Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

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blutch
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p.2 #1 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

wow.. well, that all went over my head.. sorry. So, it looks like I need to look up color casts. Her face is naturally red and kind of blotchy in places. Changing that to be all the same color doesn't look normal to me because I know the face well.

Oct 15, 2012 at 08:00 PM

RustyBug

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p.2 #2 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

The goal isn't necessarily to make the face the same color all over ... it is to reveal the face for how it naturally is so that the agency/client can evaluate the suitability of the model / actor for their intended / desired usage. This can include modeling the face so that the contours and texture are well revealed.

In this regard, headshots have a very different purpose/agenda than portraits do. Imparting an unnatural cast onto a model does them no favors, as it renders their face with a degree of unevenness that will be a put off to an agency / client. Likewise, throwing lighting from 10 different lighting angles is either going create a bevy of contradicting shadows and or variant exposure areas.

Oct 15, 2012 at 08:19 PM

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p.2 #3 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

I guess I don't have the eye yet to see the unnatural cast. Do you see it in the two images I just put up? Thanks! B

Oct 15, 2012 at 08:20 PM

RustyBug

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p.2 #4 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Yes, I do see them. But even if you don't see them, you can still crank the saturation to check for their existence.

See how the contours of the face have such variation between high/low areas that become shadow areas. Also, note the color of her gray hair (relatively neutral) when we amp up the saturation.

I understand that people have "blotchy" skin, but I'm talking about how the colors change based on the contour specific to key areas vs. shadow/fill areas.

2013 © RustyBug

Oct 15, 2012 at 08:22 PM

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p.2 #5 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

I really appreciate you going to all this trouble to educate me on this issue.. so, these variations of color, I do see them now with the full saturation and your outlining - thank you - are due to the inconsistent color from the florescent lights I am using? Is there a way in my camera I can compensate for this? Joel Edelmann in his first tutorial on this system said that the old florescents would throw off inconsistent color due to flicker. The solution was to shoot at a slow shutter speed according to him. In his new tutorial on these lights he recommends these T-8 bulbs which are more efficient and don't require the shutter adjustment. Should I spend $1-2K on pro studio lighting? Probably not going to happen at this point. I'd like to make this work better if possible. Thank you again for the help. B

Oct 15, 2012 at 08:57 PM

RustyBug

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p.2 #6 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Sorry that I don't have better answers for you at this point on how to use the lighting that they are advocating. Maybe a switch over to the lighting forum to ask for some guidance from the folks over there.

You could probably do a Search in the Lighting forum and find others who have already posted on their methods. I know I've seen them posted plenty of times ... and I've done some cursory reviews of them, but I haven't dug into the subject thoroughly.

What I would suggest is to get a good color checker and then you can get a better understanding of the color in play from these lights. Not quite time to throw the baby out with the bathwater ... but time to get a better thermometer to judge the temperature by.

Even with only a gray card, it would be interesting to run some test shots from each of the bulbs, and from varying distances, multiple lights grouped, etc. For instance, I know I've got my AB400 is a bit warm when I dial it back. I'm not going to get rid of my AB400 just yet, but I do need to be aware of how I use it that I either need to NOT dial it back, or I need to not mix it with other lights, or I need to dial it back where the added warmth will be tolerable. Same goes with when I use a globe modifier, it changes things a bit.

I'm not saying that the flourescent route isn't viable ... but I think that there have been some assumptions made regarding the color spectrum in play with them that will need to be understood before they can be resolved.

I could be making a "mountain out of a molehill" in some perspectives ... but when you are talking portraits, there is much more latitude than headshots, imo. That being said, I'd revisit the guys who are advocating the use of florescent lighting ... being mindful/watchful for some clues as to their methods/results vs. yours.

I hope this helps, not meaning to create a hornet's nest or bum you out ... just trying to point out something that might cause you some issues as you embark on this journey. Sorry I don't have a better answer. If I were closer to OK, I'd be glad to lend a hand ... I've been a little curious at fluorescent usage myself, but haven't bought into it just yet for various reasons.

Oct 15, 2012 at 09:24 PM

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p.2 #7 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Rusty, you haven't bummed me out at all. You have given me a lot to go on which is great! This is exactly what I was asking for. I will search around the lighting forum. Thanks again!

