[tweet25]

I took this using my external flash (on camera) 1 umbrella light with the reflector silver pointed towards her, and 1 pod light behind me. I am just trying to learn my lighting CC welcome.

Attached Images

 

[mattb123]

Nice shot but maybe a little dark. Cute kid!

[tweet25]

thanks - I am having issues with my new monitor and windows 10 ? I have been saving for web with photoshop as they look fine to me- but when I load them anywhere other than facebook or viewbug they look much darker.
I have lightened this one.

[volley]

the 2nd is much better. I think you did wll with the lighting.

[Kerrowdown]

but when I load them anywhere other than facebook or viewbug they look much darker

You might want to consider calibrating your monitor to resolve this.

[pathdoc]

the 2nd is much better.

Agree absolutely - I was about to say the original needed a half stop or so more light, but it seems the captured image wasn't the problem Nice job!

Were the green eyes enhanced? I've met one person in my life who actually had eyes that colour and shade - it was so striking I had to ask whether she had contacts in, and was more than a little surprised to be told the answer was no.

Aesthetically I think it would have worked better for the green and black nails to alternate, but YMMV and I suspect the ball for that decision was not in your court!

[wildman]

I think you got it about right.
Don't sweat the difference in display. Unless you have top end calibrated video talking to other top end calibrated video you are going to have a difference in output.

Considering, when it comes to portraiture, there is no single right way - it all depends upon what the photographer wants to say about the subject..........

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Last edited by wildman; 03-26-2016 at 02:02 PM.

[tweet25]

the 2nd is much better. I think you did wll with the lighting.

thank you - I struggle with burnt out spots and heavy shadows.

---------- Post added 03-22-16 at 09:21 AM ----------

You might want to consider calibrating your monitor to resolve this.

I have a spyder4, I have not done it yet, guess I should quit putting it off. thanks

---------- Post added 03-22-16 at 09:30 AM ----------

Agree absolutely - I was about to say the original needed a half stop or so more light, but it seems the captured image wasn't the problem Nice job!

Were the green eyes enhanced? I've met one person in my life who actually had eyes that colour and shade - it was so striking I had to ask whether she had contacts in, and was more than a little surprised to be told the answer was no.

Aesthetically I think it would have worked better for the green and black nails to alternate, but YMMV and I suspect the ball for that decision was not in your court!

thank you - yes we worked on the eyes. do you think the silver reflector (umbrella) made the skin off colour?

---------- Post added 03-22-16 at 09:33 AM ----------

I think you got it about right.
Don't sweat the difference in display. Unless you have top end calibrated video talking to other top end calibrated video you are going to have a difference in output.

Considering, when it comes to portraiture, there is no single right way - it all depends upon what the photographer wants to say about the subject..........

did you sharpen ? it seems to have more detail.
Photos on my computer in PS seems fine, outside of photoshop it seems darker. that is what I don't understand. I didn't have this problem until I changed computers and monitors. (updated to windows 10)

[pathdoc]

do you think the silver reflector (umbrella) made the skin off colour?

If I really look for it super hard, it's there. However, without seeing her in the flesh and knowing her exact skin tone, I think it would be difficult to say. The rest of it, particularly the eyes, is sufficiently surreal that I don't think this is a problem in any case. If anything it probably ADDS to the general effect, and (as is already evident) different people seeing it on different monitors may reach different conclusions. My monitor HAS been professionally calibrated, for what that's worth.

You could agonise forever over exactly how to shift the sliders in PS, but that second iteration is pretty damn good. Wildman's iteration seems a bit sharper, but unnaturally so IMO; a quirky shot like this is possibly better a touch soft.

[wildman]

did you sharpen ? it seems to have more detail.

Technically no. I did some dodge and burn especially on the lace and those lovely eyes. This has the effect of increasing the structure thus subtly increasing the perceived sharpness a bit.
It gives more pop to the image and brings the subject forward and out of the frame. Got to be especially careful when increasing structure with children - it's so easy to go over the top and get muddy.

[pathdoc]

This has the effect of increasing the structure

Could you please define "structure" in this context?

[wildman]

Wildman's iteration seems a bit sharper, but unnaturally so IMO; a quirky shot like this is possibly better a touch soft.

I agree - going soft, especially with kids, is a safe bet.
Just thought it might be interesting to see what it might do going a bit "hard".
As it is my PP is, perhaps, more appropriate to an adult. Go too hard and you lose the innocence.
Anyway ran it up the flagpole to see if anyone salutes.

[pathdoc]

Just thought it might be interesting to see what it might do going a bit "hard".

It did the detail in the lace wonders; not so sure about the wearer. Others may beg to differ - this is where we enter the subjective realm of art, and all may be correct.

[wildman]

Could you please define "structure" in this context?

Structure is the broad, underlying colors, shapes and contrasts between light and dark.
Use structure by using contrast, hue and saturation locally , (at least that's how I always do it) to bring attention to the photograph.
It's easy to over-do and become a gimmick al la so called HDR toning.

[slip]

it looks great! you mentioned editing the eyes here is an interesting article about that https://fstoppers.com/bts/understanding-human-eye-and-how-retouch-it-naturally-60235
for a more 3d look try another shot where the main light is 45 degrees to the side and 45 degrees from the top.
shooting through the umbrella instead of bouncing the light from it might get you a little bit softer light.
Just an opinion, of course

Randy