Washed out colors

This is a jpg export from RAW with no post processing done (other than jpg conversion and downsizing). I am hoping for some feedback so I can get better results.

This was around 5:30 local time, with the sun still fairly high in the sky (maybe about 45degrees up from the horizon). There was no cloud cover. I wish I had taken a picture of the setup/layout but I didn't think about it at the time.

I had two lights (Canon 580exII + YN560) both firing at full power into a PBL reflective umbrella. (http://www.amazon.com …es-Lighting/dp/B0055E6TY2). He was standing in the shade from the light stand on the right (as you can see by the sun burned lower left leg where the shade did not cover. That light was mounted about 12 inches above his head and facing him at about a 60degree angle. The other light was on his left, and parallel to his face, also at about a 60degree angle. The lights were pretty close to him, maybe 1 meter at most.

I don't have an ND filter, and the YN560 doesn't support HSS, so I think that part of my issue is overall exposure. I should have stopped down a little more, or dropped the camera to ISO50. (5dM3 with an 85 f1.8). I don't think this is the only issue though, because I have several at 7.1/ISO50, and they are better controlled but the colors still aren't what I'd expect even after proper post proessing. The 'dehaze' functionality in lightroom did some good, but all that's really doing is boosting some saturation and contrast (I think!) as the image starts to look a little poor after to much dehazing.

Is it simply poor exposure, or is there more to what I did to get an unexciting result? Thanks for any tips or feedback! I'm really trying to get better with my lights.

The light background says that your base exposure is too light. Get that right & then move/adjust the lights for the right exposure on him.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #17752870
The light background says that your base exposure is too light. Get that right & then move/adjust the lights for the right exposure on him.

What he said ^^

Get your BG too look like you want it, then add flash
If your suject is going to get bored of tests, use the back of your hand (i always take shots of my hand, if i didnt delete them i could probably do a book of them

Thanks for the pointer! Makes perfect sense. He definitely would have gotten bored. Step 1... nail ambient exposure.... Step 2... make sure the subject is properly lit. Seems so easy now that you say it that way

Ephur wrote in post #17753167
Seems so easy now that you say it that way

Perhaps a little too easy.

The objective is to get the subject well exposed. That lighting is Ambient + Flash. That means that perhaps Ambient exposure might need to be a stop or so lower than "normal" to make room for the flash contribution. It depends on what contribution you intend the flash to make.

Slightly under exposing the background will saturate the colors and if properly lit allow your subject to stand out more. It doesn't have to be much but it helps.

Lighting on the boy is flat and maybe .5 EV hot.
Light on background is more contrasty but at least 1.5 EV hot.
Did you try mid-tone contrast enhancing? Clarity slider in Lightroom.
Also, move black point slider until the left tip of the histogram just touches the left edge. Right now there is a significant gap. almost 20% of total range. That will ensure there is something black for the eye to reference in the picture.

Dmward, Gonzo & Clivey, thanks for the feedback. I'm trying hard to get this right in camera.

As far as post processing, I was able to get something usable from the image, but it's certainly not the quality I was hoping for. His eyes (a dark brown) are just really not going to pop with this, and the overall depth of the image still feels flat which I think has mainly come from the over exposure, maybe some of the angle of my lights as well.

I'm a lot more comfortable with the lights inside, outside is still giving me real heartache. I think I absolutely have to invest in an ND filter for out doors. I was trying to bring my exposures down, but really didn't have a good way to do it without pushing the aperture really far out of what I wanted. Also triggers that will let me shoot at 1/200 instead of 1/160 would be nice, with the cheap YN602's I have it causes problems with faster sync.

Start practicing in evening/morning light where you arent constrained and have full access to the ambient control you can get using the shutter shutter speeds available to you.