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Archive 2015 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback

  
 
ross.thomas
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback


FEEDBACK REQUEST - As I learn more daily about photography and retouching, I find myself gravitating toward fitness and sports portraiture. Being an ex-athlete myself, and my wife being in the fitness industry, it's an awesome fit (pun intended). The more I learn, the more I realize that I don't know what I don't know. I'd like that to not happen as I learn compositing and hone my craft in this area. I've made a few composites, but want to practice the right techniques as I move forward. I would love your feedback on techniques I need to have under my belt. Retouching, lighting, various Photoshop techniques that would most benefit the final outcome. I currently use 3 Paul C Buff Einsteins, Canon 5D Mark III, 50L, 70-200, Sigma 24-105. Recently nabbed a Wacom tablet for retouching, and love it so far. I've been curious if a super wide angle lens would benefit that style, to accentuate the subject and create a different look. I'd love your feedback on these areas, and thanks in advance!


Apr 29, 2015 at 03:58 PM
RubenL
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback


Hej Ross. Those super wide angle lenses can create something special, but.. you need to be very, very close to your subject, else the picture will tell more about the background, the background whith your subject in it. what also can be something nice off course.

shooting with a ultrawhide angle lens means also distortion, and you have to be realy carfull with your backgrounds and foregrounds all the time. It means you probebly will not have your shot ready in less then 10 minutes.

I am sure you can create realy cool things with a wide angle lens, but the use is limited. and then is the question if it's worth the prize, if you are like me you gonna spend more then 1000 dolar on that lens, and take it out 20 thimes a year :P



May 12, 2015 at 07:02 AM
Caleb Williams
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback


Likewise to what RubenL said, a wide angle or ultra wide angle lens has a fairly limited role in traditional portraiture, but can still have its uses as a creative tool.

A famous photograph of U.S. President Bill Clinton shot with a wide angle lens, which you can read about at http://respect-mag.com/platon-on-bill-clinton-for-esquire-magazine/ employs the wide angle look to create a different perspective on the subject.

When you say composites, can you be more specific. A composite could be inserting the same person into multiple parts of a scene, or it could be taking the best arm from one frame and placing it into another frame. You may have an entirely different definition of compositing as well.

I think it would be beneficial to show us examples of what you're referring to. I wouldn't say that using a wide angle lens has a direct impact on compositing an image as I described above, but it could for what you're referring to. (For instance the tighter you are on the subject, the less you can simulate with lighting without necessarily showing the light source as you would in a situation where you had inserted a football player into a stadium, but the lighting on the subject doesn't match the lighting of the stadium.)



May 12, 2015 at 09:05 AM
pjbuehner
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback


I would say that lighting is what one should focus on for fitness photography. Post processing is helpful and a necessary part of the process but without proper lighting, you will not save an image. One resource that will be helpful is the light science and magic series of books (depending on your current level of knowledge).
A popular look now is the cross lit image which you could accomplish with the lighting that you have. I don't know what you have for modifiers but they are pretty important too...strip boxes, beauty dish, softboxes, etc.
Maybe searching the internet for images and trying to recreate them will help. That is exactly what I did for the following images. I was hired to shoot some images for a guy interested in fitness modeling. I suggested we both search for images that we liked, compare and then try to create our take on them.

I shot using up to four PB Einsteins and a mix of strip boxes, a medium softbox, a beauty dish, and reflectors.I shot this in a very tight gym so I hung a white backdrop over the mirror in the background and used grids for all of my modifiers.





























May 12, 2015 at 02:38 PM
pjbuehner
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback


I should mention that I was trying to get as many varied looks as possible for the one shoot. All of the shots use the same backdrop..it is just the amount of light that I let hit it that determined the color. I was hoping to make it seem like it was different shoots. There are lots of things that I see that I did wrong..one glaring for me was the lack of facial expression variety.
Also, I personally don't see the use for a super wide angle and fitness photography. There is so much distortion and fitness folks are focused on symetry. That seems at odds to me or maybe it is my personal lack of affinity for ultra wide angles and portraits. Just my humble opinon.
cheers,
Peter



May 12, 2015 at 03:25 PM
ross.thomas
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Athlete Composite Questions/ Request for Feedback


Caleb Williams wrote:
When you say composites, can you be more specific. A composite could be inserting the same person into multiple parts of a scene, or it could be taking the best arm from one frame and placing it into another frame. You may have an entirely different definition of compositing as well.

I think it would be beneficial to show us examples of what you're referring to. I wouldn't say that using a wide angle lens has a direct impact on compositing an image as I described above, but it could for what you're referring to. (For instance the tighter you
...Show more

Here is what I'm talking about.
http://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7796/17645708172_5dd4e92b53_c.jpg

http://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8567/16411904969_678c69648b_z.jpg

I actually now think that 24mm is wide enough for me, so that I don't need to match a 17mm or something like that for the foreground.

---------------------------------------------

pjbuehner wrote:
I would say that lighting is what one should focus on for fitness photography. Post processing is helpful and a necessary part of the process but without proper lighting, you will not save an image. One resource that will be helpful is the light science and magic series of books (depending on your current level of knowledge).
A popular look now is the cross lit image which you could accomplish with the lighting that you have. I don't know what you have for modifiers but they are pretty important too...strip boxes, beauty dish, softboxes, etc.
Maybe searching the internet for images and
...Show more

I also use PCB Einsteins! Thanks for the input. I really like your fitness images. I'm always working on my fitness lighting, and it's great to look at other people's work.



May 14, 2015 at 02:18 PM





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