Portrait assistance needed

[Digital]

I took this photo recently, and I am in need of some assistance. There is a shadow behind the subject's head caused by an on-camera flash with a diffuser. I positioned the flash at about a 45 degree angle aiming the flash at the ceiling. I then asked the subject to move further from the wall that was behind her. I still got this shadow. My guess is that I did not have the subject move away from the wall far enough. I need some suggestions on how to avoid this problem in the future. Incidentally, the subject was pleased with the photograph; however I was not. Thank you.
Bruce

[chauncey]

My guess is that I did not have the subject move away from the wall far enough

That would be my suggestion as well.

[Mike Buckley]

Your idea of moving the subject away from the wall is the solution at the time of capture. Even so, based on my experience when that was not possible because I was shooting in a hallway, I was able to solve the problem during post-processing.

[Digital]

Mike, thanks so much for your response. In PP what method did you use? My PP skills are somewhat limited not by lack of software, but by know how, and experience.


Bruce

[Digital]

William, thank you so much for your comment. I will be more careful next time I am in a similar situation.


Bruce

[rpcrowe]

I used NIK Viveza and placed control points on the shadows to the rear of the head and used the shadow adjustment and brightness sliders to accomplish this...



I then used the Photoshop CS6 Clone Stanp Tool at about 25% (with the brighter background as my target) to even out the shadows even more...



My standard setup for quick and dirty portraiture is a hotshoe flash and a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro. I use the flash with the narrow side at right angles to the body of the camera. That way, when I switch to a portrait configuration, the flash can be still pointed directly up. Indoors and close-up, I have the FlipIt reflector portion of the Flash Diffuser Pro directly up. Outdoors when there is no overhead surface off which to bounce or when I need to direct more of the flash at the subject, I will tilt the FipIt forward about 45 degrees.



The Flash Diffuser Pro is configured with a diffuser which helps even out the light...



I "try" to have my subject stand a bit of a way from any wall but, this flash configuration prevents objectionable shadows.



NOTE: I can't find any illustrations standing right before a blank wall (told you that I try not to do it). This is the closest I can find for an illustration.

Quite often mature females appreciate their portraits with a bit of touching up. Not enough to look plastic just enough to smooth out the skin a bit. I did this in Portrait Professional 9 at the default settings.



BTW: After all of this, I noticed a shadow under her nose which might be objectionable but, which could be easily fixed using the clone tool at about 25% density. The FlipIt portion of the Flash Diffuser Pro might have filled this shadow from the bounce flash..

[Mike Buckley]

I selected (using control points) the shadow on the wall and then filled that area with the brighter color of the wall. I'm sure some fine tuning was needed, but that was essentially how I made the change.

[Mike Buckley]

On the one hand, don't look closely. On the other hand, I spent less than three minutes on it.

If you get around to doing something similar, be sure to use a clone tool to eliminate the hot spot on the tip of her nose.

[Digital]

Thank you Richard for the illustration. I will try to remember your method for future reference; however I will do my best to avoid this problem at the time of capture. I can understand you not wishing to use a blank wall; however I was severely limited where I did the shoot. Believe it or not this was shot between two rocking chairs. For future use I may look into a Joe Demb flash diffuser. I do have a Gary Fong diffuser; however lately I have been using a Lumi-Quest soft box set up that fits on my flash.
Incidentally, thanks for what you did to the photo to really soften the shadows behind the subject's head.

Bruce

[Digital]

Thanks Mike for the illustration.



Bruce

[William W]

. . . There is a shadow behind the subject's head caused by an on-camera flash with a diffuser. I positioned the flash at about a 45 degree angle aiming the flash at the ceiling. I then asked the subject to move further from the wall that was behind her. I still got this shadow. My guess is that I did not have the subject move away from the wall far enough. I need some suggestions on how to avoid this problem in the future. Incidentally, the subject was pleased with the photograph; however I was not. . .

