Sk8

Browncoat

Senior Member
I just realized that it's been awhile since I posted one of my own for ya'll to tear apart...so here it is:


Luke-1-2.jpg

EXIF:
Nikon D800
1/250 @ f/3.5
ISO 100
Tamron 17-50mm @ 17mm (wide angle)

LIGHTING:
LumoPro LP160 @ 24mm @ 1/2 power
via PocketWizard
60" Westcott convertible umbrella about 4 ft away from subject

PROCESSING:
Minor color adjustments in Lightroom (saturation increase)
Vignette added

PURPOSE:
This shot was mostly just a test of the 60" umbrella in a daylight shooting situation. Model is my stepson, Luke, who is very camera shy. If he looks at the lens, he gets this "deer in the highlights" look, so I have him looking off-camera.

All feedback welcome!
 

ShootRaw

Senior Member
I feel like the composition is off..Would have moved over to the left of him slightly..Also I would have had him turn his head with the nose pointing towards the light...He has deep shadows in his eyes because his head is turned in the wrong direction..
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
Lighting looks good. Pose is a bit awkward; left hand long, legs long, torso short, right fingers crawling over knee, but none of this necessarily unflattering to the subject of a skateboarder.

Eyes more centered and camera left same angle. Add a slight amount light in front of subject and low, but not too much. Keep the shadows on left of face.

Sent by Chupa via Tapatalk
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Regarding the eyes: It's impossible to get good lighting under this kid's eyes...that's just how his face is shaped. Believe me, I've tried. Even with a full studio setup, he has dark circles.

As for the distorted pose, it's meant to be that way. I shot this in close with a wide angle lens because that's how I wanted it to look. My only regret in that regard is that I wish I could've gotten a bit lower. This was an active alley with a bit of traffic, so laying on the ground wasn't a good idea LOL!

This shot is coming straight off the heels of watching Zack Arias' OneLight video. I'm trying to see what I can do with a very simple setup. I did a few test shots with the lighting head on, and it just didn't produce the more dramatic effect I was going for.

Keep em' coming!
 

ShootRaw

Senior Member
How high was the light?...If it is too high you will for sure cast shadows into his eyes...Always have subject point nose towards the light..This and correct height of strobe would have popped enough light to kill the shadows in the eyes..
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
I'm tellin' ya...there's no getting the shadows out from under this kid's eyes. I can take a textbook 3-light portrait shot of 50 people and 49 of them will look just fine. It's not possible. I've often joked that he's iron deficient or something, because he always has dark circles under his eyes.

As for the direction of light, again, I chose for it to be dramatic. This was shot at the beginning of the blue hour, so there would be no purpose to even use flash at all if I were trying to achieve flat lighting.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
My original response was from the tablet, so thought I would add some thought.

The single light source position is actually very classic, even predating the camera. Same position we used in studio with a similar effect, but in studio the low-key aim was obvious. That little triangle of light below the left eye was how we aimed the single lamp for many a shot. Works different for different cheek bones, but adds a little light to the shadowed eye.

I can't get away from wanting the eyes to look forward. There are some shots that wandering eyes are okay and this could be one. But, if the eyes were lit, then the right eye would be mostly white. Hence my suggestion to bring the eyes toward the camera. But then the camera needs to swing left to maintain the same angle to the eye direction.

Initially thought of lowering the light, but that would destroy the effect, so opted instead to suggest adding some light from camera right and near the ground. However, the desired effect might be achieved by reducing the power of the LP-160 and adjusting exposure to gain a little more ambient light from the eyes. Maybe???? If the eye direction was for the effect, then there is not much to change.

Overall, it works.
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Yeah, he likes it. He says it's his favorite photo of him.

The best ones I have of him are from when he has no idea I'm taking a photo. It's gotten so that when I take the kids out for a session, I'll ask him to "wait over there" for his turn. He thinks he's just hanging out off to the side, but he's really at the place I want him to be. Then I act like I'm shooting one of the other kids.

Here's one from 2011:

20110703-LukeY-13.jpg
 

PaulPosition

Senior Member
Get a few action shots of him skating, you just need to look more silly than he well ever be : lie on the ground shooting up at a rail he's going to ride, that sort of things. He'll have pity on the poor fool and collaborate just to pull you out of that misery ;)

(I used to be that kid - still am, when I think of it)
 

ShootRaw

Senior Member
If you could try the same first shot again..I stand by having him turn his head towards the light..You would see his eyes,you would be short lighting him,and most importantly have catch lights in his eyes...Just trying to help...This would knock shadows off of the eyes...Dark circles is a separate issue..
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Okay. Apparently my point hasn't come across regarding the severity of this kid's camera shyness.

Last year, we took a family vacation and got some pics of everyone outside of our cabin. After nearly an hour of trying to get a decent photo of him, I gave up. The below photo is the best of probably 100 pics of him that day. This is my wife's attempt, zoomed in for emphasis:


20131027-Hocking-Hills-2013-87.jpg

Note the bloody nose? When I say that he has issues looking at the lens, I'm not kidding.
 

ShootRaw

Senior Member
I never said have him look into the lens...I said the light..You could use a healing tool for the bloody nose. You can raise your light source and have him pull chin slightly down to avoid the reflection of the flash in his glasses...No offense, but I feel like the critique given you are not receiving well. I feel like you are getting defensive.The only way you will grow is to not say you cant do something,or say that it is impossible. Sometimes photographing my kids is a challenge. But that does not stop me from trying...
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
And I feel like you're not reading why I'm doing the things that I do. If I say that I used X because I was going for Y to achieve Z...and if you come back with you would've done A, because B, to get effect C...then the critique has no value to me. If I wanted a subject looking at the light, I would've had him looking at the damn light.

I think I've been pretty clear on what was trying to be accomplished here and how/why it was done.
 

ShootRaw

Senior Member
Wow...You sir do not take critique well...Maybe you should not put up a photo for critique if you are not open-minded to learn what could improve your photo..When using flash having catchlights in the eyes is a basic thing.. (also pointing the nose towards the lightsource) If you want to continue to struggle with your photos and complain that things are impossible when there not. Then be my guest..Im done here..
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Good, then be done.

I take critique quite well, actually, when it adds something of value. I'm certain that I know about catch lights and traditional portraiture lighting. I'm certain that I have a successful portrait business based on my understanding of it. Hell, I could probably write a book.

This is not that type of shot, clearly. Didn't set it up that way, didn't have any allusions to it coming out that way, didn't want it that way. That has been well established, yet you're continuing to compare apples to oranges. I'm asking for critique of my apple. You keep talking about your orange.

It's like someone submitting a B&W photo and someone offering a critique about how it would look better in color.
 

John P

Senior Member
I hear ya.
I like to shoot models with an edgy or altenative look. With these models. I like to have hard edged shadows and very dramatic lighting.
But everyone tells me I'm doing it wrong. They explain light source size, and distance. Educate me about soft lighting.

Am I doing it wrong if I do it on purpose?
 

John P

Senior Member
In regards to your shot. I would have put him more to the edge of the frame. Looking to the center. Also something different with his hands.
As far as the lighting, I like it. A colored gel would look cool for this shot.
 
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