Davestr wrote:
John would you look at my shots from my studio and comment please.
Thanks Dave
Link is at above post.
Hi Dave. There are so many John's here, so I hope you don't mind if I take a crack at commenting.
You're new studio is going to be awesome. I'm sure you'll love it.
So, starting at the top and working my way down...
#1. The right side light is too harsh. It should be a bit softer. Nice detail and good focus on her eyes.
#2. Very nice. Much better light (main to fill) balance. I would still soften the light as well as warm the image a bit and give it a little softer look (i.e., in Photoshop.)
#3. Nice. I would have added a bit of a rim/kicker light to the left rear, to provide some separation between her hair and the background and that would also provide a nice highlight on her hair. A nice dark circlular vignette from above her head to her pants line would also draw some attention away from her pants.
#4. Okay. I would have turned her a bit to the side and warmed the image up a bit. (Still can do it in PS.) The partial necklace is a distraction and I would have combed her loose hair off her shoulders.
#5. Once again, I think adding a bit of a left side rim/kicker light (just the tiniest bit of light) would have enhanced the shot ans provided some separation from the background as well as provided a nice highlight on her hair. Watch those backgounds. They become quite distacting from the main focus of the image. Use something (even a piece of cardboard) to reduce the spill light that falls on the background.
#6. Very nice indeed.
#7. I like it. I'd tone down the left rim light a bit and also add a bit of a right rim light, and added a bit of a dark circular vignette.
#8. Almost a bit too bright. What;s up with the blurr on her right shoulder? :-)
#9. Very nice. Now, I'd soften the shot a bit in PS and add a nice dark vignette to draw all attention to her. Remember, keep a comb handy and just before you press the shutter, look at the scene. Comb the loose hairs (unless of course that's the look you're after.) :-)
#10. The best of this series. Nice background separation. A softening action and a dark circular vignette would certainly polish this off IMO.
#11. I light the backlighting, but there needs more frontal light. Its just a bit too dark.
#12. Nice smile. Still a bit too dark. I'd also tighten the crop.
#13. Still on the too dark side.
I hope this helps somewhat. Overall, very nice attempt. Some of the images (if they were mine) could be polished very nicely in Photoshop.
I respect your work and happy about your comments. I must say i Used 2 lights mainly only one and then just a reflector. I stated the studio is not finished and I had to make a shoot for the lady was leaving town. I had to use my roof felt paper as background and just tried to wing it. I will bring in other lights and backrounds thatI own to make it work and follow your advise. I have just completed the painting tonight.
Now just wash the floor and then the kit will be rolled out. I still need a boom and wil do curtains and then will play. I am going to try and work more with harsh shadows and light . I want to use the specular highlights and shadows to make the images. I want to use 2 lights close to each other with barndoors to make natural vignette.
Last week and he really is a master. Tim meyer another seminar was also intresting seeing that he shots like the late 1914 style and uses only one light.
Really wasa pleasure to learn from these masters and then look at your style.
Tom Boucher wrote:
Hey Guys. As of Shatterkiss' post at 8/20/05 at 12:45PM I have archived this entire thread into a PDF and put it up for download both here and here
I couldn't find the PDF's directly from Tom's links on 9 Sept 2005. But with
a little snooping around, I found a new link. Here it is. Tom has broken the thread archive into smaller PDF's 3meg max.
Lynwood wrote:
I couldn't find the PDF's directly from Tom's links on 9 Sept 2005. But with
a little snooping around, I found a new link. Here it is. Tom has broken the thread archive into smaller PDF's 3meg max.
John is the reason why I'm getting alien bees, I love his picture of the girl with suspended birdcage, its totally awesome. I'm slowly going to buildup till I have the studio setup you do John.
*The flattery was in order before I asked another question on this site (u guys sick of me yet?)...
Typically if you had to take down your whole setup on a shoot say with 5 lights (like john has), how long would it take to setup, then adjust for opt. lighting, then take down again??
Reason asking, the new place we've purchased is in a great core downtown location, however, its not big and the G/F won't let me setup in house. However, I can setup in our party room which is shared between the building (you have to book it out). So I want to know how long setup takes, before I buy a billion lights, to find out its a 6 hour job caliberating lighting...
We have to tear down and transport to on-location every once in a while. Yesterday, we had a job shooting for the CA. State Bar, shooting the CA. Supreme Court Chief Justice and a group of award winners at a hotel in dowtown San Diego.
Tear down of two main lights + spare (AB's), the 7' Octodome, 5' Octodome, 48" rect. softbox, two C-stands, boom arms, sand-bags, coils of extension cords, reflectors, portable battery pack, stepladder, two portable computers (1 backup) and my camera equipment... took about 45 minutes (1 person.).
Setup and test shots took 15 minutes for 3 people and teardown and repacking by 3 people took another 15 minutes.
Hey thanks john, I feel a litttle better now, I was thinking it would take a lot longer to set up and test shoot.. I'm glad to hear it was only a total of 75 minutes (with one, then three people)..
I have really enjoyed this thread, and make it a point to check it as often as there are replies.
So I figured I would post up my newbie stuff
I have 2 AB 800's (Alien Green)
The Backdrop is painted muslin that I did myself, if your intrested let me know and Ill post up shots and info on how I made it.
The Backdrop stand is a simple one made out of 1.5" and 2" PVC pipe.
I have a shoot through umbrella (the one used in the setup below) and a silver reflective umbrella (not shown). I used a simple piece of black construction paper for a make shift snoot of sorts. My setup is pretty gehto except for the strobes, which I wouldnt of had them but I hit the jackpot on a .05 slot at dover downs, and purchased the strobes with the winnings.
These photos are currently up for crit under the people photography board. But im more than happy to take comments on them here as well.
I purchased 4 yards (aprox 12ft) of 108” wide Raw Muslin from Jo-Ann Fabrics.
I then went to Lowes and bought 1qt of Bright Yellow, Orange, and a dark purple with a tint of mahogany (I can post the actual colors used once I get home). The paint was the cheapest they had in qt size, and is interior flat latex.
I also picked up a 10 Pack of their 7” square painters rags.
If I didn’t have a garage I don’t know where I would do this, as obviously the paint does bleed through the fabric onto the concrete floor. Doing this by hand took a really long time to do, a lot longer than what I thought, 4.5 Hours….
So my total cost was.
Cost of Muslin at Jo-Ann 25.00 dollars
For 3 cans of flat latex paint 30.00 dollars
For gas in the Car driving around to get the materials 10.00 Dollars
Having what I Think is a great looking backdrop
That I did myself Priceless
Unfortunately the next day I paid the price for slamming my hand soaked in paint against the hard cement floor of my garage for 4.5 hours. I’m still sore today, (2 days after) which made it difficult to squeeze the shutter release on the camera yesterday.
Was it cheaper than buying one online? YES!
Was it worth it? I like it, but not sure how others feel about it yet!
Not bad, but every once in a while you can get a muslin from Amvona.com for the same price on eBay I'm not that artistically inclined I'm sure I'd goof it up, looks great.