Yes. If you choose use a Diffuser as your Light Modifier in that scenario, then you will need to get the Subject a relatively great distance away from the wall - OR - if you can't do that then you will need to address the Shadows in Post Production.


HOWEVER!

> If it is a tight location, then moving the Subject might not be possible.

> (for lots of reasons) I prefer to do minimal Post Production.

So, therefore I would probably always choose NOT to use a Diffuser in that situation.


*

It looks like a Duck Egg Blue Wall (or white wall and there’s a colour cast) and probably a white ceiling.

What Flash Unit are you using?

*

Here are two simple On Camera Flash Techniques for your consideration.

Note one key objective of these lighting techniques is having MINIMAL Post Production


1. If in tight space or hallway or if there is a wall or corner close behind or to the side of the Camera's viewpoint:

a) dump the diffuser

b) bounce backwards at 45° and upwards at 45° to the wall and ceiling intersection



2. If large area and no wall close behind you

a) dump the diffuser

b) bounce upwards at 45° to the ceiling and use the Catchlight Card (if your Flash has one - if not then get
a flash that does – they are really useful)

The rationale of these two techniques is to employ BOUNCE from a strong POINT SOURCE across a very large SURFACE AREA, and not have CONCENTRATED AREA of DIFFUSION from a strong POINT SOURCE, thus making the the shadows SOFT and NOT DEFINED.

***






The sample image above was taken from a Portrait Session made in the kitchen of the Subject’s House.

The area I had in which to shoot was very tight and cluttered. The Subject is only about 400mm from the curtain, yet there is no perceivable shadow on the curtain.

There is also an elevation and plan sketch of the Lighting Set; the dimensions are approximate and from memory, but are very close. I used both the above techniques. From the shadows, this image appears to be an example of the first technique.

Technical:
EOS 5D; EF 85 F/1.8;
F/6.3 @ 1/200s (Max. Flash Sync) @ ISO320
On Camera 520 EX Bounced Backwards and Upwards to Camera Left
Vertical Orientation
Cropped top and bottom to 1:1
SD ≈ 1500mm to 1800mm


Note the RAPID SHADOW FALL OFF over very small distances; –

1. Note the STRONG SHADOW behind the medals which sit only about 10mm in front of the blue garment

2. Compare the SOFTER SHADOWS appearing behind the R .Hand and the Certificate which are about 100mm in front of the sleeve.

3. Ergo – no perceivable shadow behind the SUBJECT who is standing only 400mm in front of the Curtain

½ to ¼ Profile Pose is usually the most useful positioning for this technique.

Obviously the bounce is backwards to the side the Subject is facing, in this case backwards and upwards to Camera Left so that there is a little bit of modelling on the Face and the shadows which are visible appear in a logical position.

WW

[Digital]

Bill, thanks for the feedback. I am going to experiment with your suggestions. I would rather eliminate the shadows at the time of capture rather than do it in post.
I have been using a Nikon SB 600 for a flash. I also have a Nikon SB 910.

Bruce

[William W]

The SB910 has the ‘Catch Light Card’ that I referenced – I don’t think the SB600 does though.

Here is an example where I used Forward Ceiling Bounce and the Catch Light Card:



***

Notes:

> taken at an Airport and the ceiling was quite high - I was rapidly running close to the limit of the Maximum Flash Working Distance, especially considering the LOSS attributable to the Bounce

> I positioned the Flash/Camera under an area where the Ceiling was the lowest and also the best structure for the Bounce

> notice the “Light” definition/separation in the area where the Subjects are located and also on the Subjects; compared to the slightly darker and also different Colour Temperature of the Background - This separation of the Subject Group and Background was what I was seeking to achieve

> an Omnidirectional Diffuser could have worked in this situation, (many of my colleagues use them 'religiously') - but I usually prefer to use a ceiling bounce, generally, for these scenarios - because there is more control over the “focus” of the light into the Subject Area and quite often about the same or less ‘power loss’ when using a bounce – especially if the ceiling is low and depending upon the Translucence/Transmittance Factor of the Diffuser - and Bounce is quicker and easier and there is less gear to have to fiddle and carry

