First home studio shoot - looking for feedback please.

jrollins

Well, I bought four Bees along with softboxes and other add-ons along with a backdrop support and a couple of backdrops. So here is my first attempt at putting the stuff to use. My daughter was a not so willing subject, but all in all she did a good job.






So, hit me with your best shot - what would make them better??

Thanks in advance for looking!

Aaron Wilson

were to buy and what?
what did you buy and use and were from?

jrollins wrote:

Well, I bought four Bees along with softboxes and other add-ons along with a backdrop support and a couple of backdrops. So here is my first attempt at putting the stuff to use. My daughter was a not so willing subject, but all in all she did a good job.






So, hit me with your best shot - what would make them better??

Thanks in advance for looking!

jrollins

Aaron Wilson wrote:

what did you buy and use and were from?

I bought four Alien Bees strobes (2-800WS, 2-400ws) from, of course, Alien Bees (http://www.alienbees.com). Two large softboxes (pain to assemble, but nice none-the-less), a couple of umbrellas (not used during this shoot), heavy duty stands, a boom for the hairlight/backlight, a backlight stand, honeycomb filter set and a brolley box for the hairlight. For the backdrop I bought a Photek 12 foot support and a 10'x24' black and 10'x24' white muslin from Adorama. I'm okay with the black muslin, but the white one looks a bit cheap, so it'll require more post processing to make a satisfying shot, IMO.

jrollins

No opinions?? Are they good, bad, what? Surely someone has an opinion...

Awais Yaqub

i loved the B&W but in color version what i feel black shirt dont look good
very cute girl

JimM

Cute girl, and lighting looks good. I don't really like the ring effect though. I also don't believe this is your first attempt at portrait lighting.... looks way too good!

JimM

Oh, one more thing, on dark backgrounds (actually on all backgrounds) I love hairlights!

Art Scott

Good session..looks like you've done this many times before.

jrollins

JimM wrote:

Cute girl, and lighting looks good. I don't really like the ring effect though. I also don't believe this is your first attempt at portrait lighting.... looks way too good!

I really appreciate the feedback, but I guarantee that this was first attempt at this, so I hope to get better. Being new though I really don't know what looks "right" - hence the post.

The vignette was the wife's idea.

All C&C appreciated - thanks!

jrollins

Awais Yaqub wrote:

i loved the B&W but in color version what i feel black shirt dont look good
very cute girl

Agreed - the black shirt turned out a bit darker than we wanted. It was the effect we were looking for, I just went too far in post processing.

Thanks!

gluwater

I think you did a fantastic job on the lighting. I think that the vignette is not needed and think on the first shot you have to much empty space. Your daughter sitting in the middle on the frame looks so little because of the void surrounding her. Your daughter has a wonderful smile and you did a good job lighting it up.

jrollins

gluwater wrote:

I think you did a fantastic job on the lighting. I think that the vignette is not needed and think on the first shot you have to much empty space. Your daughter sitting in the middle on the frame looks so little because of the void surrounding her. Your daughter has a wonderful smile and you did a good job lighting it up.

Exactly the type of feedback I was looking for - thanks!

Composition is certainly one aspect that I need work in. I tend to stay too far out so I can crop it to get a better frame, I just didn't crop that one for some reason.

Owen

If you like to stay away you should get a longer lens, otherwise frame as much as possible in the camera tp keep the resolution that you lose when cropping in post.

Steve Cavigliano

jrollins wrote:

Agreed - the black shirt turned out a bit darker than we wanted. It was the effect we were looking for, I just went too far in post processing.

Thanks!

JR,
I agree with Awais. The sweater darkness was too much as well as the lack of brightness of her right hand. Everything else is lit up so nicely. From her hair to her toes. Thats why the dark right hand looks a bit out of balance to me.

Steve

jrollins

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

JR,
I agree with Awais. The sweater darkness was too much as well as the lack of brightness of her right hand. Everything else is lit up so nicely. From her hair to her toes. Thats why the dark right hand looks a bit out of balance to me.

Steve

Heh. The good thing is that I can drop the vignette very easily...

