Say Hello to Naomi - a Classic Beauty

[Colin Southern]

#2 Daughter has a friend over for a sleep over tonight - so time to line-up another photographic victim

Nowhere near my studio tonight - so I clamped a 580EX II with Lightsphere onto the top of the TV - clamped a black light sink behind it - another bare 580EX II to my left (held by #2 daughter), and a 3rd bare 580EX II to my right (held by #1 daughter). Both daughters complaining by the way (so a standard/familiar setup for me!). All controlled by PW TT1 + AC3 + 3x TT5 (manual). EF70-200mm F2.8L IS USM @ approx 160mm F22 / F11 @ 1/125th @ ISO 200.

Hope you enjoy

[Donald]

The lighting on that is spectacular. I think that is a jaw-droppingly good portrait.

[Colin Southern]

The lighting on that is spectacular. I think that is a jaw-droppingly good portrait.

Thanks Donald,

Hows your flash work coming along these days?

[Donald]

Thanks Donald,

Hows your flash work coming along these days?

Not doing as much as I should. Hoping to be using quite a bit over the next 3 weeks on holiday. Going to, hopefully, lots of bright sunshine in France, so will need lots of fill flash.

[Colin Southern]

Not doing as much as I should. Hoping to be using quite a bit over the next 3 weeks on holiday. Going to, hopefully, lots of bright sunshine in France, so will need lots of fill flash.

Are you running dual 580EX IIs at the moment, or just the single?

[Donald]

Just a single. And operating with a 3m cord and a ST-E2.

I actually like the cord. I know it has its limitations and restrictions, but I suppose I've learned to work within that constraint.

One day I would obviously want to break free of that constraint and hopefully graduate up to TT1 & TT5, but I can't justify the spend at the moment.

[Colin Southern]

One day I would obviously want to break free of that constraint and hopefully graduate up to TT1 & TT5, but I can't justify the spend at the moment.

You could try my technique - buy first, justify later ...

... works every time for me!

[wilgk]

You could try my technique - buy first, justify later ...

... works every time for me!

I like to phrase it as "Seek forgiveness not permission"

p.s
I love the pose - she looks just about to smile and again I can see her personality coming through

p.p.s Happy Birthday to me! - now in the true spirit of sidetracking other's threads that we do so well (Katy started it, blame her - or perhaps Raylee she puts ideas in our heads)
It was my birthday las week - that coupled with the fact that next year we might be a 1 income family - I got very spoilt with a present of the remote trigger system of which you speak...
Fashionista's boyfriend is picking it the package up today from the Delivery co....but that's another story

[Colin Southern]

I love the pose - she looks just about to smile and again I can see her personality coming through

Thanks Kay - she was actually a bit difficult to get smiling - and when she did, I missed it or she covered her face. However, true to the tried and true traditions of photography, I only needed one good frame The colour shot was the last frame in the series too.

p.p.s Happy Birthday to me! - now in the true spirit of sidetracking other's threads that we do so well (Katy started it, blame her - or perhaps Raylee she puts ideas in our heads)
It was my birthday las week - that coupled with the fact that next year we might be a 1 income family - I got very spoilt with a present of the remote trigger system of which you speak...
Fashionista's boyfriend is picking it the package up today from the Delivery co....but that's another story

Happy birthday for last week - how does it feel to be 24? (again, cough!)

Congrats on the present - just what did you get in total? (ie how many TT5? AC3?) - how many flashes do you have? By the way, be prepared to be disappointed with them initially - they can be "primadonnas" until you understand them - I'd seriously consider a "pre-takeoff" checklist because if so much as one little thing isn't right, they give wrong results -- last 2 shoots I've been scratching my head as to why they're doing certain things - in the first case the flash was on manual instead of ETTL, and the 2nd, a TT5 was on the wrong zone. I can lead you to some great lighting, but it's likely to make your head hurt with some of the attention to detail for a while though - but the results are worth it (as you can see) - the above setup was pretty basic, but it worked just fine

[Colin Southern]

@ Kay ...

Just to give you a glimpse inside the "home studio"

1x 580EX II & TT5 for the backlighting ...



and in the 2nd shot, the effect it gives - note though - that I'd also added a black reflector (held on by the two orange clamps you can just see) to stop the light bouncing off the wall behind the TV)

[Peter Ryan]

Hope you have a very happy birthday Kay.

[rob marshall]

Colin

another bare 580EX II to my left (held by #2 daughter), and a 3rd bare 580EX II to my right (held by #1 daughter).

Isn't it nice to have a definite purpose in life?

Is it my imagination, or does #1 look 'dated' compared to #2? It's the first thing I noticed. #1 looks like a 1950's movie-star shot. The girls hair-style is quite traditional, which helps the effect. But I'm assuming most of that 'look' is down to the processing. Anyway... I like it very much, and I think she should be pleased with it. You did give her a copy, I assume? Nice one.

[Colin Southern]

Colin



Isn't it nice to have a definite purpose in life?

Is it my imagination, or does #1 look 'dated' compared to #2? It's the first thing I noticed. #1 looks like a 1950's movie-star shot. The girls hair-style is quite traditional, which helps the effect. But I'm assuming most of that 'look' is down to the processing. Anyway... I like it very much, and I think she should be pleased with it. You did give her a copy, I assume? Nice one.

Thanks Rob,

I liked it more as a greyscale too, but no, nothing special in the processing - just careful global levels adjustments and a broad vignette. I thought is was a "classic look" though - hence the name of the thread.

I printed a free canvas for them (2nd for Naomi!), but of the colour shot - just about to frame it now.

[Colin Southern]

Ta Da!



(It actually looks better than it does here - the flash on the iPhone created a loss of contrast in part of the image)

[rob marshall]

Ta Da!

How long does she have to stand there to get her weekly allowance?

[Colin Southern]

About 2 seconds, then she grizzles, again

[Donald]

An observation - I notice that you've got the hood inverted; i.e. the dome going in the way. I've been using it the other way round. Do you think it makes a difference?

[Colin Southern]

An observation - I notice that you've got the hood inverted; i.e. the dome going in the way. I've been using it the other way round. Do you think it makes a difference?

Hi Donald,

Um, that's the only way they go. You don't have one of the very earliest models do you? (they were the only ones that popped out the other way)

I really only wanted something to get the light source round, and more approximating the size of the head.

Edit: Found this

[Donald]

Eh .. I bought the lightsphere collapsible and on Fong's website it shows the hood fitted either way.

Taken 2 minutes ago.



and

[abhi]

Great shots, Colin. And nice to see your setup (even though it's all greek to me ).

And, happy birthday, Kay.