Recent Portraits, How did I do? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/06/2008 06:55:09 PM · #1

I recently took a few portraits for some friends and would very much appreciate feedback on my images.
Edits were fairly simple and included crop to 8x10 or 10x13, brightness/contrast, and saturation.

Lighting was two Alien Bee B800s setup at approx 45deg off center with a painted canvas background.
Canon 40D with 28-135 IS USM Lens
f/6.3 1/125sec and ISO 100. These values were set using a hand held light meter.

[thumb]643417[/thumb]
[thumb]643418[/thumb]
[thumb]643419[/thumb]
[thumb]643420[/thumb]
[thumb]643421[/thumb]

I know I have shadows in the family portrait and plan to get a couple of additional lights for the background.
I'm also going to try and photoshop out the shadows but my photoshop skills are not the best. :-)

Also, I edited these on my calibrated monitor, used a Huey to calibrate it. When I look on my non-calibrated monitor they look over exposed. Anyone else notice this?

Thanks
Brian

Message edited by author 2008-02-06 18:56:38.

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

02/06/2008 06:58:08 PM · #2

Very quick comment... The group shot somewhat little to much shadows. Maybe more lights from back, or using a softer flash or something would do better. Individuals are good, I am sure little cleaning would make them much better... not too much, just a little :D

FP

ace flyman

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/06/2008 07:04:52 PM · #3

They look good. Maybe just a little soft. Try setting the iso to 200, noise will not be an issue. It seems to work for me.

Message edited by author 2008-02-06 19:28:31.

Sunshine86

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

02/06/2008 10:48:37 PM · #4

A little soft overall, what were your camera settings for some of them?

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

02/07/2008 05:28:48 AM · #5

Thanks for the comments, they are very much appreciated.

The camera settings were pretty much the same across all the shots except for the last two which were f/5.6 and f/7.1 1/125sec and ISO 100.
All the rest were f/6.3 1/125sec and ISO 100.

-Brian

Sunshine86

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/07/2008 11:41:12 AM · #6

What are you using for your lights Brian? If you have the power with your lights I might try bumping your shutter to 1/250... and then adjusting your power levels on your lights so you can still keep the aperture where you want it (maybe try around f7-9.0). I may be wrong on this, and I am not sure what lens you were shooting with for these, however if you are zoomed in at all, any minor camera shake is exaggerated, couple that with any minor movements the person makes can make a the image appear a little soft I have found even shooting at 1/125. The 40D's shutter sync is at 1/250 so if you have the light power I say go for it. Just an idea :)

02/07/2008 01:20:15 PM · #7

Using the Alien Bee, B800s so I've got lots of light to spare. I had them turned down to about 1/4 power.
Lens was the 28-135 IS USM

thanks

purpleflutterby13

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

02/07/2008 01:24:39 PM · #8

They're nice, my objection would be that my eyes feel somewhat drawn to the background... The portraits are quite soft, whereas the background has some quite sharp lines, I wonder if it would work better if it was more blurred?