So I got my first real chance to play with outdoor off camera flash over the weekend with a beautiful friend come model called Lizzie. All lighting is via a 580EX into a white shoot through umbrella on manual power.

Other than the obvious first shot these are pretty much straight out of the camera. The reason being that I would really love some critique on my raw lighting.
As such, any comments are criticisms are most welcome!

Lizzie 1:

The lighting is good on all of them. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th look like you missed the focus a bit, but nailed the lighting. I wish her dress was a little lighter in the 5th shot (tough w/such a dark dress though).

Excellent 1st try though! And thanks for sharing.

all very nice! Wonderful work with just a single flash!

These are nice shots, especially for a first effort. Here's a few nits to consider for next time.
#1 She is kinda squeezed up in that corner. The bike part and shadow are distractions, and so is the bright spot upper right corner.
#3 She's looking away - a bit too far to the side. A part of a wall (?) is on the right side of the frame at eye level. Clone it away.
#4-5. I find both a bit dark, and wonder if boosting the shadow levels would help. The bright patch of sky in #5 detracts from the model. Nice subdued background in #5.
Remember these are minor observations/impressions. Others will see things differently.

I enjoyed seeing these.

Good use of the various settings.

I can imagine your images will improve with more practice with the light.

Hi all, thanks for the kind words.

CoupeOwner: I Know what you mean about the dress, it was a real light sucker. In places her chest is on the verge of being blown out but the dress still black. Any idea about a way to improve on this without resorting to post processing? Possibly a heavily snooted second light? Do people ever use clothing lights?

Jim: I really appreciate all the feedback this was really what I wanted! One question, when you say she is very squeezed into the corner, any idea about how I would improve on that? I really need to learn how to pose models, luckily Lizzie is fairly natural. You're right that I underexposed the natural a little in 4 and 5, I'll try boosting the shadows when I get home and see how it looks.

Thanks again and any other comments or nit picks are most welcome.

Alex

Very nice work. Love your use of light, framing, subject - just the image in general.

steve

ai3x wrote:
Hi all, thanks for the kind words.

CoupeOwner: I Know what you mean about the dress, it was a real light sucker. In places her chest is on the verge of being blown out but the dress still black. Any idea about a way to improve on this without resorting to post processing? Possibly a heavily snooted second light? Do people ever use clothing lights?

Jim: I really appreciate all the feedback this was really what I wanted! One question, when you say she is very squeezed into the corner, any idea about how I would improve on that? I really need to learn how to pose models, luckily Lizzie is fairly natural. You're right that I underexposed the natural a little in 4 and 5, I'll try boosting the shadows when I get home and see how it looks.

Thanks again and any other comments or nit picks are most welcome.

Alex
By "squeezed into the corner, I meant she was too far from the center of the pic, or too close to the corner, whichever way you want to look at that. By making her smaller and so far into that corner, you minimized her in a way. A portrait crop would make her more prominent for example.

Hey up, I can't place the first few, but numbers four and five is down by Trinity Punts under Tit Hall bridge yes?
Hello from a fellow Cambridge student!
Mike
Ps - the photo's aren't half bad either!

Hi Michael, yep you're right! The first two are actually taken outside the church on Kings Parade.

Are you a member of PhoCUs by the way?

Alex

Great St Marys? I thought it was but couldn't see enough in the BG to be sure.
Not in PhoCUs, meant to sign up at the start of the year and never got round to it, will do for sure next season.
Mike