First Attempt... Environmental

jecottrelljecottrell Registered Users Posts: 136 Major grins
edited March 14, 2011 in People
I finally made a point to try out a portrait. Things were quiet at the office so the other photographer volunteered to be the victim. The location is the gunner's window of a UH-60. I had background flash with a green gel to light the cabin, a white with a snoot to light the face and a third with a cheesy $3 Chinese softbox from the front. I spent most of my time trying to adjust the individual powers in manual. I had to PP to bring the background down a bunch and added some blur.

Tell me your feelings, be honest. You won't hurt mine.

Thanks,

John


1212859716_4ee6N-XL.jpg

Comments

  • KinkajouKinkajou Registered Users Posts: 1,240 Major grins
    edited March 11, 2011
    I think this is a really good start. You successfully captured the mood of the image and it definitely looks like it's at night. The one nit I'd have is that the green light casts strong reddish shadows on the face and neck. Can you position the the light in a different place so that the shadows of the microphone, etc., are not so strong?
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  • jecottrelljecottrell Registered Users Posts: 136 Major grins
    edited March 11, 2011
    Thanks.

    That was one of the only major problems I couldn't reduce in PP. I had originally planned on more of a portrait shot but he was after the snake eater look, so I tried what I could. I was also fighting not having any stands so positioning the strobes in the cabin was less than optimal.

    I'd also like to see a similar shot with eye contact and without the helmet, etc. More of a portrait feel.

    I'm going to try again when I've got some of the equipment issues worked out and see what I can get.

    John
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2011
    I think there's a good idea there, including the colours. I'd go even further away from "straight". However, I think it needs to have the face much more highlighted, and the whole more contrasty. It's the kind of shot that would respond well to Calvin Hollywood's techniques, I think. You did a great job with the PP as it stands, but I think you could take it into slightly different territory.

    Neil
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  • jecottrelljecottrell Registered Users Posts: 136 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2011
    Excellent. I just looked at his work. Good idea, and he has a free webinar on Thursday that I'll watch.

    Thinking some more, I need to get more of the "story" in the crop. Right now there is no idea of where he is, or what he is doing.

    Thanks for the ideas.

    John
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