Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 22, 2011 at 7:17 PM
I did not notice this forum before .
My husband for Xmas bought me a load of studio lights , reflectors and backgrounds for portrait work ,only problem being is I am not in love with portraiture . Too much of a hermit too work with people!!! Any way I took a few practice shots of my willing children and I would love to share them. Not too bad for my first go ,still not wanting to do this for a living but at least I have some up to date photos of the kids. We played with using a fan the only way the kids would sit still long enough for me to figure out the settings! Cheers
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 22, 2011 at 7:18 PM
Caitlin
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 22, 2011 at 7:19 PM
Caitlin B&W
Posted by Barbara Graham on February 22, 2011 at 7:19 PM
Lorna, these are gorgeous!
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 22, 2011 at 7:20 PM
Ben B&W would love to hear your thoughts on these shots if you care to share!
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 22, 2011 at 7:21 PM
Thank you Barbara, I am a little nervous putting these up here , not really nature stuff !
Posted by Pam Colander on February 22, 2011 at 7:45 PM
These are amazing Lorna! Wow! The only nit I have is the crescent shaped highlight in the lower part of their eyes. Part of the lighting set up reflecting there??? Otherwise these are mezmerizing. I hear ya about the interacting with people thing...horrid unless you're related to them I gave the portrait thing a try and did not like that aspect.
Lorna, What gorgeous eyes these kidlets have!!
The studio lighting can also be adapted to flower "portraits".
I also dislike people portraits - wildlife and flowers are not demanding or irksome, and do not talk back!
These are gorgeous and very lovely! You would do well at this for more than a sideline to your nature work--seriously.
I agree with Pam regarding the reflections in the eyes. A softbox or a diffuser would eliminate them.
"wildlife and flowers are not demanding or irksome, and do not talk back!"
The don't swipe your cookies while you're not looking, as well!
--P
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 22, 2011 at 8:26 PM
Thanks everyone for the feed back and Thank you for the vote of confidence, only problem is people make me nervous , painfully shy! So don't see much of a career there! I am with you on flowers being far more forgiving to work with Sandy!I have brown eyes and their fathers are blue so they ended up with green! My lights are two large soft box lights so not sure how to fix the crescent shaped high lights, any tips would be great! Also it could have been the reflector it is a three feet 5 in one so maybe too much???
Posted by Paul DeCesare on February 23, 2011 at 1:43 AM
I am a little nervous putting these up here , not really nature stuff !
Lorna, that's what this Lounge was created for, so we can step off the conveyor belt once in a while. Notice Jim's description of this forum above... and what is the second item he mentions???
Beautiful portrait work... the skins tones are wonderful and the catchlights are outrageous. OK, want some constructive criticism? I'd probably grab the Spot Healing Brush and remove that little scar under Caitlin's left eye, it kind of distracts being that these are sorta-high-key images. It'd be fine if these were on-the-street go-for-it images. But other than that you've got a great technique!
Terrific work Lorna. Over and above your great photo and lighting work, there's a comfort level that comes through in your kids. As nervous as you and they might have been, achieving the comfort to that degree in your photos promises a very bright future for you in portraiture. Lots of pros can't instill such trust in their subjects, key as it might be to the best work.
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 23, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Thank you both for the kind words!
Paul funny enough I did remove Caitlin's spider vain and nearly started a war, she feels admittedly that, that is who she is and it is a part of her and it would take to long to type what my husband said, but the just is no PS of the children, they are who they are. I tried!!! I would love to laser it out but she won't go for that either, oh well!Thanks ;)
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 23, 2011 at 9:34 AM
Thanks Charlie, I refer to myself as a freelance artist. I just free lance off my husband!!!
My lights are two large soft box lights so not sure how to fix the crescent shaped high lights, any tips would be great! Also it could have been the reflector it is a three feet 5 in one so maybe too much???
Good question Lorna, but the answer is as variable as the situation and your goals. One possibility is to work with the modeling lights on as you pose your subject, watching the shape and location of the catchlights in their eyes. If the effect works for what you want to accomplish, you can also push them far to the side so they don't reflect back into the camera. Another possibility is to use a light boom (we use a Bogen) to raise and position your light boxes high. Light stands tend to get in the way once they get really close to your subject. One of our posing tables has a white top, and we might use that for a little fill from below, but less reflection. If a posing table is black as usual, you can just put something white over it.
The big thing is to play with light position and type, or relegate yourself to PS work if you really want to get away from them.
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 23, 2011 at 3:14 PM
Thank you Hank this is a new ball game for me and I will keep your wonderful tips in mind. I will always hear your comments in my head now when I am looking at their eyes and making sure it is what I want. Huge thanks for that ,it is those tips that stay with me. Like watch your BG's can't take a shot of anything with out that one ringing in my ears! Cheers
Posted by Pam Colander on February 23, 2011 at 3:34 PM
The "photographer" at our sons wedding loved taking shots with miles of unimpressive sky showing while chopping off their feet and lower bodies. She also took way too many with light poles and various other inanimate objects sprouting from the tops of heads. She was actually imsulted when they complained a little. I wanted to strangle her and wished I'd shot it myself.