Oct 15, 2012 at 09:38 PM

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p.2 #8 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Ok. Here are two shots from the session I did with my son and his friend. I'm not happy with several things, but I want to throw them out there for C&C. I learned a lot doing this. I hope to learn more from your comments. Thanks!

121016-0044-324-Edit.jpg by blutcherama, on Flickr

121016-0044-284-Edit.jpg by blutcherama, on Flickr

Oct 18, 2012 at 02:42 AM

newhaven
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p.2 #9 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Your images have an orange red glow - they are oversaturated. In this saturation mask, lighter areas show more saturation. Can you post straight out of camera images?

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Typical saturation for portraits -

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Oct 18, 2012 at 03:17 PM

RustyBug

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p.2 #10 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

+1 @ color and sat.

Oct 18, 2012 at 04:27 PM

blutch
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p.2 #11 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Here is one sooc. I think I understand what you mean now, but I have no clue how to fix it. I would like to get to the point where the shots don't require a ton of PP to compensate for bad lighting and camera settings. Thanks for the willingness to help me. B

121016-0044-284.jpg by blutcherama, on Flickr

Oct 18, 2012 at 04:56 PM

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p.2 #12 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Also, I intentionally wanted the left side of the face to be somewhat in shadow. I've read this is disireable for male subjects and I've seen it many times.

Thanks again.

B

Oct 18, 2012 at 04:58 PM

newhaven
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p.2 #13 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

This was done in camera raw.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

I uploaded the .xmp that I believe you will able to import into lightroom. You can download it here.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/WUJad0VIcVhubVh2WnRVag
It will be interesting to see if these settings work for other images too.

Edited on Oct 19, 2012 at 12:26 AM · View previous versions

Oct 19, 2012 at 12:22 AM

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p.2 #14 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Thank you! Now.. I like the lighter background, but his face seems pale to me... I guess I need to know what to look for.. can you walk me through what was done? Also, I don't know what an .xmp is or what to do with it, but I'll download it now. Thanks again! B

Oct 19, 2012 at 12:25 AM

newhaven
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p.2 #15 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

All the settings should be in the .xmp file. Just download from the link, and import into ACR once you have opened your original image.

Oct 19, 2012 at 12:30 AM

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p.2 #16 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Ok. I'm using Lightroom, not Camera Raw. I've looked for a menu item to import settings and I'm missing it.. there is a synch settings but, I don't see a way to use settings from a file. Thanks. B

Oct 19, 2012 at 12:32 AM

newhaven
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p.2 #17 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

I don't have lightroom, so maybe someone else can help.

Oct 19, 2012 at 12:34 AM

RustyBug

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p.2 #18 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Here's an effort taken up from where you left off.

The second one is the +100 sat of the sooc.

Assuming that your background is neutral ... the background being multi-colored red-yellow tells on the color of the lighting. But the fact that isn't the same color makes color correction to neutral challenging. Obviously this is over emphasized, but illustrative of the need to have a gray card/color checker at the lighting on the subject rather than relying on the bg neutrality for WB.

2013 © RustyBug

Edited on Oct 19, 2012 at 01:52 AM · View previous versions

Oct 19, 2012 at 01:41 AM

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p.2 #19 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Man.. I just don't get it. The background isn't white, but the light blue color looks the same across the entire background to my eye... I see the diff in the full sat, but how does that matter if it looks consistent in the actual image? For this shot I used all the same light. 100% fluorescent. Since this shoot, I've read that you need to slow down your shutter with these kinds of lights in order for colors to be consistent from shot to shot. Will that also help the skin tones? Rusty, do you know how I can import the .xmp file that newhaven made for me into Lightroom? Thanks for your help! B

Oct 19, 2012 at 01:47 AM

RustyBug

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p.2 #20 · Head Shot Tests - Hurley style

Sorry no help @ the .xmp lightroom import.

Well, in theory, if all the lights are consistent in color, then it is a matter of making the appropriate correction to achieve a neutral WB.

Trying to make this correction "by eye" is a tricky proposition, hence the recommendation for that grey card/color checker to use as a known standard neutral WB to work toward.

One thing about slowing down the shutter is that you allow more ambient lighting influence. My question is whether the yellow is coming from the fluorescent lighting or from ambient incandescent that is being allowed in by virtue of the slow shutter.

Oct 19, 2012 at 02:22 AM

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