Age difference and lighting

These two are really good friends and after spending hours with them, I could see why. People don't get their friendship and often judge them since she is much older than him. When I took these images I wanted to use lighting to make them appear closer in age to help bridge that gap and capture how they are more alike than different.

So I used harsher light to produce some shadow on his face, harshening that baby face while using a softer light on her. My clients are in love with all the shots but I wanted to hear from fellow photographers what they think. Did I over do it on his light? Or did I acheive the look I was trying to get (ie do they look close in age)?

If you think I over did it with his light what would you have done differently to make him look older?

I don't think your lighting changed the apperance that they are of different ages. In fact it draws attention to his overexposed face which makes you focus on the differences even more... or least it does for me. Sometimes people just are what they are....

jwp721 wrote in post #14169310
I don't think your lighting changed the apperance that they are of different ages. In fact it draws attention to his overexposed face which makes you focus on the differences even more... or least it does for me. Sometimes people just are what they are....

What would you guess their ages are? No cheating and going to Flickr though...lol.

I don't guess women's ages! 29 years of marriage has taught me a few things. LOL

Him 23 and if you promise not to tell I would guess late 30ish maybe early 40's. Most likely way off but they do look comfortable together which means more than anything to me.

Note: I did go to flickr but still did not change anything posted above this and I am glad I did. I wanted to ask somehow very politely if he was missing his left arm because in the picture above it does appear that way. Glad the appearance is wrong.

him 22...her 37... close?? light a lil bright on him, but really a good picture.

jwp721 wrote in post #14169376
I don't guess women's ages! 29 years of marriage has taught me a few things. LOL

Him 23 and if you promise not to tell I would guess late 30ish maybe early 40's. Most likely way off but they do look comfortable together which means more than anything to me.

Note: I did go to flickr but still did not change anything posted above this and I am glad I did. I wanted to ask somehow very politely if he was missing his left arm because in the picture above it does appear that way. Glad the appearance is wrong.

Thanks for pointing out the arm. I usually catch stuff like that but totally missed it in this shot. Dang it.

madmoose wrote in post #14169707
him 22...her 37... close?? light a lil bright on him, but really a good picture.

Thanks for the comment!! As for ages I will never tell....:p.

See how you all like these two (I am annoyed with my leg crop, almost 4th hour into the shoot and I was exhausted!!) I think I need to dodge the shadows around her laugh lines, I think that ages her too much:

To make an older person look younger, I think you would use butterfly lighting. Side lighting, like loop or Rembrandt, would accentuate details. So I think you would use butterfly lighting on the older lady and side lighting on the younger male.

I'll take a guess. The toe ring puts her squarely as a mid- to late-80s HS grad. So that should put her age at around 44-46. The guy looks around 22. He looks younger than my recent college grad who will be 24 late next month.

Like the last shot best. Nice to have a studio and some space, I'd guess.

dave

if i had to guess, her 39, him 21.

I like the 1 first picture the best. I dont know if the lighting made them look closer in age, but when first looked at it I though cool shot nice lighting. I don't like the grungy look on the last two but that me. that the cool thing about photography you will all ways find at least one person that likes the picture even if it is you.

It looks like they skateboard together. She must still be athletic.

elguapo wrote in post #14171206
To make an older person look younger, I think you would use butterfly lighting. Side lighting, like loop or Rembrandt, would accentuate details. So I think you would use butterfly lighting on the older lady and side lighting on the younger male.

I'd recommend clamshell lighting for her to soften any details on her face.