Camera Club Portrait Session

[Cyberman]

This week at camera club we looked at portraits and some of the possible setups.
We had constant lighting, mains powered strobes and speedlites all with various soft boxes and backgrounds.
I used my speedlites with a couple of Lastolite soft boxes.
Most of the evening other people were using my setup and camera which was the plan, but I did get a few images of my own...

Portrait of Tim by cyberdavis, on Flickr

Portrait by cyberdavis, on Flickr

Portrait by cyberdavis, on Flickr

The last image is one that someone else took on my camera, and it was originally quite over exposed but i like the look of it, I wanted to use it and make it into something as I felt it had potential.
The other two are ones I took as well as edited.

As always comments and feedback are welcomed.

[Tigger]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

the second is real wining shot Andy! - the first I like but you've clipped his head and either you show it all our crop it further down

[Cyberman]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

the first I like but you've clipped his head and either you show it all our crop it further down

Cheers Ian, I deliberately cropped it but maybe was too cautious on the crop.

[Bhuna]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

I agree with Ian - first thought I had was the top of the head was sliced off :)

Personally I think the last picture is still a bit too bright on the right hand side.

Number 2 however is the best picture.

[Tigger]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

Cheers Ian, I deliberately cropped it but maybe was too cautious on the crop.

you need to throw caution out if thats your plan ;o).... be daring

[Cyberman]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

I agree with Ian - first thought I had was the top of the head was sliced off :)

Personally I think the last picture is still a bit too bright on the right hand side.

Number 2 however is the best picture.

Cheers Andy, I guess the crop is not to everyone's liking. I will try it more cropped, with no crop it just looked a bit 'dull' to me.
The last one was an image a friend took that was very over exposed, but I liked the soft look and the composition. Wanted to see if I could get a decent image out of it. I guess the jury is still out on that.

you need to throw caution out if thats your plan ;o).... be daring

I've been onto Amazon and ordered a caution removal kit!
Part of my issue is wanting to keep the image that ratio, but maybe I'll revisit tomorrow and try a few things.

[Stan]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

The last one is not for me - some images are recoverable and some are not and this I think falls into the latter.

I like number two but that and the first is very difficult to see with out a lot of scrolling due to the size posted

stan

[tesarver]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

I well add another vote for the second image as I like the lighting of that image.

Tom

[Parsen66]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

Well I like all three of them, the second more than most.

Andy I think you could crop the first even harsher. It's a strong pose and interesting face. In my view it could almost end up a square!

[Cyberman]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

The last one is not for me - some images are recoverable and some are not and this I think falls into the latter.

I like number two but that and the first is very difficult to see with out a lot of scrolling due to the size posted

stan

I appreciate your thoughts on the last image, it's probably a bit of a Marmite image.
As for size of image, I used the same size as usual when selecting the link from Flickr. I guess as is a portrait format it's presented bigger, I'll try and remember to look at image size in the future.

I well add another vote for the second image as I like the lighting of that image.

Tom

Cheers Tom, thanks for looking.

Well I like all three of them, the second more than most.

Andy I think you could crop the first even harsher. It's a strong pose and interesting face. In my view it could almost end up a square!

Alan, thanks very much for looking and the comments.
I will look at the crop when I get chance later in the week, it's a fair comment and it's been good feedback from everyone.

[lunarbo]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

Number 2 for me.Very nice.

........... Think I'd rest on my laurels with that and get rid of nš 3, she's just too overcooked !

[pelliott1954]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

Pretty much agree with most others ref the crop on the first, second is the winner, lovely light on a lovely model, last one sadly is too overdone, which is a pity as it was a very nice catch of the pose.

Regards Paul

[celtex]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

I like all three, well done. In all of them the personality of the models comes through, there is mystery in the eyes of the 1st one too.

The crop does not bother me - interestingly when you scroll the image so the top edge is just masked by the browser, it looks fine, when you scroll the image down again to show the white forum screen above, it becomes a little more noticeable - or is that just me? So maybe in a frame it would look fine. I think the focus on the eyes is so good that this is what draws you in, I am not distracted by the crop.

