Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | People Photography | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2014 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?

  
 
iaent
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


I have problem while taking portraits. eyes of my subjects come black all the time. big black circle. Can't see pupil or eye lens. Although I keep my modelling lights on, behind soft box. Any solution? Thx in advance.


Jun 14, 2014 at 06:28 PM
friscoron
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Post some samples.


Jun 14, 2014 at 06:32 PM
iaent
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?





Jun 14, 2014 at 06:46 PM
Kohala
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Try using a curves adjustment layer in Photoshop, lighten the eyes a bit and see if that improves their appearance. I would also get rid of the veins which are really unsightly.


Jun 14, 2014 at 06:53 PM
SargentRay
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


At first glance i can see all the details in te catch lights, this shouldn't be. A light source reflection in the eye should be completely white. My money is on under exposed shots by a 1 or 1 - 1.5 stop, making it very hard to find details in the shadows.


Jun 14, 2014 at 07:11 PM
flyrcairplanes
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


In my home studio the ambient light is low which leads to dilated pupils. They don't constrict very much with the rapid flash. I don't think that is your entire issue but large pupils maybe contributing. I agree their is probably some underexposure although the skin tones do look nice.


Jun 14, 2014 at 08:56 PM
sidefunk
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


I think it's just your subject's eye color. That is the same I usually get with a darker eye color. Not sure if there is a solution. Maybe one of the pro on here can suggest how to work around this.


Jun 14, 2014 at 09:40 PM
friscoron
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?



I'm with sidefunk. I think the irises are just dark. Try shooting someone with blue eyes, or green eyes, hazel, or light brown eyes, and see if it's the same or not. Also shoot those same eyes in nice ambient light. Compare that to those under your lights.



Jun 14, 2014 at 09:58 PM
Karl Witt
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Any chance this gal is wearing contacts that may be interfering with the light transmission?
Does look a bit underexposed, does look a bit hard on contrast
Does look like dark brown eye color

Karl



Jun 14, 2014 at 10:14 PM
Kohala
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


I just reworked your image as I suggested above and the eyes look fine. They are hazel with a clearly delineated pupil.


Jun 14, 2014 at 10:44 PM
SargentRay
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Kohala wrote:
I just reworked your image as I suggested above and the eyes look fine. They are hazel with a clearly delineated pupil.



I also checked with a curves layer and push to to max luminosity the pupils are definitely there. It is in my opinion a case where you have to expose your raw file to the right some in order to get those details once in post processing. In other words over expose a little but not as much to burn the highlights.

I learned long ago in my science classes that nothing on the human body can be pure black, very very dark brown but never absolute black not even the human pupils.



Jun 14, 2014 at 11:32 PM
bbourizk
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Get more light into the eyes.



Jun 15, 2014 at 06:00 AM
Steve Wylie
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Just get your ambient up if possible. Low ambient light is causing pupils to dilate, and they can't recover fast enough with a flash.


Jun 15, 2014 at 10:18 AM
jefferies1
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Why eyes in Portraits I shoot are black?


Forget modeling lights. Most are too dim to shrink the pupils. Add another bright light to shrink them and also watch your exposure.


Jun 15, 2014 at 11:46 AM





FM Forums | People Photography | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.