Chp 3. studying how to do headshots/portraits 2013

I like the composition with your latest posting, Victor, but find the lighting flat and uninteresting.

How are you lighting the shot? The catchlights and some of the shadows cast by the material seem to suggest on-camera flash (which I don't particularly find flattering). You might want to try an even tighter crop at the top and right side to see how that looks.

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Originally Posted by GrumpyDiver

I like the composition with your latest posting, Victor, but find the lighting flat and uninteresting.

How are you lighting the shot? The catchlights and some of the shadows cast by the material seem to suggest on-camera flash (which I don't particularly find flattering). You might want to try an even tighter crop at the top and right side to see how that looks.

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Hi Manfred,

Thanks for your comments.

Here's a tighter crop.

You are right, flash is onboard. I use the flash for the catchlight. Its power is set to 1/64 low.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/435/5wcq.jpg

For reference, here is the orig image.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/308/outg.jpg

I like the tighter crop. Nicely done.

I do use a straight on flash as a fill light at times (including using a ring flash), but I find that I have to be careful to not overpower the other light sources and normally try for (at least?) 1 stop less light than the key light.

As for the catchlights; I find I'm not particularly fond of straight small flash catchlights, because just like the light source, they are small. I tend to cheat here and add some in post using a soft, round brush. Unless you are looking closely, these resemble the catchlights from an octabox or umbrella. I tend to put them in the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock position; they just seem to look best there.

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studying text layers using GIMP.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2h54fia.jpg

Hi Victor,

Fun idea.. I like the composition but her skin is two different shades?

#4,5 and #11 are still my favourites.

Margaret.
Los Angeles County Museum of Arts ( LACMA ). Wilshire Blvd. L.A.

http://imageshack.us/a/img51/7766/3vmf.jpg
Nikon D5100 kit lens: @105mm. Aperture priority: f/5.6, 1/100, ISO110. matrix metering. pp/LR, gimp, Helicon Filter 5



http://imageshack.us/a/img11/1209/84ed.jpg
Nikon D5100 kit lens: @105mm. Aperture priority: f/5.6, 1/100, ISO125. matrix metering. pp/LR, gimp, Helicon Filter 5

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http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8064/50ih.jpg

Nikon D300. Aperture mode: f/8, 1/250, ISO200
pp/Lightzone, gimp

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Learning how to use Lightzone in postprocessing.
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5060/s3uo.jpg


Nikon D300. Aperture mode: f/8, 1/250, ISO200
pp/Lightzone, gimp

I like this shot, a lot... Love the background, and the portrait.. Another of my favourite portraits of yours.. Nice to see in the larger size.

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Originally Posted by nimitzbenedicto

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Learning how to use Lightzone in postprocessing.
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5060/s3uo.jpg


Nikon D300. Aperture mode: f/8, 1/250, ISO200
pp/Lightzone, gimp

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Sorry but I find the out of focus guy behind totally detracts from the main subject.:(

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Originally Posted by Christina S

I like this shot, a lot... Love the background, and the portrait.. Another of my favourite portraits of yours.. Nice to see in the larger size.

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Thanks Christina.

Was trying out Lightzone free source editing software. It can edit straight from NEF files.
One of its tool I like is its "region" tool. It works like a PS selection tool. Much more powerful than LR5's radial filter.

Its drawback is its lack of saving your own presets. Len's profile and so many more a commercial software has.

But it can work as LR's plugin. So you can edit from within LR. Such as when you want a more flexible selection tool than radial filter.

Thanks

Hi Ian,

Yes, it does seem a distraction. How about this edit?

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9782/g0hm.jpg

Hi Victor,
Usually I'm the first to comment on backgrounds, but for some reason I just like the blurred fellow in the background in this photo... kind of a artsy...

I'm sorry but I think your edit, is even more distracting then the blurry fellow that I liked... In Lightroom, I would try using the clone tool to copy sections from the neutral grey parts of the background... Not easy to do well but worth trying if only for the exercise in processing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Christina S

Hi Victor,
Usually I'm the first to comment on backgrounds, but for some reason I just like the blurred fellow in the background in this photo... kind of a artsy...

I'm sorry but I think your edit, is even more distracting then the blurry fellow that I liked... In Lightroom, I would try using the clone tool to copy sections from the neutral grey parts of the background... Not easy to do well but worth trying if only for the exercise in processing.

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Hi Christina,

Just wanted to let Ian see what the image looks like without that "distracting man".

Otherwise, I'd rather go with your wise assessment.

Thanks for the "grey" cloning tip. I'll give it a go.

Here's the "grey cloned" version.
It's really nice to get more hands-on clone practice .

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/8650/7mab.jpg

I myself, find it impossible to do well. So I'll keep practicing.

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Originally Posted by nimitzbenedicto

Here's the "grey cloned" version.
It's really nice to get more hands-on clone practice .

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/8650/7mab.jpg

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Victor, You have nailed it with the second edit.

Sorry I was away when you posted the first one.

As Christina said, it was even more distracting unfortunately. Yes doing a good clone is very difficult but worth it if it was not possible to avoid it in the first place.

Did I mention I also liked posts 2 and 22, particularly the latter, with the extraneous elements removed and the face nicely framed.

Practicing mask layers in GIMP. Saw that layers thread so thought time to practice some more.


http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9199/wrkq.jpg

Piercing. Gothic? Anime? Informal headshots.

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/2544/1zte.jpg

Nikon D300. 55-200mm @68mm . Manual: f/8, 1/250, ISO200. spot metering.
pp/LR4.4, GIMP