two, and it is a killer shot and lovely light.

The first one is a much better rendition than your first try...and I like it as well.

How about you? You happy with the results?

adbsgicom

Looks really good!!

One question on the first one, since this happened on my first attempts as well. The hair gets bits that end up looking like there is a bad masking job around them, presumably this is from too much light reflecting off the background, or is there something else one needs to do? Even with that, I really like these.

The second one looks a little soft around the eyes, esp. compared to the crispness of the hair. Perhaps that's just the compression to the smaller image?

I like your lighting!! Esp. like how the window provided a wonderful hair light in the second (or was that a different light?)

kdog

angevin1 wrote:

How about you? You happy with the results?

I would have to admit that they exceeded my expectations. Really appreciate you help, Tom.

-joel

kdog

adbsgicom wrote:

Looks really good!!

Thanks, Andrew!

One question on the first one, since this happened on my first attempts as well. The hair gets bits that end up looking like there is a bad masking job around them, presumably this is from too much light reflecting off the background, or is there something else one needs to do? Even with that, I really like these.

Yep, that's the hair getting fried from the background. I did tone down the background from yesterday's experiment too. Maybe it was still too bright.

The second one looks a little soft around the eyes, esp. compared to the crispness of the hair. Perhaps that's just the compression to the smaller image?

Bleah, you're right. I went back to the original, and the eyes are way soft. Here's what happened. Early on in the shoot I went to try a couple of wide-open shots at F2.8, and completely forgot about it and ended up doing the rest of the shoot wide open. This is with a full-frame camera at 100mm, so I have a paper-thin DOF, and the focus in that shot is NOT on the eyes. Cripes, what an idiot I am sometimes. :cry

I like your lighting!! Esp. like how the window provided a wonderful hair light in the second (or was that a different light?)

Thank you, sir. I used three speedlites for this, two on the background, and one for a main light. A couple of reflectors, and the window provided the hair light.

Cheers,
-joel

kdog

Eyes are better in this one.

adbsgicom

Much crisper, and a nice shot to-boot!

kdog

Thanks, Andrew. The eyes in this one seem good as well.

kdog

Same shot, uncropped.

D'Buggs

Nice HK and I also quite like the 2nd set of mid-key.


Re; cooked hair. Perhaps a little more separation 'tween the model and BG could help (if it is this light causing....) Your right shoulder would also get a little more defined too.

As with anything, results are based on a foundation of taste and everyone's will vary.

Nikolai

Joel,
you're definitely getting better with portraits/lighting!
Nice work!

kdog

D'Buggs wrote:

Nice HK and I also quite like the 2nd set of mid-key.


Re; cooked hair. Perhaps a little more separation 'tween the model and BG could help (if it is this light causing....) Your right shoulder would also get a little more defined too.

As with anything, results are based on a foundation of taste and everyone's will vary.

Thanks, 'Buggs! More separation from the background is probably exactly correct. I'll try that next time.

kdog

Nikolai wrote:

Joel,
you're definitely getting better with portraits/lighting!
Nice work!

Thanks very much, Nikolai. You made my day.

It's kind of fun, this portrait stuff, eh?