First portrait/fashion type shoot

[Azrael]

Ok, it was really a group shoot. But the first time I've done anything like this properly (if gigs don't count that is).

Still need to learn how to use the 580EX II, its a bit of a different beast to my older flash, and i didn't have any light modifiers for it, so for flash shots i was mainly shooting bounced off the integral reflector, or shooting using an off camera TTL cable and holding it inside another guys umbrella (01 and 02).
Lots are natural light though.

01


02


03


04


05


06


There are more here: http://photo.plebeians.net/v/portraits/MUPCPhotoWalk/

After good C&C, not going to learn unless mistakes are pointed out. Im unsure on the PP too. Gone for a bit of a cooler look in 03, something you might see in a Myer catalogue. Wanted warmer shots for the rest though, felt it worked better with the tones. Happy to be wrong though.

[BeastHouse]

The lighting on her face in some is a bit off, odd shadows. Not sure how to fix, but it can be done.

The huge hand bag / duffle bag looks very... awkward... I know girls like a bag they can carry around a toy puppy in, but that thing looks like it would suit a fully grown great dane...

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by BeastHouse

The lighting on her face in some is a bit off, odd shadows. Not sure how to fix, but it can be done.

The huge hand bag / duffle bag looks very... awkward... I know girls like a bag they can carry around a toy puppy in, but that thing looks like it would suit a fully grown great dane...

Yeah, no choice of handbag. Clothes and accessories were the models own.

Im no crack wiz with photoshop, but I'm sure the face lighting could be fixed. In 1 and 2 we were under a street light though, hence the harsher light. 3 and 6 were shot with the umbrella diffusing the street light (after the stand broke) and 6 with a fill flash. The rest is just the natural light.

Any other thoughts.

[vindicator]

Good work for giving it a go.

- As a photographer you are responsible for the aesthetic that is presented. What is the aesthetic? What is the narrative? Doesn't have to be complex.
- Lighting is off; Panda eyes in first shot, too much contrast / subject separation in final shot.
- Don't bother trying to fix in post. You have to nail it live, so spend the time trying agian.
- Model needs direction.
- Changing perspective (compression / distortion) make series incongruent.
- Inconsistent skin tones and white balance.
- Distracting bokeh.
- Very soft and noisy.
- Overall rendition is bad.

[007*]

Originally Posted by vindicator

Good work for giving it a go.


- Very soft and noisy.

This is distracting me something fierce. What were the settings of those shots?

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by 007*

This is distracting me something fierce. What were the settings of those shots?

EXIF is intact on all of them. Most are ISO3200, although 1600 for the start and then 6400 towards the end of the night. They are noisy as all hell without the LR noise reduction, but then they get quite soft with the NR. Almost a damned if you do and damned if you don't sort of thing. The 85mm 1.8 is also a touch soft wide open as I've found out (only got it last week), although stopping it down would just exacerbate the noise problem.

[Dropbear]

Az,

All of the shots you've been putting lately have been to some degree OOF. What's going on mate?

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Dropbear

Az,

All of the shots you've been putting lately have been to some degree OOF. What's going on mate?

NFI, in LR4 they are still relatively sharp, but i think the noise reduction is killing it.

Here is a 100% crop of one of the photos with no NR:


Thats ISO1600, and as soon as NR is applied it goes soft as all hell (and yet it still looks noisy to some....)

I tested the setup with Reikan Focal and it reports that all of the lenses are sharp (albeit the 85mm needed -1). So NFI what is going on.

[Dropbear]

Can I ask why you're shooting at 1600 with a flash?

For ambient? Try shooting a longer shutter speed and freezing any of the models slight movement with the flash..

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Dropbear

Can I ask why you're shooting at 1600 with a flash?

For ambient? Try shooting a longer shutter speed and freezing any of the models slight movement with the flash..

That was without a flash, but as for the rest without any modifiers it was either harsh direct flash or very mild bounce flash, and even with the harsh direct flash it was like it was metering without the flash entirely despite being in E-TTL mode.

For example one of the shots the camera decided for a 1/30 for a f2.8 dialled in shot and then pumped out the flash at full blast resulting in a nice almost pure white shot. It was like there was some disconnect between the flash and the camera.

[Dropbear]

In AV mode the camera will still meter for the whole scene..

I always shoot on manual with flash..

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Dropbear

In AV mode the camera will still meter for the whole scene..

I always shoot on manual with flash..

Spot metered with E-TTL it shouldn't, at least thats not how the manual reads anyway.

[Modafroman]

Originally Posted by Azrael

Spot metered with E-TTL it shouldn't, at least thats not how the manual reads anyway.

I know it shouldn't, but if its OCF it won't work well, plus i've never had good luck with AV/TV and using flashes - it usually ends up metering for ambient and then the flash decides to fire at whatever it wants - giving you a white frame

Always better off in manual.

I'm still not convinced that thats what noise should look like Az, that crop you posted looks crazy noisy!

[zach]

Buy a meter bro.

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Modafroman

I'm still not convinced that thats what noise should look like Az, that crop you posted looks crazy noisy!

Yeah, I've no idea whether that is normal, i keep getting told that it is, but I'm almost convinced its not.

It almost looks noisier than the ISO3200 and 6400 photos i took the other night (admittedly with a different coloured background). In comparison here is one from when we were travelling:



Also this is the first real flash work that I've done with ETTL, all of my previous stuff has been full manual with Cactus triggers.

Edit2: i think I've found the problem with the flash. The off camera E-TTL cable i was using slips out of the hotshoe fairly easily. If it slips back a bit it just fires the flash without ETTL, and that is probably at full blast.