Lighting Critique

[Secret_Squirrel]

This was my first go with my Genesis 200 kit. How did I do with the lighting? T.i.A for any tips.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3180355057_e5c1302253_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3092/3181195270_da7b603b2a_b.jpg

[DonJuanMair]

cute pics! lighting looks really good to me

maybe a tighter crop on both?

[howaboutnow]

Awesome. Agree with DonJuanMair... tighter crop to emphesize face more.

[Robert_Lay]

#1 is a very nice high key picture that should have been cut off just above the knees.
#2 is comical enough to get points on that alone. Again, cropping across the front edge of the tray would be good.

[Grimlock]

Nice lighting. Agree with the cropping suggestions.

Quick question ...

Should the light rigs be visible in the eyes of the subject? Or is that simply unavoidable?
And if not, what are some precautions you can take to prevent that from happening?

Just curious.

[SwingBopper]

I think you have too many catchlights in his eyes in #2. Try for just one in each eye.

[Robert_Lay]

I think you have too many catchlights in his eyes in #2. Try for just one in each eye.

I would agree with both SwingBopper and Grimlock with respect to catchlights. In my opinion, a satisfactory solution is to simply edit the catchlights so as to creat one simple catchlight in each eye so that it appears that there is only one source of light - and it doesn't have to be a very large light in relation to the pupil.

[Secret_Squirrel]

Thanks for the tips. I really have to work on figuring out where to crop. I'll pay more attention to the catch lights too.

[DonJuanMair]

something similar to this?

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/DonJuanMair/3181195270_da7b603b2a_b.jpg

maybe dont cut off the fingers though?

[MacBailey]

I to agree with the catch lights in the eyes. Also, I don't see a dominant direction of light. The exposure is great but the lighting is to flat. There needs to be a direction of light that falls across the face modeling the features. From the catch lights it appears you have one light camera right and one left. The right is a little farther from the camera than your other one or so it appears. I would suggest you lower the exposure on the light to camera left allowing the other light to dominate and the one to the left to only soften the shadows. That will create a more natural lighting and feel over all. Try different settings and see what you think. That is just my opinion. Cropping can be done post shooting. I normally leave a little space so I can refine my cropping later if I am unsure. But a tighter crop would help. Keep experimenting and have fun.

Mac

[Bill Boehme]

something similar to this?


maybe dont cut off the fingers though?

Don't cut off the cake either.

It appears that the lights were around eye level or just slightly higher.. Raise them up considerably higher. You might try a gobo to block some of the direct light on one side.

[Secret_Squirrel]

Thanks everyone, I have a lot to work on.
The light on the right (further away) was at 30% and the one on the left was at 10%. They were a little higher than eye level. I'm going to try again and play around with the settings and heights. I have no idea what I'm doing, but its fun learning.