Need help with this

Mitchell

My son's Bar Mitzvah is approaching. I want to have a large photo as a sign in board with a for guests to write messages.

He loves to read. The theme for the party is "Evan's Library". I'm trying to get a portrait with light emanating from a book illuminating his face while reading. Any thoughts on these or other suggestions??




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adbsgicom

I prefer the second because you can see a bit more of his eye there. I think you might want to tone down the spill over the side of the book so there is a better sense of the light coming from the page fronts.
When is his date?

Hurme

Take two shots if you need to get lighting on the book right. I don't think it needs to be quite so blown up. Go to stock photography site, flickr, smugmug, or just search google images with "reading book" or similar to get more ideas how to pose him with it. Don't leave the background totally dark. It'll work better if there's something out there other than just darkness.

Have you considered having him in a bed with a sheet half over him or something like that? Ie. reading book in secret with a flashlight or something along those lines?

reyvee61

I do like the concept here and I would prefer to have the light toned down a bit. I do prefer the second one though.

Mitchell

adbsgicom wrote: »

I prefer the second because you can see a bit more of his eye there. I think you might want to tone down the spill over the side of the book so there is a better sense of the light coming from the page fronts.
When is his date?

October 3rd is the date.

Thanks for all the great comments. I actually turned up the brightness in the book in PP, so I will try some shots with it as I shot it.

I was trying to get a look like the book was glowing. I'm not really sure how to accomplish that.

Hurme

You could make some fake pages there and put on some silver folio or something. All in all I think you'll just need to light it more evenly. Softbox with a grid could do it but you might not have that.

Mitchell

Hurme wrote: »

You could make some fake pages there and put on some silver folio or something. All in all I think you'll just need to light it more evenly. Softbox with a grid could do it but you might not have that.

I have softboxes and grids, but I'm not sure this will give me the look of the light emanating from the pages of the book lighting his face.

I need to play around with this some more. I may try hollowing out a book and placing a flash inside.

ladytx

Jeff did one some time back with his daughter(I think) and a laptop. You might want to get in touch with him. (Tried to do a search for it but didn't come up with anything).

Elaine

ladytx wrote: »

Jeff did one some time back with his daughter(I think) and a laptop. You might want to get in touch with him. (Tried to do a search for it but didn't come up with anything).

I was thinking of this same photo. I did a quick search but haven't found it yet. (I also seem to remember a couple shots from some challenges that had something similar.) Although I think the laptop was facing her and the flash was bounced into it, so we didn't see the actual screen.

Mitchell, are you specifically wanting the book pages to be visible, or could it be clear that he is reading and his face appears lit up from the book, but we don't actually see the pages because they are facing him and he is facing us? Does that make sense? The book cover could be a near silhouette with a flash set up to bounce from the pages up to his face. That way his face would be the primary focus and the brightest area of the photo and the book would be kinda backlit.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

StueveShots

I'm going to disagree a bit with some of the other comments. (Hope that's okay! )

I really like these shots very much, Mitchell. (My son, same age, is also a voracious reader and I think these pictures work toward capturing the magic that such kids feel when they read--some of us adults, too!)

I prefer #1...I like the profile.

I also love the dark background. I completely disagree that seeing something in the background would help...I think the photo you created captures the idea that everything else fades away when one is reading. The shot is all about the boy and his book. (This is just personal opinion, of course...anyone who sees any of my shots will see that I love deep black shadows in a picture. It's the dramatist in me.)

My first quibble would be along the lines of the others who would like the book a little less blown. I don't mind the tops of the open pages glowing--I like that I can't see the words (the book could be any book)--but I do wish the edges of the pages were a bit more defined. I'd like to see the stack of pages. Maybe marrying two exposures together would accomplish this.

My second thought is that I'd prefer it if his knee weren't as visible. Not quite sure what I mean by this...but it distracts me a bit.

Mitchell, I really love this idea. (Can I steal it? ) I like your backup garage shots...but this idea is much more magical and will evoke this time in his life more potently in the future. Be sure and show us your final decision.

Edited to add: Forgot to say congratulations on your son's Bar Mitzvah!

RMR Photo

You may want to try a straight on shot with a light hidden in a book he is holding, as Gary Gardiner did with his portrait of Gov. Strickland:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/01/on-assignment-political-portrait.html

Zanotti

Couldnt you do #1 in two takes? One as above, then a second adjusted for the book, then merge in PS?

(Nice shots!)

(Wait, upon rereading this thread, it has already been suggested. I still think it would work just fine!)

damonff

I like the blown out book. It makes the scene dreamy.

ChatKat

Lighting
I think what would work nicely is using a softbox directed at your son's face for nice soft light. Up close to illuminate him and not the background.

On a boom arm out of camera view, just a strobe/flash head lighting the page. You could take a strobist piece of black foam and make it spotlight the book's pages.

Sam

How about something like this? Needs to be completed ...............

Sam