Trying Low Key Lighting

[jamner]

I was trying my hand at some low key lighting tonight with my daughter and would like some c&c on these pictures. Any help I can get would be appreciated.:lol:

http://img1.picturewizard.com/1321C1E/0/brookeface.jpg

http://img1.picturewizard.com/1321C1E/0/brookecoat.jpg

[ABrownPhoto]

I like the second shot the best!

I think it is a combination of the lighting and the angle in #1, but her cheeks look disproportionate. other than that, i like the lighting.

In #2 watch out for her hair blending into the BKG. Use a hairlight ;)

nice work on both!

[jamner]

Thanks Skweekie. I used the hairlight in some of the pics and not in the one that I liked, so I will have to remember to use it at all times when I try this again. Thanks for the comments!

[hawkfeather]

Your first shot is almost perfect for me! It would be pro-model headshot quality if the hot spots on her nose and cheekbone was eliminated. Did they give you an inner baffle for your soft box? that would probably do the trick...

[hawkfeather]

I tried to show you what it would look like with the bak\ffle added in the first edit. The second is just to see how she looked with the special grunge effect I've been working on! let me know what you think?

[milleker]

I can see where you painted out the background, but then I usually have my display a little brighter than normal. What I use on Low-key backgrounds (that have wrinkles or are not completely dark) is the Photoshop 'Replace Color' function. I use the eyedropper plus the shift key and drag it over my background. This selects the many values of my background, you'll see the background in the sample window as white around your subject. Kill saturation and drop the brightness until the background is a solid black - dont over-do it if you do not have to.

Then use the history brush to paint back detail in your subject in places where the selected colors in the background were also in the image (eyes, shadows, clothing and especially hair).

A lot of work? Yeah! Next time try moving your subject away from the background more and that background will melt into darkness.

I certainly like the pose and the lighting pattern on the face in #2. Light pattern on #1 looks like the hatchet effect - Half and half. I'd love to see a Rembrandt pattern on her face.

And as already mentioned, a hair light works wonders. If you have the equipment, try it... You'll never go back.

[omdown]

Verrrry nice. I wish I could shoot this well. I'm looking into getting some lighting equipment myself, but I just spent a bunch of a halfway decent camera . . . so it's going to be a while. lol That said, I think the first one is awesome. Combination of good lighting and good subject expression.

[jamner]

Thanks Hawkfeather, I like what you did with the first edit on the closeup...I don't care for the 2nd edit on her, but I think that it would work on someone else if the photo was right.

Thanks milleker and omdown for your comments and advice, nice to have feedback!

[Elbee19]

Jamie...I think you nailed it on the first one. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of her head and face but I'd have to say that is really nit picking!

The second one is nice too and again nit picking, I'd be interested to see what a tighter crop (just under her arm) would look like. It's also a little too centered for me.

If your gear list is up to date, you've proven once again what quality can come from an 350D when in the hands of a skilled photographer. (This is just a side not...not intended to become a topic of this thread!)

[SYS]

I love your first photo!