Lots of New Gear but only one VANESSA

Bilsen · February 21, 2012

OK so here's my first day with the seamless white, the Photek Softlighter, a white reflector and 2 grids. Of course, Vanessa as a subject kept me focused.:wink

I played with the light position a bit, essentially using the Softlighter as the Key and a gridded flash as a hairlight. In much of the shoot I didn't worry about leaving the seamless gray since I had enough to play with already. By the way, YES, that is her hair color, brown with red streaks.

The semi-good news is that when I go through the shoot, I recognize many of the flaws I've read about on here.

So without further ado, here are a few from indoors # 2. More to come as I process them but please let me hear from you with suggestions for this Sunday with Cindy.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Hackbone · February 21, 2012

One big thing is get the weight off the front leg......makes her hips bigger. Put that weight on the back leg. I'm on my laptop and the exposures seem hot but that could be me. Three to me is the most sexy......got a great imagination. Keep her about 6 to 8 ft from the background so you don't get spill on her. Have fun, your gotta get some great photos.

Camera angle or lens on 2 and 4. Do you see a distortion in what it did to her?

Mike J · February 21, 2012

What size Softliter did you get? I picked up the big one a while back and in my limited use of it, really like it. I agree with Hackbone in that #3 is the sexiest. I also notice the distortion in most of these caused by your lens choice. I really see it in #4 which was shot at 24mm. The first assignment in the lighting class I'm taking was to take a series of portrait shots at different focal lengths but framed the same so we could see the distortion at different focal lengths. When you see 16mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 125mm side-by-side, it really jumps out at you.

Icebear · February 21, 2012

John, it looks to me like you had your hairlight on the same side as your key. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't think it did anything for you. As far as Hack's concern about making her near hip look big by having her weight on her near leg - BRING IT ON. I'm a curves guy!

Bilsen · February 21, 2012

Got it Hack. Honestly, I don't see the lens distortion. In fact, ACR lens adjustments are applied to all my images. Curious.

Mike, this is the 46" version. It's the largest that will comfortably fit the room. As with Hack, I believe you but I just don't see the distortion. Maybe it's just me.

Icebear, nope-- hairlight was opposite the main. However, these were from early on so I may have missed the aim until later on in the session. I'll be posting more of this shoot during the week so let's see if It get's better when I move the lights around.

Thank you all.

Bryce Wilson · February 22, 2012

John, what I think they are talking about with "distortion" is the fact that the camera was most likely positioned near the head or chest area when the full length shots were taken, which makes the lower half of the body look shorter than it is. (really noticeable to me on number 4) If you get down to the waist level with the camera it evens things out.

On the other hand, if that was your intent in the first place, ignore my comments!

I like three, but would have preferred to see her fingers by the face rather than the knuckles.

Bilsen · February 22, 2012

Thanks Bryce.

When you explain it that way, I do see it. When I think of distortion I tend to look more at the face, especially the nose. Got it now.

Again, there will be more from this session as I get a bit more comfortable with the lights and their positions. I actually think I got a few intentional Rembrandts correct. We shall see.

Lots of New Gear but only one VANESSA

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