"School of Portraiture" - Lesson 03 - "Positioning - Lighting - Taking the Shot"

[Colin Southern]

I just thought it suited her - we used to call her 'Fred' for several years when there were 2 many Georgie or Georgias in her netball team, but she has outgrown that

I'm just interested in where the word came from ... I'll tell you why when you tell me

surely not! I'm sure I was in the right place

You were in a photography store and they hadn't heard of a grey card? - for real?

[wilgk]

I'm just interested in where the word came from ... I'll tell you why when you tell me

well I thought I was using it in the context of the 'dedicated follower of fashion' song from our youth...BUT...don't dare look it up on Wiki-whatsit or you will be in for a big shock...or I was anyway!

You were in a photography store and they hadn't heard of a grey card? - for real?

yep absolutely http://teds.rtrk.com.au/?scid=55260&..._id=5777755543

- but he did say they had a 'pro department' in 1 of their stores where they might be able to help me....
I did consider asking him "Do I look like a".....oh never mind

[Colin Southern]

well I thought I was using it in the context of the 'dedicated follower of fashion' song from our youth...BUT...don't dare look it up on Wiki-whatsit or you will be in for a big shock...or I was anyway!

Here's a (zoomed in) (iPhone) photo (shot throught the car windscreen) that I took today ...

I did consider asking him "Do I look like a".....oh never mind

Well apparantly you're more pro than any of their other customers! (um, you might not like to look up the definition of a "pro" either!)

[Ricko]

Right, this thread is getting far too easy for Colin! So I'm going to post this >



Came out rather blue! Suppose thats due to Partial metering mode ???



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Model (Granddaughter) and assistant(Daughter) were not interested in helping out today.

Still, gives me time to re-read all the advice for when the weather gets better, then hopefully I can get it all to gel a bit!

[Colin Southern]

Hi Richard,

Bring it on

Sorry I didn't get to this earlier ... I saw it first thing this morning, but didn't get time until now to get back to you with a (quality) reply.

To be honest ...

... it's really not as bad as you might think!

1. I think I might have created a monster with brick backgrounds - they're OK, but having said that, I suspect that most shouldn't be too challenged to find something even better - perhaps a tree trunk whilst walking in the park?

2. In terms of "co-operation", I know just what it's like. With my 2 kids, sometimes they're in the mood for it, sometimes they'r not ... and when they're not then EVERYTHING is a problem and it's ALL my fault. Easier just to give up and hire a model ... preferably one of their friends so that the friend gets the money, not them

3. If you think of it, a little clearing of the hair from the face would help a lot - if they won't co-operate then threaten to use duck tape

Processing wise, I think I've made it a little better ...

... what do you think?



PS: Coming out "blue" isn't anything to do with metering modes ... it's to do with incorrect white balancing. While we wait for the rest of the world to catch up, pop down to your local photo store and pickup a gray card ... we'll use it next lesson (if we ever get that far)!

If you really want to splash out, grab a WhiBal - that's what I use most of the time.

[Ricko]

Hehe, that looks great! Will try do a better job over the weekend weather permitting, it isn't looking too good at the moment.

I have got a card that came in the back of Scott Kelbys CS4 book with 4 tones on, highlight,shadow, camera raw white balance and midtone. Will that do?

ps

How much sharpening did you apply ?

[Colin Southern]

Hehe, that looks great! Will try do a better job over the weekend weather permitting, it isn't looking too good at the moment.

I know the feeling

I have got a card that came in the back of Scott Kelbys CS4 book with 4 tones on, highlight,shadow, camera raw white balance and midtone. Will that do?

Better than nothing

ps

How much sharpening did you apply ?

A LOT more than you

Seriously, we can't compare apples with apples, because I had to use vastly different numbers because I only had a low resolution version to work on.

[Ashwin]

Colin & Antonio
Thank you both so much for showing us what can be done by people with post processing experience,skills & your generosity to share them

- she will love both versions
I do too, but am also still thinking what I didn't do right originally to give you more to work with - but as you say Colin - knowing what went wrong is a step along a path toward getting it right.

She will of course now see that I call her Fashionista - but it does suit her because Georgie-Louise (her real name) is a dedicated follower of fashion and beauty equipment, most items that I don't know what they are let alone what they're for

But the Teachers tell me she stands up to Bullys on behalf of the quiet Boys.....if only she always used her powers for good instead of evil

So thank you both again & I will keep practicing at taking the picture that tells you this story - with less talk from me.

Hi Kay,

Can I jump in, Your different photo with different approach. Your re-action comments pl.

