A Couple With My New Toy - Comments Welcomed

Bryce Wilson

Just got a 43" Westcott octagonal Apollo Orb to use with a speed light. Just had to try it out. So far I are thrilled.

Shot in a small room that was mostly taken up by a baby grand. Used a 50mm at f1.4 to try and get the rear wall oof. The piano bench was just about touching the wall/bookcase behind.

1.

Mathew At The Piano by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

Saw these staircase railings on my way through the home and being as I have two SB-800's now thought I would try this. Used the second one to cast the railing shadows on the rear of wall. I kinda like it for a spur of the moment idea.

2.

Mathew Sweater by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

divamum

2nd photo isn't displaying.

I like the through the piano shot, although I might have tried an 85 or longer lens - also as open as possible - to frame it "through" the piano with the subject a little stronger in the composition. That shot works GREAT when you can frame it so that less of the sounding board shows; a longer lens at wide aperture (if you have one) would also have minimized the shelves behind with even blurrier (is that a word?!) bokeh.

How does this one look if you crop way in from the left, turning it portrait ratio, and thus losing the cluttered-er shelf on the left? The piano shape is still recognizable and it would focus more on the good-lookin' young man (I haven't tried it myself so that may be a terrible idea, but just thinking out loud!!!)

Icebear

Very nice, Bryce. I do think a tighter comp on the piano shot would have been more about the boy and still plenty about the piano. I love the lighting. A tighter comp would also have allowed you to move some of the books from out-of-frame shelves to fill the ones behind him. I hate empty or sparsely occupied shelves.

Gotham

Icebear wrote: »

Very nice, Bryce. I do think a tighter comp on the piano shot would have been more about the boy and still plenty about the piano. I love the lighting. A tighter comp would also have allowed you to move some of the books from out-of-frame shelves to fill the ones behind him. I hate empty or sparsely occupied shelves.

I think the crop is nice. Maybe it could be a little tighter, but it's not a headshot, it's an environmental portrait that uses the piano nicely to frame his head. Perhaps some more books in the book case would help, but I like how the curves of the piano fill the bottom of the frame.

Bryce Wilson

divamum wrote: »

2nd photo isn't displaying.

I like the through the piano shot, although I might have tried an 85 or longer lens - also as open as possible - to frame it "through" the piano with the subject a little stronger in the composition. That shot works GREAT when you can frame it so that less of the sounding board shows; a longer lens at wide aperture (if you have one) would also have minimized the shelves behind with even blurrier (is that a word?!) bokeh.

How does this one look if you crop way in from the left, turning it portrait ratio, and thus losing the cluttered-er shelf on the left? The piano shape is still recognizable and it would focus more on the good-lookin' young man (I haven't tried it myself so that may be a terrible idea, but just thinking out loud!!!)

Wish I would have been able to use my 105mm but I couldn't back up far enough to get as much of the piano in as I would have liked. Alas, don't have an 85mm. When I finally purchase the 80-200mm 2.8 I think it will solve some problems.

Rather than cropping that image, I have a couple that I took in a portrait perspective and will include one at the end of the response.

Icebear wrote: »

Very nice, Bryce. I do think a tighter comp on the piano shot would have been more about the boy and still plenty about the piano. I love the lighting. A tighter comp would also have allowed you to move some of the books from out-of-frame shelves to fill the ones behind him. I hate empty or sparsely occupied shelves.

Thanks about the lighting! This was kinda an impromtu thing so I could try out my new toy. Great suggestion about moving some books around though!
I did indeed take several with a tighter crop. The problem I have with the tighter shots is that, to me at least, if you don't KNOW he's sitting at a piano it isn't as obvious as I think the piano it should be. But, as my wife likes to remind me (often) "I could be wrong".:D

Gotham wrote: »

I think the crop is nice. Maybe it could be a little tighter, but it's not a headshot, it's an environmental portrait that uses the piano nicely to frame his head. Perhaps some more books in the book case would help, but I like how the curves of the piano fill the bottom of the frame.

OK...OK...I get it! Move some books! And I too like the curve of the piano at the bottom of the frame. Thanks!

Here are a few more examples I was able to get to this AM.

1.

Mathew At The Piano by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

2,

Mathew At The Piano by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

3.

Mathew At The Piano by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

theprincereturns

Great lighting. The updated pictures with longer focal length look great at the piano.

divamum

(and it definitely still looks like a piano to me!!)

Of the three additional shots, I really REALLY like #1 - the higher perspective and framing is great. Now, if you just have one where his eyes are possibly to camera instead of away (I don't mind away from camera per se, but it would be nice to have one with as well)

And yeah, the lighting looks great - meant to mention that in my first response but was writing so fast I forgot to actually, you know, WRITE it.

Hackbone

Bryce, if you get the chance do a quick test. Aim the light right at the subject, then feather it across him a tad, (toward you), then almost past him. See if you like one spot better than the other two. They look good.

Bryce Wilson

Hackbone wrote: »

Bryce, if you get the chance do a quick test. Aim the light right at the subject, then feather it across him a tad, (toward you), then almost past him. See if you like one spot better than the other two. They look good.

Might need you you to expound on that a bit...Not sure I understand. I think you mean that when doing another shoot, to swivel the light in increments toward the camera to find a "sweet spot" ?

I got a chance to play with a few of the images this afternoon. I think doing the "letterbox" thing to the first image makes it work much better.

Hackbone

That is what I meant and the letter box works sweetly.

Icebear

+1

VayCayMom

Yesterday I attended a Scott Kelby workshop and he was raving about octagon softboxes. Think I better check out your new toy too!

divamum

Letterbox ftw!!

Bryce Wilson

Hackbone wrote: »

That is what I meant and the letter box works sweetly.

Thanks, and I will give that a try the next opportunity I have to do so!

Icebear wrote: »

+1

Thanks you Sir!

VayCayMom wrote: »

Yesterday I attended a Scott Kelby workshop and he was raving about octagon softboxes. Think I better check out your new toy too!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?is=REG&sku=820996&Q=&O=&A=details

The only drawback I have found so far is, when using a speedlight, the entire unit is enclosed inside the box. To adjust output I have to partially remove the front panel. That part is kind of a PITA. With a regular mono light it isn't an issue as the controls are outside of the box. I guess it wouldn't be an issue with the new Pocket Wizzard product either but alas mine are old school.

divamum wrote: »

Letterbox ftw!!

I'm sure glad FTW doesn't mean the same thing it did when I was a kid! Thanks!

BrettDeutsch

Great shots. Love the Rembrandt lighting. Works perfectly for a portrait like this.

Hackbone

Trudy, defenitely check out before you buy. I found out its best to not take every teacher at his/her word. We all come from different perspectives. I've seen great photography with Octagons, rectangles, squares, umbrellas, ring lights and even Ace 100 watt bulbs in Ace reflectors. Just trying to save you some monies.