stepping foward in light & portraiture

[gabiser]

Hello all,

Well this is my first post (apart the welcome-introduction one) and Iam going to upload my first pics for some feedback/advice...

I have very recently decided to climb a step in understanding and exploring "studio" ( or artificial) lighting and portraits, so I had a very smal budget available which allowed me to finally get some basic gear to mess around with, that is a "rotolight" handy led "donut" and the most basic canon optics (50mm 1.8f) that allow me to play around while I dream of better lights and optics hahaha....

So I could make myself a practical idea of what a "big" aperture and some basic lighting can add to my "palette" and am very very happy to start incorporating these tools to my toolbox.

Here are my first shoots, they have been MINIMALLY tweaked in post, mostly denoised & sharpened (having headaches with that, guess I'm not the only one) and a bit color corrected.

I'd love feedback, wether it's disappointing or not as long as it's constructive of course.

Shot at home with my EOS 60D, 50mm 1.8f lens, rotolight led lighting device (no gel), noonish-occluded-windows ambient lighting. ISO 200, 1.8f, 1/80th.

[bambleweeney]

Actually I really like them both and very little to criticise especially the second one. The only thing I can suggest is that I think they could both just do with a little brightness either overall or selective, I like the tones and compositions of both so I'd just go for a little selective lift maybe just brighten the highlights perhaps. Overall rather nice shots.

[gabiser]

Thanks a lot! Well I am also aware that my laptop monitor is far from being accurate and properly calibrated, but although being critical to work on the photos I won't get into calibration yet, too much data in my head hahahah.... I hope I will get back to my desktop computer soon where I have a more decent faithfull screen

Anyway, your feedback is very welcome. In these essays I am trying to fight in a thin line between reaching a "painterly" (oil) feel, humbly as close as possible to the netherland classic painters, and still keep the definition of a photo, which as you correctly figured, brings dilemas and further tweaking with brights and contrasts

cheers!

[redrew]

Very well done, Gabriel. I would not change your technique, you have captured the ambiance of an oil painting by using understated saturation and luminance with simple equipment which demonstrates that you have a very good grasp of digital photography. Printed from a tiff large file image it should be even better as posting images takes away some of the resolution.

[Designer]

Thanks a lot! Well I am also aware that my laptop monitor is far from being accurate and properly calibrated, but although being critical to work on the photos I won't get into calibration yet, too much data in my head hahahah.... I hope I will get back to my desktop computer soon where I have a more decent faithfull screen

Anyway, your feedback is very welcome. In these essays I am trying to fight in a thin line between reaching a "painterly" (oil) feel, humbly as close as possible to the netherland classic painters, and still keep the definition of a photo, which as you correctly figured, brings dilemas and further tweaking with brights and contrasts

cheers!

I like both of these photos. You have done very well with only one light. The first one has a distracting shadow on the floor.

[CNelson]

I love both shots. I especially like the lighting which has a classical look to it....like an old master's painting. I like the dark or subdued background with light emphasizing what's important. Well done!

Chuck

[gabiser]

Very well done, Gabriel. I would not change your technique, you have captured the ambiance of an oil painting by using understated saturation and luminance with simple equipment which demonstrates that you have a very good grasp of digital photography. Printed from a tiff large file image it should be even better as posting images takes away some of the resolution.

Lovely!! Thank you so much, your comments help me, give me hope and assure me I might be heading the right way for my goal!

Unfortunately, printing these and most of my other shoots is a very different (and mysterious for me) matter as I have serious issues with Tack-sharp focus (lots of confusion and homework to do in that field) and image noise... Well of course depending of the printing size...

Thanks a lot again! ...

Designer, Thanks a lot too! I liked the feeling of that shadow you mention, but now you make me doubt hahaha... Anyway as far as I know it was not going to be possible to remove it if I want to keep that perspective of the little bitty, unless maybe putting a dark textile on the floor? Arrgh!! So many stuff usefull for photography that one needs and one imistakingly finds useless and throws away when not knowing....

[redrew]

Gabriel your interesting portrait made me wonder if you were influenced by Goya or Velasquez. I was and have taken liberties with your image to make an attempt at how it would look if painted.

[rpcrowe]

Glad that you are posting. I like the low key effect in both of these images. I'd like to see a bit tighter cropping on the portrait of the dog alone. The portait of the dog with the woman really shows love and trust between a human and a dog...

[jiro]

Gabriel, Your shot is a good example of how a nice, directional lighting elevates the quality of an image. The image of the woman with the dog is a very strong image. I love it. Good job!

[Cantab]

Great shots. Hopefully we'll see more!

[ggt]

I did wonder at first if these were photoshopped to look like paintings --I like them, personally.

and I'm seething with jealousy. Your first try . . . . *&^%! (

[gabiser]

Gabriel your interesting portrait made me wonder if you were influenced by Goya or Velasquez. I was and have taken liberties with your image to make an attempt at how it would look if painted.

Redrew, indeed those painters appeal me, maybe I would say I'm looking more for Velazquez, but truly what I'm seeking is the flemish school look (Vermeer, Rembrandt etc...)

I appreciate your suggestion and wonder how you made it, but my research is about trying to achieve the painting feel in "real life", in the photo, and try to minimise at a maximum post production filters

[gabiser]

Thanks a lot again!

I appreciate big time your comments fellows! They are very encouraging, and honest which is very constructive. Yes I am just starting this "research" so I will post more pics. Hopefully today I will be able to experiment and shoot a bit!

cheers and thanks again!

I'm brand new here, so I did not have the time yet to see your works fellows, except the ones from Redrew, you have some amazing macro shoots! I love that tack-sharp focus and need to learn more about it, it's a nightmare right now for me to get that sharpness in my pics, I guess there are many different reasons for that!