Learning Portrait Shooting

b08rsa · November 19, 2010

OK so today my wife agreed to let me attempt portrait shots of her today. I am currently using just my Promaster 7500EDF in slave mode off the camera. It really drives me nuts to get shadows out of the photograph. I come to the conclusion that to really get shadows out, I need to go with some type of MUCH better light equipment. Anyways after a few shots, here is what I came up with. A few question that I would like to ask...

1. Is it OK to have flash reflection in the eyes?
(So I posted a shot with the reflection).

2. What else can I do to improve my portrait skills?

Since coming over to the People Forum, I find it very challenging, but I am intriged about becoming a much better portrait photographer. Thanks in advance for some C and C.

Ron

1. With white eye reflection.

Photosbychuck · November 19, 2010

1. Is it OK to have flash reflection in the eyes?
(So I posted a shot with the reflection).
Yes, most photographers call it catch light and perfer it in the eyes.

2. What else can I do to improve my portrait skills?
Practice Practice Practice
Try different flash settings & different angles for bouncing the light of different objects roof, wall, mirror reflector ect.
Since coming over to the People Forum, I find it very challenging, but I am intriged about becoming a much better portrait photographer. Thanks in advance for some C and C.

Ron

1. With white eye reflection.

[/QUOTE]
Nice shot for your first try you just need to even the light across the photo and it will look much better. I am no expert on portraits but I think you will get better as you practice. Take time to look at some of the other portraits posted here and you will see what I am talking about.

Take Care,
Charles,
www.aperturefocus.com

Gringriff · November 19, 2010

To help minimize the shadows you could maybe raise the light a little higher an move her a little further from the wall.

b08rsa · November 19, 2010

Gringriff wrote: »

To help minimize the shadows you could maybe raise the light a little higher an move her a little further from the wall.

I forgot to add that I did some PP in Photoshop, and added a directional light effect into this shot.

anonymouscuban · November 19, 2010

Start with this thread. I listed a few links that I found very helpful when I first started shooting people.

http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=151951

divamum · November 19, 2010

Shadows aren't inherently a bad thing - it's controlling them that's the hard part!

Did you use any kind of reflector here for the non-flash side of her face? A single flash (modified, ie with umbrella, softbox, grid, beautydish etc etc) + a reflector to fill in and soften the shadows on the other side makes for a lovely portrait setup. And a reflector can be as simple as a piece of foamboard from the dollar or craft store, so it's inexpensive, too!

Also look up "clamshell" lighting - this is a variant of 1 light+reflector where, instead of having the light 45* to the front and filled on the other side by the reflector, you put the light behind the photographer way up high, and then put the reflector under the subject's face. You can see the reflection of the white posterboard and the flash in her eyes:

CASowers · November 19, 2010

The best light equipment that I've used is the sun and a reflector. I'm extremely intimidated by lighting and have been working hard to try to hone my skills using natural light. Working on poses, expressions, etc is hard enough, but then to worry about off camera lighting on top of it only makes the process that much more difficult.
A friend of mine recently let me borrow a 580ex for an indoor event. First time I've used flash other than fill from my on board. And just bouncing the light into a low, white ceiling has yielded results that have me wanting to learn more.
As Diva states a reflector can be as simple as a piece of foam board. I glued a piece of gold mat board to one side and have a two sided reflector that cost about $6. I also cut it into a circle to try to catch nice, reflected circular catch lights in my subject's eyes.
1.
Pure window light, no fill, no reflector

2.
Using the gold side of the reflector, also late afternoon sun.

3.
Using white side of reflector again with window light only, no fill.

Keep practicing, and keep reading this forum. I'm new to People (and dgrin) as well and have only been shooting "seriously" for about 18 months. I don't think I'd be getting the shots I'm getting without the help of this wonderful community.
Hope this helps.

anonymouscuban · November 19, 2010

Natural lighting is nice but it's very limiting. Also, it can actually be much more tricky to shoot with natural light than with strobes. With natural light, your source is stationary and you have to work around it, taking your subject to it and posing around it. With strobes, your options are virtually limitless. You can move the light around, add multiple lights, etc. to get the effect you want.

Don't let strobes intimidate you. There is plenty of information on the web on portrait lighting. Read, read, read... practice, practice, practice.

Nikolai · November 20, 2010

anonymouscuban wrote: »

Natural lighting is nice but it's very limiting. Also, it can actually be much more tricky to shoot with natural light than with strobes. With natural light, your source is stationary and you have to work around it, taking your subject to it and posing around it. With strobes, your options are virtually limitless. You can move the light around, add multiple lights, etc. to get the effect you want.

Don't let strobes intimidate you. There is plenty of information on the web on portrait lighting. Read, read, read... practice, practice, practice.

Not only natural ligthing is stationary for a short period of time, it also moves 180 degrees over a period of 12 hours and changes color temperature and insensity; the latter - both gradually and sometimes drastically if you have clouds. And if you don't - the lighting is as harsh as it gets.

I'm not saying natural ligthing is a bad thing (cause it's great), but its biggest actual advantage (in portraiture, that is) is its low cost: zero, maybe a cost of a reflector, which costs about about $100 if you get fancy 5-in-1, or about $10 if you get a silver windshiled sun protector from any autoparts section at virtually any place.

Studio lighting provides a 24-hours repeatability and a complete control over light location, direction, quality, dissipation, and color temperature. Multiple lights effect is virtually impossible to recreate with a natural lighting.
The cost: a fairly steep price of an entry ticket (if you think good glass is expensive - wait till you get to the "studio lighting" section of B&H or Adorama) and a fairly steep learning curve.
However, if you have fund$ and desire to get past that initial awe, the possibilities become endless - and very rewarding...

Nikolai · November 20, 2010

Back to OP ;-)

1. Is it OK to have flash reflection in the eyes?
Yes, it's called "catchlights", and it's actually a fairly desirable effect since it's accentuates the otherwise completely balck pupils and makes the face look "livelier".

2. What else can I do to improve my portrait skills?
Uhm... Learn and practice. FWIW, the current stream of Weekly Assignments (the "Class is in session" link in my sig) is all about portraiture.

divamum · November 20, 2010

which costs about about $100 if you get fancy 5-in-1

(Pssssttttt: $5 5-in-1 reflector. Great quality for a silly price. Dgrin thread about it and similar models here

)

reyvee61 · November 20, 2010

Not a bad first attempt Ron and until a week ago I would have thought that you would need expensive equipment to make great image but that was before I met Scott Robert Lim.

Catch-lights are great to have as they draw more attention to the eyes.
What I learned from Scott is that you can use inexpensive flashguns to augment or entirely change the amount of ambient light available to create the mood or feel that you want. Control the ratio of shadow and lighting on your subject as well as the background. Vivitar makes a nice flashgun that is manually adjustable from full power to 1/128th for around 100 dollars. Pair one up with an inexpensive umbrella, shoe mount and stand (about 40 dollars) and you've got some portable lighting o the cheap. Radio triggers are probably the best way to go and I found a receiver and transmitter fro Cowboy Studios for 23 dollars that do exactly what they're supposed to do though they are lacking in rugged construction. (They'll do fine if a I baby them)

Point is, it can be done without spending a fortune.

And practicing and experimenting is always good.

This board has taught me so much as well.....
Lots of fine people here with lots of talent and knowledge.

Diva, those are some sweet portraits!

Learning Portrait Shooting

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