Need your Help.

[Cason]

Calling all skin tone and lighting experts!

I was asked to take some business head\chest shots for some realtors. I took the following with my 85mm 1.8 and Rebel XT. The only light I had was the 12:30pm sun coming through a window in the model home. Since I don't own backdrops, I had to make do with the henderson buff wall color.

Do you find these shots to be under exposed and flat? Also, what do you think about the skin tones? As you can see, the light is coming from their right. Would reflectors have helped to get some light on their left side?

This may need to moved to the Finishing School; however, I wanted your opinion on the skin tones and lighting. Can these be saved with some post processing?

These photos will be used on their marketing material.

Feel free to edit and post your revisions.

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996042-L.jpg

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996219-L-2.jpg

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996447-L.jpg

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996722-L.jpg

[Andy]

OK so a few things going on here.

1) they are underexposed.

2) they are flat & (sorry, bluntness-time, boring).. try 3/4 poses, anything to avoid the mugshot look..

3) the background is mustardy-yellow, not real flattering IMO - I know you "made do" but you can also make do outdoors, next to a house, a sold-sign, anything, just get out of the box :D

4) the skintones are all too-red. Quite common. have a read, here: http://www.smugmug.com/help/skin-tone and here: http://www.smugmug.com/help/red-skin-tones and here: http://www.smugmug.com/help/display-color

Here are some quick edits, via our i2e (http://smugmug.jot.com/WikiHome/PrintingAutoOrTrueColor):

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996042-L.jpghttp://www.smugmug.com/photos/132005187-L.jpg

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996219-L-2.jpghttp://www.smugmug.com/photos/132005206-L.jpg

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996447-L.jpghttp://www.smugmug.com/photos/132005215-L.jpg

http://rtp.smugmug.com/photos/131996722-L.jpghttp://www.smugmug.com/photos/132005224-L.jpg

[Cason]

Did you use the 1-default channel? I see that you can tweak all kinds of stuff. I was hoping to see what it could straight out of the box.

[ian408]

I'll add that if you're forced to use a solid color background, yellow isn't
it. Something in blue often works well for many different skin tones.

As Andy said, you should look to see if there's a better way to make your
subjects stand out.

[Cason]

4) the skintones are all too-red.
How are you getting the red out using i2e?

I'll add that if you're forced to use a solid color background, yellow isn't
it. Something in blue often works well for many different skin tones.

As Andy said, you should look to see if there's a better way to make your
subjects stand out.

I will remember that next time!

[Cason]

Also, how much sharpening are you using?