> this sample is just about at the (distance) limit of the usefulness of the “Catch Light Card” but there is some gloss and soft modelling on some of the Subject’s Faces – and the eyes are reasonably bright

> as I move farther away from the Subject(s) I move the angle of the Flash Head from directly up, to more toward 45° - it’s a practice and ‘get a feel for it’ procedure (there’s probably a little diagram in your 910 User Manual depicting an Head and Shoulder Portrait and the Camera is close to the Subject and the Flash is pointed directly upwards) . . . obviously for a Full Length Group Portrait such as this example, the camera is going to be farther away and that requires some ‘adaption’ of the technique. Also therefore, I was probably pulling around ISO1600 for this image; I don’t know the exact details, because the EXIF has been removed from this file copy, but it would have been made with an EOS 5D and a 520 Flash; probably the 24 to 70/2.8L or 35/1.4L Lens – if the zoom then somewhere near the wide end so I could get the Flash as close as possible to the Subjects

WW

Image © AJ Group Pty Ltd Aust 1996~2016 WMW 1965~1996

[Digital]

Bill, thanks again so much for the information that you provided. Believe it or not I have never used the Nikon Sb910 since my SB600 has really served me well; however given the information I learned from you, and the others who have responded to this post, I will definitely change my photography procedures.
A big THANKS to all the CiC members who have responded in taking the time to educate me on photographic techniques.
If I stop learning, I am probably dead.

Bruce

[William W]

Good.

[Digital]

The photo below was shot with the Nikon SB910 with the built in bounce card. Using the same location, I positioned the subject approximately 3 feet from the wall. The flash head was positioned straight up towards the ceiling with the bounce card utilized. This is the results. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Bruce

[Mike Buckley]

You eliminated the shadow. That was the most important goal, so you did very well!

The brim of the hat created a slightly shadowed area around her eyes and forehead, so it's up to you to decide whether you want to brighten that area in post-processing.

If the image was mine, I would increase the contrast and brightness in her eyes and I would whiten her teeth just a little bit, not so that they are noticeably different than from reality but just enough to make them appear a little bit brighter.

As for the composition, considering that the brim of the hat is at the edge of the frame, I would also crop to do the same with the top of the hat. If not, I would leave just a tiny bit of space above the top of the hat. I would then add a slight vignette. (I didn't do that in the image I posted in the thread. That's because I made that image nearly a decade ago when I had not yet come to that sensibility.)

[Manfred M]

Gee - I was out shooting so missed this whole discussion.

I will agree with what Bill has suggested - in most indoor situations when I shoot on-camera flash, I use bounce light. The only time I don't is when the room is either too big or the walls / ceiling have colours that don't work.

Back to basic lighting in photography, a small light source (relative to the subject) produces hard and unattractive light. A large light source (i.e. a flash bounced off a wall or ceiling make these your large light source) give soft and attractive light. This means that ANY diffuser that fits over a small flash still gives you a small light source. If you are bouncing the light towards your subject. make sure that the reflected light is not angled too sharply or you will end up casting shadows into their eye sockets and give you that distinctly unpleasant "raccoon look".

With respect to the image with the hat, I have a piece of white foam core that I picked up for very little money at Staples / Office Depot. It's about 20" x 30". I'll get my subject to hold it in their hands tilted slightly back towards them (about 20 degrees), just out of frame. This will bounce light from the flash back under the chin and under the brim of the hat and into their eye sockets - a cheap and easy fix for that issue.

if you do have to use direct flash, it should be off-camera and high up and pointed down at an angle (45 degrees is a good starting point) so that any shadows fall low and behind your subject and are hidden from the camera.

[Digital]

Mike, thanks for your very kind comments. The goal of this exercise was to eliminate the shadows.



Bruce

[Digital]

Manfred, thanks for your comments, and the suggestion regarding the reflector.



Bruce