[Rupert]

I had a horrible shoot yesterday.....right after a Dental appointment, and I could barely see, I had a light malfunction, a transmitter malfunction, and mostly a User malfunction...but I did manage to get a few I liked.......

Natural Shelby
[IMG] [/IMG]
Portrait Pro Shelby
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Yes...my other new Model showed up too......lovely girls! Wish I was a better shooter, but practice will get me there eventually...maybe?
[IMG] [/IMG]

My favorite two Models...
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Best Regards!
Rupert

[SpecialK]

I like the last one best, but the lighting is generally flat, like on TV-news.

[Parallax]

Once again, the naturals are much better.
Is it too late to get your money back on Portrait Pro?

[smf]

Photos 3 and 4 are quite good. (In a nitpicking comment, I find the presence of two catchlights in the eyes to be somewhat distracting.)

[Rupert]

SpecialK- Flat like the evening news......Wow! what an insult! That is the worst I have heard here! LOL! What do you think I might do to get it a little more "lively"? In the shoot or in the processing?

Jim....I'm still leaning "natural" too...but amazingly, the girls like the PPro versions....I guess they can never be too perfect? Not like us old ugly guys.....we don't have to be handsome as long as we are handy........ever watch the Red Green show?...one of my favorites!

Thanks SMF, and I agree about the catch lights....thank you for bringing that to my attention!

Best Regards.......I have new Models coming soon...I'll try to do better!

[SpecialK]

SpecialK- Flat like the evening news......Wow! what an insult! That is the worst I have heard here! LOL! What do you think I might do to get it a little more "lively"? In the shoot or in the processing?

Ha, sorry :-)

But the news normally uses a 2-light set up much like yours which give more or less equal shadow on each side of the nose.

Perhaps a single light with a reflector would give a contrastier lighting but still open the shadows slightly.

In my now long-gone college class, we mainly used one constant "movie/stage type" light with (usually) a white reflector, and occasionally a black "absorber", and frequently a hair light on top.

One of the first assignments was to move the light from position to position around the clock face (say 9AM to 3PM positions) and different heights make a proof sheet type of page for reference.

We sort of made the old movie-star type shots of Errol Flynn and Merle Oberon and that genre, so maybe it is not really what you want for your 21st century ladies.

Maybe look up George Hurrell for some ideas :-)
(But I was never a George Hurrell...)

[Rupert]

Ha, sorry :-)

But the news normally uses a 2-light set up much like yours which give more or less equal shadow on each side of the nose.

Perhaps a single light with a reflector would give a contrastier lighting but still open the shadows slightly.

In my now long-gone college class, we mainly used one constant "movie/stage type" light with (usually) a white reflector, and occasionally a black "absorber", and frequently a hair light on top.

One of the first assignments was to move the light from position to position around the clock face (say 9AM to 3PM positions) and different heights make a proof sheet type of page for reference.

We sort of made the old movie-star type shots of Errol Flynn and Merle Oberon and that genre, so maybe it is not really what you want for your 21st century ladies.

Maybe look up George Hurrell for some ideas :-)
(But I was never a George Hurrell...)

I appreciate those thoughts....I have not used any reflectors, and know nothing of them, but will now do some more studying and see if I can incorporate them into my learning. I guess to date, what I have learned the most is that this is not easy work at all...it is very demanding, even though I have barely scratched the surface. It will occupy my efforts for a long time to come. I do appreciate the help I have received there, and the encouragement too....good or bad, the comments keep me going forward!
Best Regards!
Rupert

[SpecialK]

You can get large sheets of white "foam core" at Home Depot or similar. And a big spring-loaded clamp to hold it onto something.

[K(s)evin]

I believe that the simple addition of a back, or hair, light would do wonders for your photos. Just a skiff of light on the top of the head (and shoulders) from the back, or slightly above.

Also, I just don't see a real improvement when using the portrait pro. I second Parallax' opinion.

[J-Rod]

How do you get Mrs. Rupert to let this go on? You have skills.

[wjt]

Of the first two i like the first one better, the second one seems to me kinda washed out (I am on an uncalibrated laptop). Having a good subject/s to hone your skills with must be tough

[JohnBee]

Really not my style of shooting. If I had my way, it would be real lighting(sun rays) with vivid colors and engaging expressions that say something about the subject.
Then again, I guess this is what we are all after isn't it. Having said that./.. the first one has great texture and the second one has none.
Still, I think it would be possible to breath into the first image with editing.

Beautiful subjects btw.
Have you considered using natural light and closing in on the features or expressions?
Try having the other(sister or model) talk to her to invoke emotions and work on capturing that.

PS. I'm no expert or anything.. I just thought I'd what I felt. Please don't take it personally.

[Rupert]

Again, I appreciate the comments and helpful hints! Foam board.....I'll have to try that......any suggestions on how to place it in relationship to the lights and the Models?

I do have a Boom and Hair Light, but it was malfunctioning on this day....sometimes it fired and sometimes it didn't. Here you can see it...and it failed to fire....not sure just what the problem was, but it might have been low batteries.
[IMG] [/IMG]

I wish I could spend a week of every day shooting...maybe this winter I can spend more time on learning and shooting.
Best Regards! & Thanks again!
Rupert

[D4rknezz]

I like the original of the first one best Its the sharpest one. Not quite sure about the posing, it doesnt evoke anything for me. That said, I think its a great shot - just the PP methods i think can be improved - like what the others said. It dulled the skin colour into a little greyish, and introduced too much blur.

[SpecialK]

Foam board.....I'll have to try that......any suggestions on how to place it in relationship to the lights and the Models?

If, for example, your main light is coming from the top left, then you would place the foam-core board on the right side of the model and just in front of her. Angle it a little so it bounces the light slightly up and back. You might be able to prop it up on a chair or clamp it onto a stand of some type.