Portraits

[Bob_Defly]

Shot my first portraits today, I told a mate in work I'd shoot the family for free if I could use the shots as promo's etc. Here are three of his lovely daughter, I'm really pleased with them, and more importantly so is he!

Shot with a D300 (50mm f/1.8) and an SB-800 off camera into a reflective umbrella upper right. Hope you like!

[Stigmundfreud]

nice light what background did you use?

[Bob_Defly]

Just a piece of white fabric.

[Mrs Fish]

Very nice, love the third one

[davidd]

Using a sheet and flash you have done an excellent job for a first go, mine was so rubbish I would not even bother to post it.

I like the middle one, the first looks a little washed out and I don't like her teeth in the bottom one What processing have you done?

I bet her family will love them though.

D

[Bob_Defly]

Thanks, just a bit of dodging and burning, then a little contrast (curves).

[EmmaP]

These are great! Lovely soft lighting that renders the skin tones beautifully. I actually like the first one best. It has an ethereal quality to it. The child looks deep in thought and it is quite an unusual expression for a child. Not the traditional laughing or smiley shot. I like the fact that it is a bit different. The parents will be delighted.

I'd crop some of the white off the left and right though.

Edited by EmmaP on Wednesday 30th July 00:50

[Ordinary Bloke]

They're really good. I notice the reflections in the eyes, a bit untidy so you might want to photoshop them to be 'simpler' but otherwise really really good. Tell your mate she's lovely, by the way, a natural. My daughter's won't stay still long enough these days...

[Bob_Defly]

Thanks for the C&C. I like the first one too! I love the high key look. The reflections are because I had a little reflector thingy on the floor so that is showing up in the eyes too, didn't realise it would.

I have spent a while on processing the lot so I probably won't do much else other than crop them a bit, as I'm not being paid for them. But I did learn absolutely loads about camera, lens and lighting settings which was great, and part of the reason I did it. I also learnt that one SB-800 can be quite versatile!

[EmmaP]

Reflections in eyes are great and add sparkle. I think that maybe the two sets are a bit too much in this instance.

Edited by EmmaP on Wednesday 30th July 11:30

[Ordinary Bloke]

EmmaP said:

Reflections in eyes are great and add sparkle. I think that maybe the two sets are a bit too much in this instance.

Yes, that's what I meant too. I love catchlights in the eyes, but I'm really careful about the shape of them. One large square or rectangle looks good (that's what I get when I use my 1M softbox) or a circle (Brolly) but it has to be a simple shape to look professional.

It's not always possible to avoid complex reflections, so it might be worth 30 seconds to photoshop-out most of them, leaving just a simple square reflection. But to reiterate, I'm being picky, its just something I notice in portraits.

[Bob_Defly]

Ordinary Bloke said:

EmmaP said:

Reflections in eyes are great and add sparkle. I think that maybe the two sets are a bit too much in this instance.

Yes, that's what I meant too. I love catchlights in the eyes, but I'm really careful about the shape of them. One large square or rectangle looks good (that's what I get when I use my 1M softbox) or a circle (Brolly) but it has to be a simple shape to look professional.

It's not always possible to avoid complex reflections, so it might be worth 30 seconds to photoshop-out most of them, leaving just a simple square reflection. But to reiterate, I'm being picky, its just something I notice in portraits.

No I appreciate it and agree with your comments, does anyone do a cheap softbox for the SB-800?

[EmmaP]

I have a Lastolite Micro Apollo that fits over my Metz 45-CT5. I bought it from Calumet. It is basically a soft box style diffuser for a flash gun head.