OK Need Some Help Here with Cyndi

Bilsen

On the ship we decided to do some "lifestyle" stuff and get out of our usual comfort zones. Combining the two, I set up these images in a dark bar with a single speedlight on a VALS, frankly going for a dramatic effect.

Now that I see them, I'm not at all sure about the idea so I'm asking for opinions. Rip away if appropriate. Whatever you all think, these were the best of them. You don't want to see the rest. LOL



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zoomer

busy backgrounds seem to be your nemesis. The first one works ok if you crop above her knee and make it a landscape.
When trying to remove hotspots on the face use the clone tool soft brush set to darken use a larger selection at very low strength choose skin right next to the spot and clone in slowly and over a larger area to match it all together.
increase the strength of your flash and decrease the ambient exposure, use a softer light and direct it with some kind of snoot (I use a piece of paper with tape and put it over my flash). that removes your background distractions.

Looks like a fun shoot...I like her outfit.

Bilsen

Thanks Zoomer.

divamum

"Lifestyle" is usually by definition semi-candid, pj-style, and goes for natural light. Maybe that's not what you meant?

One of the problems is the flash on the white shirt - it's picked up more of the light than the surrounding darker areas, so it doesn't feel as focused/dramatic as it might have with a different shirt.

jonh68

The problem here is the flash is overpowering the atmosphere of the place if it's lifestyle. As a result the backgrounds look flat and boring. This would be a case you would have to bump up ISO and lower shutterspeed and shoot faster with 2.8 or faster to get the atmosphere.

Lifestyle and dramatic don't necessarily go together. You have to make a choice lifestyle or dramatic. If going lifestyle you would put the light to mimic a normal light source say coming from the bar and pointing down. For this shot there usually isn't a bright source of light lighting customers from behind at a bar like this.

If you are going for dramatic, then you have to shoot your light in a more controlled way like using honeycombs to direct the light on her like a spotlight and not have as much spill over on the backgrounds.

Bilsen

Yeah Diva, Lifestyle was probably the wrong term. I was just thinking sit in the bar, order another drink just with drama lighting.

We did shoot some actual "lifestyle" more normally but Royal Caribbean hasn't asked for them yet.





We call this "Look at that creepy guy with the camera"

Bilsen

Thanks Jon for the distinction and the tech advice.

zoomer

that last pic is the best from your set...like that one.

Bilsen

Thanks Zoomer. Glad I got one.

Foques

the very last shot works for me as a lifestyle.

What's on her cheek in #3?

Bilsen

Thanks Foques. That "thing" in # 3 is a bad job of a blemish removal.:cry

daddybuzzkill

I'm not sure exactly what it is but in #1 my eye is drawn to her hip. I think it is a combination of the way she is sitting and the angle from which you are shooting because in #2 it seems you have moved a little and my eye goes to her face. I think a different crop like zoomer suggested would help there. Even though I'm drawn to her face in #2, I feel like you are losing her eyes. #3 is my favorite and I think it would be perfect without the smudge on her cheek and if that curl wasn't hanging over her eye.

Bilsen

All good points Daddybuzz. Thanks.

Bilsen

Just out of curiosity, let's see if I got the light better in the second set we shot, this time with Anylza.
There's even one with a blurred bkg as a peace offering to all of you.



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divamum

You know, I looked at these on my phone the other day, and was struck by how much better they look on a non-calibrated, contrast-boosted monitor. I've noticed this with your sets before - they often don't look so good on my (calibrated, and pretty accurate for printing) monitor, but on the high-constrast one at college it's much better. Do you ever check another monitor (of iphone/ipad/other device), or print to see if what you're seeing is what you get? Just curious; it would explain why sometimes people take you to task over harsh lighting which you say you're not seeing.

1/4 of the second batch are better, although still (IMO) too contrasty (and 4 is reeeallly bright); they might work in BW if you went for a film noir vibe, however - not what you were going for, but could be a fun look if you put some time and effort into post-processing them a la 40's. 2/3 are tossers, IMO - the lighting isn't salvagable in those (esp 3). Others may feel differently, but .... my 2c.

Bilsen

Interesting. I'll look at that B& W treatment tomorrow. HMMM 40s Film Noire. I like it.

Anyway, thanks. Tomorrow I'm going to prove I actually listen on occasion. See you then.