I'm a complete novice at lighting but wanted to experiment with something dramatic. As luck would have it, I found a dancer who also was up for the idea of playing with the lights. Here's one that was a favorite for both of us. I hope I did her justice.
I do like the lighting. I also love the B&W on this.
I too am no expert, maybe turn the light on the right side off. It might have added to a little dramatic photo. That's just my .02.
Pretty dancer. He has an intense look. I like it.
I'm not an expert but I play one on TV. You did a really great job overall, especially for an early attempt. A lot of people should be so lucky. The black and white works very well here. The only thing I might try the next time is cutting the light on the right down, but definitely not out entirely. You need it for separation with the background, but right now it's (on her skirt) the brightest thing in the frame, and that should probably be her face. You might try turning her head slightly toward the camera on a future shoot - and you should definitely get her back for more - but only if she feels that her nose is too prominent. The only other really minor things, and they don't bug me too much is the lack of separation with her hair and top with the background. You are primarily drawn in by her wonderful face. I like it!
Peter Figen wrote:
I'm not an expert but I play one on TV...
Peter, thanks so much for the detailed critique. I know you are an expert at printing fine art, etc., so I value your opinion.
You're right about the light at the right, and there's some detail left in the RAW file, so I'll tone it down a bit. I noticed the prominent nose after the fact, so it was a educational thing to watch for in the future. Next time (if she agrees to do more), I want to try environmental inside the dance studio she uses.
