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02/16/2007 07:26:49 PM · #1 |
Trying to learn how to use my new flash.
Camera set on manual
Window light from one side and flash (sigma 500 super)bounce fill from the other.
This is the first time I have set up to take photos of myself. Took a number of them and feel this was one of the better ones.
Would love to hear some input on it.
//pahl.smugmug.com/gallery/2431910/1/130055438#130055438-M-LB
thanks, |
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02/16/2007 07:29:07 PM · #2 |
HTH
Message edited by author 2007-02-16 19:35:36.
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02/17/2007 08:16:39 AM · #3 |
| It's so bad no one want to say anything? |
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02/17/2007 08:28:58 AM · #4 |
since Im still considered a Noob (and have yet to use a flash other than my popup) take this with a grain of salt:
your lighting looks good and pretty even.but I think it your editing hurts this a bit. you look washed out and pale. your eyes are beautiful! use them, maybe next time you can look into the camera. Look around here for some poses and have fun with it. I know how hard SP are. Good luck!
~~Cher~~ :)
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02/17/2007 08:32:47 AM · #5 |
It's pretty good. I'd probably like to see a bit more light to make it either more dramatic or more evenly lit. Right now it seems kind of in between. I'd like to see eye contact as well. In this instance I think making contact with the viewer would make this a more dynamic portrait. To me, portraits are all about the eyes and how they speak to the viewer. And lastly, I would probably give it a tighter crop so that little spot of background in the top left corner was gone. Otherwise the coloring seems good and the DOF is interesting.
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02/17/2007 08:58:15 AM · #6 |
Hope you don't mind, but I had a little go with the edit. :-) This is what I came up with on the quick. I just punched the colors and contrast a bit and played with the eyes a little & recropped. I'll delete it shortly.
 
edit to add the B&W version. I always seem to have trouble with skintones, B&W always fixes that. :)
Message edited by author 2007-02-17 09:41:56.
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02/17/2007 09:15:29 AM · #7 |
I'm no expert either but I'll give you an honest opinion. It's ok, but in an s/p challenge I would probably give it a 5. I took a look at your Profile page... heck you've entered 4 challenges and twice have scored in the top 10. That's awesome (a bit of good-natured envy on my part...grr!) but I'm sure you can create a better self-portrait if you keep after it.
I think that this photo could use a better crop, not necessarily tighter, but with less of the black shirt at the bottom, thereby including more of your head at the top of the frame. The exposure looks fine to me but the I think the lighting is too flat. I wonder if you would get better results by using either the window or the flash as a primary light source, with a reflector for the fill. Concerning the pose, I think either a full fledged smile or a serious look might work better. I agree with the other comment that by looking right down the barrel of the lens you will accentuate your eyes and connect with the viewer.
Hope you find these thoughts helpful. _Ray |
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02/17/2007 01:13:00 PM · #8 |
All very helpfull replies.
Now I have some more idea's to work with.
Thanks, :) |
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