In fact I think you have made good use of the rule of thirds, I always find it difficult employing RoT on portraits as it often means cropping to get the eyes on the top third. I think in this case it is very close, you might just have kept the eyes on the line without the crop see my quick overlay below:

Capture.JPG

The lighting is like Rembrandt, nice triangle under the closest eye. However for me it seems the wrong way round, the eye closest to the camera, the one that ought to be the focal point, is the one in shadow - for me if the furtherst eye, (the short side?) was the one in shadow it would have been perfect - just my opinion and I am no expert

I like #2 also again great composition and nice pose, nicely lit, I can see that the main light is coming in from the right, it lights her hair and the right side of her nose really well. I can see a square catch light in the left hand side but this (softbox?) must have been slightly behind her as it is back lighting her hair. I feel a reflector lower camera left to bounce a little soft light back into the face and light the eyes would have made this one perfect too.

as for # 3, it is a bit over exposed but I really like it, I like the soft look, the eyes are still sharp and I like the off-set composition/crop, it is a great head shot, actually (not to offend, as I like them all) this is my favorite (I sense I am alone on that though).

Well done

Ian

[Cyberman]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

Number 2 for me.Very nice.

........... Think I'd rest on my laurels with that and get rid of nš 3, she's just too overcooked !

Thanks for looking and for the feedback, I appreciate you taking the time to look.

Pretty much agree with most others ref the crop on the first, second is the winner, lovely light on a lovely model, last one sadly is too overdone, which is a pity as it was a very nice catch of the pose.

Regards Paul

Thanks for the comments and taking the time to look.

I like all three, well done. In all of them the personality of the models comes through, there is mystery in the eyes of the 1st one too.

The crop does not bother me - interestingly when you scroll the image so the top edge is just masked by the browser, it looks fine, when you scroll the image down again to show the white forum screen above, it becomes a little more noticeable - or is that just me? So maybe in a frame it would look fine. I think the focus on the eyes is so good that this is what draws you in, I am not distracted by the crop.

In fact I think you have made good use of the rule of thirds, I always find it difficult employing RoT on portraits as it often means cropping to get the eyes on the top third. I think in this case it is very close, you might just have kept the eyes on the line without the crop see my quick overlay below:

The lighting is like Rembrandt, nice triangle under the closest eye. However for me it seems the wrong way round, the eye closest to the camera, the one that ought to be the focal point, is the one in shadow - for me if the furtherst eye, (the short side?) was the one in shadow it would have been perfect - just my opinion and I am no expert

I like #2 also again great composition and nice pose, nicely lit, I can see that the main light is coming in from the right, it lights her hair and the right side of her nose really well. I can see a square catch light in the left hand side but this (softbox?) must have been slightly behind her as it is back lighting her hair. I feel a reflector lower camera left to bounce a little soft light back into the face and light the eyes would have made this one perfect too.

as for # 3, it is a bit over exposed but I really like it, I like the soft look, the eyes are still sharp and I like the off-set composition/crop, it is a great head shot, actually (not to offend, as I like them all) this is my favorite (I sense I am alone on that though).

Well done

Ian

Cheers Ian.
On the first image I did have the grid showing when I made the crop, maybe could have been a touch better but I was reasonably happy with it.
On the second image I had 2 soft boxes and a third flash behind her. As you say, a reflector would have been ideal, I even had one there but didn't use it for that shot.
The third image is definitely a marmite image, some like it some don't. I sill like it, and like the soft look the overexposure and processing have given it. As I say, this image started off as mistake and I really felt it had potential.


If I had to give the three images an order of preference it would be 3 first and then 1 followed by 2.

[paul linton]

Re: Camera Club Portrait Session

I like #3 looks the more professional out of the set, Image #2 Is very nice but i think it still needs a bit more light on her face(but could be my screen?), #3 Good detail but sorry just bin it.

Paul