Englishwoman in Australia...in a cross between lessons 5 & 6 Portrait school

[wilgk]

Well I have had a change of model! - This is my friend Sian who is from the cold North.
Sian kindly agreed to pose for me, but warned me that she never looks any good in photos ...hmm I'm not so sure.

Anyway - I haven't posted this under lesson 6 as they were all taken outside rather than 'in studio conditions', however I did add some more lighting and what not to have a go a the next step, whilst I move some of BC's gear out of the 'studio'.

The lights were the speedlight on the tripod to model's left - then 2 work lamps from the shed sort of moved around to either side and behind her.

1 they kept her warm as it was a cold day and 2, it let me see where the shadows fell etc depending on where i moved the lamps - which i guess is part of the lesson.

I also had a hairbrush handy - changes of clothes and jewellery and had a fan blowing at her.

So I think all those extras were enough to have going on before I stepped 'indoors'.
Incidental items were a stepladder and ironing board, the latter doubled as an imitation of something to lean on in the sitting poses.

I was happy that I have improved in the posing area, I can communicate what i want to her and I can also spot stray hairs blowing around, she couldn't feel them and I said nope no good.

The speedlight was without any softening/diffuser, so I just used some -ve flash ec to soften that - I need to experiment with reducing the flash power and/or shoot it through the inner diffuser thingy that you get when you take it out of the silver/gold cover.
This would have also made the light source bigger/softer....yes?

The speedlight was fired from the on camera flash of the 7D - I think I'm correct in that the on camera flash just sends a wee wireless pulse to make the speedlight fire and it doesn't actually contribute to illuminating the model...as we don't want to use it's harsh small light source I'm thinking.

My main feeling of hmmmmm not good enough I think is post processing - specifically sharpening.
Firstly I have to be honest and admit with the speedlight on the tripod I'm shooting hand-held and after 20 years of ultrasound work my shoulder/wrist is pretty dodgy, so I'm not a steady hand holder at the best of times, so another tripod is on the menu at some point - although i do like the ability to walk around and see the different angles.
Anyway to me the sharpening that I have applied - initial capture when i open in photoshop then again at the end of pp to me looks good for the eyes but too much for the skin...

So here are some form this first session for 2011, even with all the areas for improvement I've seen (plus what you all will see ) I have to say it was a lot of fun.

#1 - we have a shadow from the main light






#2 - my leaning back pose that I unconsciously seem to be favouring.






#3 - lost the shadows good - but seemed to have lost 'catchlight' as well - bad






#4 I like the pose the hat adds fun - but not enough light now on the main attraction - her face






#5 - hair nto quite all showing the effect of the fan, needed to be out from coat (which was mine and a bit too big for her)

[Katy Noelle]

Very interesting, Kay! I'm glad that you shared all of that. I don't know what to say regarding C&C but just a few observations....

Firstly, what a beautiful woman! You must've done something right if she doesn't usually take a good photo.

#1, I think that it's the outfit, but, my eye is really drawn to her decolletage, which is a little disconcerting - I'd rather focus on her face, no? Actually, I think that it's because that part of the photo is the most lit.

#3 IS a lovely shot. I've seen somewhere else a tutorial on adding catch lights but haven't heard anyone mentioning them, here. I think that it's a photoshop thing; so, I don't know much about it.

#5 Wow, the blue coat really brings out the beautiful blue in her eyes. They're almost luminous.

Well, as always, just my thoughts about what I see - you know....

[Klickit]

If your friend thinks she is not photogenic, she should have another think.

I like #s 2 & 3 the most out of the set, partly because of the pose and partly because of the open & unguarded expression on her face. Also like the clothing and accessories in these two. I'm not so taken by the last one as I feel the darker clothing colour and the style detract in comparison to the cleaner lines of the others, but you have noted that anyway. The standout is definitely #3, although I would like to see a wee smidgeon more over the top of her head.

I won't comment too much on the lighting, because I haven't been working in this area recently, but is adding an artificial catch-light considered to be badness of a high order?

[PopsPhotos]

Many photographers don't like the subtle shadow under a hat, particularly on a beautiful woman. I happen to like it, when done right. After all, that is the purpose of the hat, is it not?

What is difficult is to get the catchlight on the eyes and not get a sideways shadow of the nose across a cheek. When you solve those two, as you did, the fact that the hat shades the person adds to the realism of the picture.

That is my opinion. I've been on the wrong side of this argument many times. Perhaps it has something to do with having grown up in one of the harshest deserts in North America.

Pops

[Shadowman]

I didn't notice how tightly the image was cropped until Kit mentioned it. I guess that's because I was distracted by so many other things within the image such as the jewelry, the pose, etc. The jewelry and the hat would work fine in a candid but can be slightly distracting in a portrait. I know these accessories are meant to show something about the model but with such a subdued background they compete for the attention of the model.

[Donald]

Absolutely brilliant stuff. When you look back at where you were when Colin started up with Lesson 1 of his series and where you are now ....! Just fantastic to have watched the development taking place. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy the ride.