Portait of my friend

[BANANAJACK]

Hello Photo Camel community

I love portraiture, each time I can I ask friends to pose for me.

This is an attempt a plugin with LR 3 (imagenomic portraiture)

Any way your comments and critiques are welcomed to help me progressing
Many thanks

jacques

[Rain Lily]

Pretty! I would like to see her body turned more to her right, just a little - and her head just a tiny bit to her left, making it a little more dynamic. Also, I'm thinking the pose is a bit awkward with her weight on her left leg (camera right) - next time, have her put her weight on the back leg.

I'm not really understanding the shadow on the background here - it's on the same side as the light, which shouldn't be.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by Rain Lily

Pretty! I'm not really understanding the shadow on the background here - it's on the same side as the light, which shouldn't be.

Sis,

My guess is the maker used an on camera flash unit to trigger the main light and the shadow is a result of that. It could be cloned out.

Ben

[BANANAJACK]

thanks a lot for your comments Rain Lily

For the shadow, may be its is because I use the on camera flash with the gary fong puffer for a try of on-axis fill flash).

I really do not like this shadow neither...!

[BANANAJACK]

Benji youre definetely my Master... You' re absolutely right it is the on camera flash with the gary fong puffer for a try of on-axis fill flash.

I will note do that again

[mjp321]

The problem with the shadow was that your flash was not exactly "on-axis". If you just turned your camera vertically without using a flash bracket to keep the flash directly above the lens, then you're going to get those shadows when your subject is that close to the background.

[Sailor Blue]

Everyone has to do lots of study and practice to learn how to do good portraits. One of the best ways to learn is to listen to criticism from photographers with more experience. I'm still learning and some of the advice I have gotten here has greatly helped me. Keep posting and listening to the criticism and helpful information and you will quickly improve.

As mjp321 said, if you use an on-camera flash for a fill it should be above the lens.

I'm sorry to tell you, but the GF Puffer is basically a waste of money. Soft light requires that the source of light is large with respect to the subject. Changing a 1"x1/4" flash tube into a 2"x1" flash simply isn't a big enough change to make the flash any softer.

The only way a Puffer or a GF Light Sphere works is by causing the light to spread out in all directions to bounce off the ceiling or walls. It is the bounced light that softens the light on the subject. That can work in a small room with near by walls, but only if the walls and ceiling are neutral in color. Since the light spreads out in all directions you don't really have any control over how it bounces onto the subject.

If the walls or ceiling are colored then the bounced light will color contaminate your subject. Outdoors or in a large room the Puffer or Light Sphere are totally worthless, only wasting light that could be aimed at the subject.

You are better off using a hot-shoe flash which can be bounced. That way you control where the light bounces so you get more controlled subject lighting. Light bounced off a wall, a corner, or the ceiling is from a large source and is soft and flattering but of course it needs to be bounced off a neutrally colored wall or ceiling.

For a waist up portrait your main light should be at least 3' on the diagonal for a softbox or have a measured 3' diameter of the opened umbrella. The fill can be a bit smaller but it is generally best if it is about the same size as the fill light. Use the main and fill at subject to light distances of 1 to two times the diagonal or diameter for nice soft light.

[BANANAJACK]

Originally Posted by mjp321

The problem with the shadow was that your flash was not exactly "on-axis". If you just turned your camera vertically without using a flash bracket to keep the flash directly above the lens, then you're going to get those shadows when your subject is that close to the background.

Thank you mjp321 I will know for the next time

regards

jacques

[BANANAJACK]

Originally Posted by Sailor Blue

Everyone has to do lots of study and practice to learn how to do good portraits. One of the best ways to learn is to listen to criticism from photographers with more experience. I'm still learning and some of the advice I have gotten here has greatly helped me. Keep posting and listening to the criticism and helpful information and you will quickly improve.

As mjp321 said, if you use an on-camera flash for a fill it should be above the lens.

I'm sorry to tell you, but the GF Puffer is basically a waste of money. Soft light requires that the source of light is large with respect to the subject. Changing a 1"x1/4" flash tube into a 2"x1" flash simply isn't a big enough change to make the flash any softer.

The only way a Puffer or a GF Light Sphere works is by causing the light to spread out in all directions to bounce off the ceiling or walls. It is the bounced light that softens the light on the subject. That can work in a small room with near by walls, but only if the walls and ceiling are neutral in color. Since the light spreads out in all directions you don't really have any control over how it bounces onto the subject.

If the walls or ceiling are colored then the bounced light will color contaminate your subject. Outdoors or in a large room the Puffer or Light Sphere are totally worthless, only wasting light that could be aimed at the subject.

You are better off using a hot-shoe flash which can be bounced. That way you control where the light bounces so you get more controlled subject lighting. Light bounced off a wall, a corner, or the ceiling is from a large source and is soft and flattering but of course it needs to be bounced off a neutrally colored wall or ceiling.

For a waist up portrait your main light should be at least 3' on the diagonal for a softbox or have a measured 3' diameter of the opened umbrella. The fill can be a bit smaller but it is generally best if it is about the same size as the fill light. Use the main and fill at subject to light distances of 1 to two times the diagonal or diameter for nice soft light.

For sure I have a lot to learn more, Photography is such a beautiful art....

many thanks again for all those good advices

Regards

jacques