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 23, 2011 at 3:54 PM
Too funny , but not really. I miss read the last line and was thinking why you would shoot yourself I (benign Canadian that I am) would have shot her!!! I am sorry to hear that Pam, I think she must have been a documentary photographer and used weddings to pay the bills. I see so many on line so called portraiture and wedding photographers that just make me so angry for the people in the photos , that these people think this is good that these crappy shots of their precious moments are just glorified snap shots and my 8 year old understands composition and photography better. I don't care if it is a friend shot ,but when you charge people money they deserve your best and better than that. Any way will get off my soap box ,but it does boil my blood. I am in no means saying I am any better But I don't charge people! Cheers
Posted by beth summer on February 23, 2011 at 11:47 PM
Lorna, I'm not into portraiture and I'm not a techie...so, I'll just speak from my feelings. These are wonderful and I think if you wish, you could really start something nice. Excellent beginning and thank you for sharing. You've got some talent!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Stan Rose on February 24, 2011 at 8:01 AM
These are great Lorna--beautiful kids! Id do w/o the fan next time tho
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 24, 2011 at 5:28 PM
Thank you Beth and Stan ! The fan was just for fun, my kids moan a lot as soon as they see my camera!!!
Posted by Buck Ward on February 24, 2011 at 6:06 PM
Hi Lorna
Since the first of the year, I've been working on setting up a portrait studio. I've been reading everything I can get my hands about about lighting (broad lighting, short lighting, Rembrandt lighting, etc.), posing, and studio equipment. These pictures are much better than my first attempts. I'm jealous
Your lighting is soft and luscious. You've made their eyes really stand out. Marvelous focus. Congratulations - beautiful pictures - beautiful children.
For me, the lighting in the black and whites is a little flat. The soft boxes and large reflector really make the light come from everywhere. There are no shadows. Don't get me wrong, the pictures are lovely, but I think this particular lighting setup is more suitable for the color photos. For me, black and white landscapes are hard to shoot well, and black and white portraits are even harder. I prefer more modeling, more directional light. Take this criticism with a grain of salt - one studio newbie to another.
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 24, 2011 at 6:20 PM
Thank you Buck for the comments and tips. A friend in my old photo club has been doing this stuff for years suggested dialing down one of the lights to give more shadow ,will try that next time.I am a little ashamed to say I turned on the lights and started shooting. I have not done any background the likes of which you have stated. Will have to read up on some of the lighting styles you mentioned!Thanks again! Cheers
Posted by Bill Chambers on February 28, 2011 at 9:53 AM
I'm no portrait photog so I can't offer recommendations, etc., but these look great to me, especially the B&W, but I have apreference for B&W when it comes to portraits. I think you did a great job. Beautiful kids too!!!
Posted by Lorna Taylor on March 1, 2011 at 6:31 PM
Discussion
24 repliesMy husband for Xmas bought me a load of studio lights , reflectors and backgrounds for portrait work ,only problem being is I am not in love with portraiture . Too much of a hermit too work with people!!! Any way I took a few practice shots of my willing children and I would love to share them. Not too bad for my first go ,still not wanting to do this for a living but at least I have some up to date photos of the kids. We played with using a fan the only way the kids would sit still long enough for me to figure out the settings! Cheers
The studio lighting can also be adapted to flower "portraits".
I also dislike people portraits - wildlife and flowers are not demanding or irksome, and do not talk back!
Sandy
These are gorgeous and very lovely! You would do well at this for more than a sideline to your nature work--seriously.
I agree with Pam regarding the reflections in the eyes. A softbox or a diffuser would eliminate them.
The don't swipe your cookies while you're not looking, as well!
--P
Lorna, that's what this Lounge was created for, so we can step off the conveyor belt once in a while. Notice Jim's description of this forum above... and what is the second item he mentions???
Beautiful portrait work... the skins tones are wonderful and the catchlights are outrageous. OK, want some constructive criticism? I'd probably grab the Spot Healing Brush and remove that little scar under Caitlin's left eye, it kind of distracts being that these are sorta-high-key images. It'd be fine if these were on-the-street go-for-it images. But other than that you've got a great technique!
Paul funny enough I did remove Caitlin's spider vain and nearly started a war, she feels admittedly that, that is who she is and it is a part of her and it would take to long to type what my husband said, but the just is no PS of the children, they are who they are. I tried!!! I would love to laser it out but she won't go for that either, oh well!Thanks ;)
Good question Lorna, but the answer is as variable as the situation and your goals. One possibility is to work with the modeling lights on as you pose your subject, watching the shape and location of the catchlights in their eyes. If the effect works for what you want to accomplish, you can also push them far to the side so they don't reflect back into the camera. Another possibility is to use a light boom (we use a Bogen) to raise and position your light boxes high. Light stands tend to get in the way once they get really close to your subject. One of our posing tables has a white top, and we might use that for a little fill from below, but less reflection. If a posing table is black as usual, you can just put something white over it.
The big thing is to play with light position and type, or relegate yourself to PS work if you really want to get away from them.
Since the first of the year, I've been working on setting up a portrait studio. I've been reading everything I can get my hands about about lighting (broad lighting, short lighting, Rembrandt lighting, etc.), posing, and studio equipment. These pictures are much better than my first attempts. I'm jealous
Your lighting is soft and luscious. You've made their eyes really stand out. Marvelous focus. Congratulations - beautiful pictures - beautiful children.
For me, the lighting in the black and whites is a little flat. The soft boxes and large reflector really make the light come from everywhere. There are no shadows. Don't get me wrong, the pictures are lovely, but I think this particular lighting setup is more suitable for the color photos. For me, black and white landscapes are hard to shoot well, and black and white portraits are even harder. I prefer more modeling, more directional light. Take this criticism with a grain of salt - one studio newbie to another.