Experiments in low light

been doing some lowlight experiments
not something I'm overly familiar with
constructive critique welcome

initially I was trying to reproduce this style

Havent suceeded yet, cant get enough light on the model whilst keeping the background black

But in all the pics I did, this one I liked
also looking at doing more portrait stuff in B&W
wonder which one you guys like the most ?

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Exposure Time: 1/125
Shutter Speed: 1/128.00
F-stop: f/10.0
Focal Length: 65.00
Exposure Bias: 0
Exposure Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash Fired: True
White Balance: 0
Aperture: 6.63
exif:ISO 100

light source Sigma EF-530DG ST,radio remoted, manual low power facing into a homebrew silvered umbrella ~ 1.8m from subject

I am not sure how the shutter speed can be different from the exposure time? And f stop different from aperture?

It looks like you're getting there. The source you provided probably used a black/gray background. If you don't have a background then find a clean wall and sit your subject as far away from it as possible. Your light source will have to fire perpendicular to your position from the subject to avoid flooding the background with light (or use a grid).

The silver umbrella is nice to spread out the light, however it can still be harsh. If possible shoot through it. or bounce it off a white wall. Play with the shutter speed and aperture to get the depth of field you want while still trying to eliminate ambient light. If I were you I'd set my flash to max and then drop it down to find the sweet spot.

Good luck!

Hi ratempa

thanks for your thoughts, the kind of comments Im looking for
most of my photography has been landscape - storms etc
"portraiture" and I use that term broadly, is something relatively new to me and I have lots to learn
So I value any thoughts/ ideas expressed

as to those values yeah well, I dont know why the difference. I have noticed that myself.
not sure why the actual camera settings and the EXIF data should be different ?

cheers
Dave