Angelo

two very nice shots!

other than the dead center composition they're excellently done. her right hand isn't too dark, it's caught in the matrix of the vignette. you'll see it come back.

Mitchell

Jon,
Great job with the new lights. How did you decide the power settings for each individual AB? Trial and error? Divine intervention? You really got an overall even lighting effect.

My only complaint is that I prefer much tighter crops. I understand that you are trying to explore the utility of having 4 lights. Good luck with the lighter muslin. I believe you will have a greater challenge when you have to light and properly expose your background along with your subject. Keep the pictures coming!

jrollins

Mitchell wrote:

Jon,
Great job with the new lights. How did you decide the power settings for each individual AB? Trial and error? Divine intervention? You really got an overall even lighting effect.

Well, to be honest it was a little trial and error with a tad of Divine intervention. I took several test shots then made some adjustment and finished it up in post. As I was taking the equipment down I realised that I had screwed up and put one of the AB 400s in the key light position and the 800 in the hairlight position. That's where the Divine intervention came in because I didn't totally screw things up by over powering the hairlight.

Mitchell wrote:

My only complaint is that I prefer much tighter crops. I understand that you are trying to explore the utility of having 4 lights. Good luck with the lighter muslin. I believe you will have a greater challenge when you have to light and properly expose your background along with your subject. Keep the pictures coming!

Yeah, I should have cropped it a bit before posting but that's what learning is all about, right?

Yes, the next adventure will be low key and I'm sure it will be more of a challenge, but I'll be sure to post the results!

Thanks again!

ScottMcLeod

jrollins wrote:

Agreed - the black shirt turned out a bit darker than we wanted. It was the effect we were looking for, I just went too far in post processing.

Thanks!

Well, not really. I like the high contrast look, but the problem is the black on black problem, regardless of lighting.

I like using a white/red(or blue)/black combo for muslin. Gives you versatility for most situations.

Especially in B&W, the red makes for a beautiful shade in B&W conversion.

Great shots otherwise. Shoot more!

jrollins

ScottMcLeod wrote:

Well, not really. I like the high contrast look, but the problem is the black on black problem, regardless of lighting.

I like using a white/red(or blue)/black combo for muslin. Gives you versatility for most situations.

Especially in B&W, the red makes for a beautiful shade in B&W conversion.

Great shots otherwise. Shoot more!

Ooooo, I like the black/red idea. I might have to give that one a go! Of course, I went to The University of Georgia, so I'm gonna be partial to red and black...

Thanks for the feedback!

Red Bull

I really like both of the photos. The only thing that I noticed is in the first picture, her left hand looks like it's in an unnatural position. I think a more relaxed position would be better.

The second thing I noticed is that in the first picture her right foot is also in an unnatural position. Just as I stated before, a more relaxed position would look better IMO.

Other than that, great photos! The lighting is almost perfect. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

jrollins

Red Bull wrote:

I really like both of the photos. The only thing that I noticed is in the first picture, her left hand looks like it's in an unnatural position. I think a more relaxed position would be better.

The second thing I noticed is that in the first picture her right foot is also in an unnatural position. Just as I stated before, a more relaxed position would look better IMO.

I have to work on posing as well for sure. I have a couple of books on the way that hopefully can help in that area. Really though I was lucky to get anything since she was not a happy camper that night. Not that she is ever really a happy camper when she doesn't get her way though...

Art Scott

Go to your nearest theatrical supply and get a swatch book for Rosco Gels....with My White Lightings I cut my gels into 12 x 12 inch squares and colored my blk background that way...the richness of the color depended on the power of the back light, more [power more color and good blk really absorbs and holds the color.
just think for approx $3.00 / gel you get a whole new background.
Good luck

jrollins

Art Scott wrote:

Go to your nearest theatrical supply and get a swatch book for Rosco Gels....with My White Lightings I cut my gels into 12 x 12 inch squares and colored my blk background that way...the richness of the color depended on the power of the back light, more [power more color and good blk really absorbs and holds the color.
just think for approx $3.00 / gel you get a whole new background.
Good luck

That would be awesome! I don't think I have many theatrical supply places around here. Any recommendations for a good online supplier?