Second OCF Attempt

This is my second attempt at using OCF and I was going off of OneLight 2 disc set.

Here is what I got, all unedited. Any help on what to change would be great.

1

Not bad they look like they need a reflector on the shadow side to help soften them a little. On number one the eyes do not look in focus. I like the light in 3 and 4 best it just looks a bit harsh in one and two.

Thanks Ill try the reflector tonight. They just dont have the pop that I see in other photos. And like you said the light just seems too harsh. Im shooting at 1/4 power.

Are you using any sort of light modifier soft box or umbrella. If not you could put something in front of or over the flash to help soften it a little. You can put a pillow case in front of the flash to help soften it or any number of other things. Do a search here for DIY softboxes. That will help soften the light but you will have to give the flash a little more power to go through the diffusion material.

The light seems a bit harsh, are you using a modifier? I'd also work on focusing on the eyes. The images are a bit soft. Keep shooting!

Thanks guys OCF is all new to me. Natural Light...not an issue.

I'm shooting with an Umbrella, using the reflective side, with the black cover still attached. It seems as though on my first attempt I got better results using a cheaper lens and more light.

I would guess then, to pull the umbrella back a bit and turn up the power?

WB definitely on the magenta side on my monitor. Maybe try pulling back the saturation just a tad? Red top is pretty hot as well.

dave

Not sure the size of your umbrella but make sure that the umbrella is not too close to the flash. What you want is the flash to totally fill the umbrella. Here is a post that talks about DIY modeling light for the umbrella another interesting topic but look at the umbrella placement it is allowing the flash to fill the umbrella completely. Secondly the light does not necessarily need to be further away from the person you might actually need to be closer with less power the bigger the light source the smaller the softer the shadows the smaller the light source the harsher the shadows so moving the flash back might not give you softer shadows but just the opposite harder shadows. Try different positions to see what the shadows look like for me the light is usually 3 to four feet away for a simple head and shoulders shot and a little furhter back for full body shots. PLease do post your results and experiments it will be good for many to see.

Slaterza, would this "fill" be caused by haveing the umbrella shaft too far down the head on the stand.
I would try to answer my own question and say, yes, because the first time I did it i had the shaft just in the head and seem to have better lighting results. Going to go setup again and try some more...

The umbrella is a 43"

Thanks for the link, Im going to check it out.

Yes is the shaft is too far down you are defeating the purpose of using the umbrella. You want the shaft on the umbrella just inside the stand enough to catch hold of it but the umbrella as far away from the flas as possible this allows the flash to fill the umbrella and gives you a larger light source and thus a softer shadow.

Ok, I moved the shaft out, and used the reflector. They are uploading now and I will have some examples up shortly.

The first two will be OCF L. & Reflt. Cam R. Next will be OCF overhead Reflt. Below.

I look forward to seeing them I have to go it is 9:30 in the morning here and I have a job I will check them when I get home tonight. Good luck.

1

Looks like now the light is much softer but also much brighter I might have been just a little bright I think it is an easy fix in photoshop or camera raw. I am not sure if you shot these in raw or jpg. I feel the light is much more pleasing though especially in the second too. Here is a little tweak in photoshop to help I hope, I am doing this on my laptop not calibrated.

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How was work? I'm getting ready to head out. But I do have the pleasure of the internet at work.

I changed the F-stop until I got a no over exposure in the camera. These were my results it gave me. In the last shot it blew out the center jewel around her colar and that was it.

Shes hard to with with she suck fair skinned.