[wilgk]

I think it is a very flattering transformation for her - thank you for taking the time with this.
I also see again how true Colin's comments about getting stray hair out of the way are, things that one may not notice at the time, but always draw your eye afterward, so that is something for me to remember for next time.
Also perhaps a wee bit more cropped at the bottom maybe?

[Ricko]

Well its been a horrid day weather wise. Forecast look good for Sunday though !!

[Colin Southern]

Well its been a horrid day weather wise. Forecast look good for Sunday though !!

We'll be waiting

[Sam Smith]

Well the model was finally agreeable to pose. Of course today is a typical day in Florida, rain, sun, rain, sun and drizzle. It was hard to use the reflector as a breeze was starting and blowing it over. The only PP is teeth whiting and removing a little injury below the left eye. Other than those is as shot. I need to work on my model direction skills. Maybe someone other than the wife next time.

[Maritimer1]

I feel like the kid who rushes in ten minutes after class has started. My homework wasn't eaten by the dog; the dog was the only willing subject until this morning.

Colin, I'm not real pleased with these, and they're the best of about 20 shots, partly because I was making myself hurry. Model and helper were not really...um...caught up in the moment? I tweaked mainly the exposure, contrast and clarity in ACR. No cropping done. In PS, I sharpened once at 150/.3/0 I didn't touch the skin issues etc. You'll be doing PP in Lesson 4 so figured no sense in having to undo it all

The sun, despite his squinting, was not in his eyes. He was under a tree, the sun was over my shoulder to the left and his dad had a makeshift reflector held up to my right. The "mug shot" was actually too bright on the left side of Nate's face which is why I brought the exposure down. My other shots still had too much shadow on both sides. No solid fences with trees for shade, so the background is not ideal and there is too much sky in one shot.

For lens, I used a Canon 80-210 f4 (1987 version) that I just arrived (ebay) three days ago. I also tried some shots with the 85 f/1.8, but I didn't like them as well.

OK, here goes. Thank you!



F5.6 1/90 ISO 200 @ 170m




F8 1/90 ISO 200 170 m


Myra

[Ricko]

Ok, had another go at getting the co-operation of family members!!
Not overly happy with the result but I'm going to post them anyway because this is what it's all about!
Please feel free to comment on any aspect of the shots.

1


2


3


I have done some PP to these shots. A bit of blur and sharpening on selected areas.

[Ollokot]

Hi Colin
I have been following your thread with intense interest. I must thank you for such a highly informative '' SCHOOL ''. As yet i have no reflector (it's on the way,I hope). While out and about today this kind lady agreed to pose for a short while, hope you don't mind but i felt impelled to post even though no reflector was used. Your critique would be highly valued in fact i know it would be of infinite value,





Best Wishes Pat

[Ollokot]

Hi dave
Many thanks for the edit, I was trying to figure out what i'd done wrong.

[Dave Humphries]

Many thanks for the edit, I was trying to figure out what i'd done wrong.

Looks like the cursor had got into the middle of the first one when you pasted in the second one, that's all.

[Ollokot]

Better watch the cursor in future,

Best Wishes, Pat.

[Loose Canon]

I apologize to Colin and to the class. I don’t have an apple photo handy or I would offer it to the teacher and go out for drinks with the class after school if I could.

To paraphrase the Immortal John Lennon: “Life is what happens while you are making other plans”! I considered this opportunity invaluable and was determined to participate. I hope I still can to whatever degree Life allows me. And again, my most Heartfelt Thanks to Mr. Southern for his generosity and expertise in leading this experience. I am finding the process totally captivating and am already seeing things I have not heretofore.

This is the Love of My Life. She is the most beautiful, and bravest creature I have ever encountered. She is not only an inspiration to everyone she knows, but she is everything to me.

And as if it is not bad enough for her to be married to the likes of me, she gets to put up with me fumbling around trying to get a shot of her to post for The Assignment as an added bonus!

I had to finally pull a “Kit” and timered the shot so I could hurry over and put on the assistant’s hat to hold the reflector (white foam board) in the sun. Thank you for your Inspiration Kit!

As it turns out? Regardless of how bad the shot is, we had a blast doing it together. That right there is worth the price of admission! I hope I am gaining more of an understanding of not only what this will require on the technical end, but also how to relate and have a rapport with my model. I can see this is a huge aspect of success at this endeavor.

I didn’t know how far to try my luck at PP for this exercise, so I left it at just a “little bit” and hope for C&C. I know I could go further.

The background is my garage door (could clone the seams in the door panels, for one).

[Maritimer1]

My head is on vacation. Colin, sorry, I posted my shots under Lesson 2.

Shaking my head...

Myra