p.1 #3 · First time with lighting and backdrop [semi-work safe]
I agree - it almost distracted me from the model It looks worse when the image is sharpened as I think it needs to be. You need to smooth out the backing sheet and/or get it farther away from the model and use less DOF to blur it out. The crumpled part on the floor is not so bad in the the third shot as it is evocative of bed sheets in keeping with her pose, but it doesn't work for me in the second shot where it is more like clutter.
That second shot also looksc a bit underexposed. At the risk of sounding like a dirty old man I don't think the dress should be a featureless black. Also, the placement of the prop is just right to make it look like she is waring shorts. Have you got other shots that don't do that ? I'm no expert but I'm sure the little black dress is not supposed to look like shorts.
The cigar does nothing for me in the first shot. You don't look like you should be smoking it and it hardly looks like it is alight, so on two points you've not matched the original that inspired you. I'm afraid you don't have that "I don't care 'cause I'm the boss" look. Also, it almost seems like your right hand has been amputated because I can see a lot of cuff but no hand.
Portaits are not my strong point and so I could well be wrong about these things.
I don't think you should be using auto white balance when you have control of the lighting in a studio. Either use a card to let you measure the WB after shooting or else use daylight or flash. I hope you shot in raw mode because fixing jpegs is harder.
To emulate that shot, use a harsher light, experiment around 3/4 angle, raised. Stepping away from the background will darken it up. The smoke's a nice touch -- timing ... :-)
Edited on Jan 22, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Jan 22, 2008 at 07:12 PM
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p.1 #5 · First time with lighting and backdrop [semi-work safe]
I thought you said 'emulate'--not even close. Nothing at all is the same. I guess you didn't say imitate, huh? But why the smirk? The mood is much lighter than his, also. Why didn't you just say Self Portrait?
p.1 #6 · First time with lighting and backdrop [semi-work safe]
It's not just the background,you have to modify your light in order to direct it like in your resource photo. The example shots from your shoot show a set 'flooded' with light, which sets a totally different mood. Have you gone over any lighting techniques from here, strobist, or anywhere else yet?
Maybe I'm reading your post wrong, though, you don't want to emulate the lighting, you want to emulate the post-processing instead. If that's the case, then if you don't shoot it with the same lighting set-up to begin with, it's going to take a lot of work in your editing program later on. An action to convert your photos isn't needed, remove color and adjust levels on each one of your shots individually and force yourself to understand the changes you could have made with/to your lights. Then dodge and burn, it will help with learning how to light better and show you where your lighting falls off so you can develop your style and technique. Search adobe exchange if you're adamant about having an action, though.
p.1 #7 · First time with lighting and backdrop [semi-work safe]
You will not see the smoke unless it is lit from the side or slightly from the back. Darker background will work better or move the subject further from your background. You may want to invest in another flash, like 430EX to put in on the side or ST-E2 to get your 580EX off camera.
When evaluating an image you would like to try and reproduce, watch for the shadows, their definition and direction. This will give a lot of information as to were the light(s) source is and how big it is.
Shot like this can be created with 580EX if you have the means to take it off camera.
