Yesterday's photoshoot (attempt)

InvaderGIR

InvaderGIR

InvaderGIR

Soldato
Joined
14 Jul 2005
Posts
17,616
Location
Bristol
Some you you may have seen my thread asking for some info and help with doing portrait/model photos, well yesterday I rearranged my room, dug out some white sheets and hung them on the wall and did a photo shoot using my girlfriend as the subject.

Due to the space available, and the light I was using it didn't go brilliantly, but it went a lot better than I though it would.

I also purposefully didn't iron the sheets as I think it provided quite a good backdrop as they were...but ideally she'd have been 4-6 feet if not more from the backdrop, and not the 1-2 feet that she was, but again that was due to space. One of my mates reckons I should have used ironed sheets and created the 'infinity backdrop' which would also have been good, but again ideally more space needed between her and backdrop for that...and more lighting, which I don't have.

I couldn't use the tripod as I had to sit/stand/kneel on the bed due to lack of space, so the tripod would have been no use. It wasn't particularly sunny, so without the flash there was a lot of shadow on the non window side of her...this shows in the first couple images.

I then chucked the flash on and set it to 75º which reflected well of the ceiling, providing better lighting, and not too much light. Ideally I would have had the gun on the non-window side, but it's a camera mounted one or not used at all.

As said before, she's been to a pro shoot a few years back, so she had some idea as to what to do, but was uncomfortable to start off with (as I think is shown in some of the first few pictures). After a while she was more at ease with it, and I was being my usual self of making silly jokes etc. and getting her to laugh, unfortunately my hand is not steady and so I sucked at taking the ones of her laughing and smiling. :(

Once she saw the pictures in Lightroom (so all naff and unedited) she was a lot happier about the whole thing and is now a lot more confident about doing it again...which is good as I want to get more practice doing it as it is something I enjoy. :)

Anyway, on to the pics, C+C welcome of course.

I've selected a few (15) of the better ones of the 250 I took.

1)
DSC_0493.jpg


2)
DSC_0497.jpg


3)
DSC_0515.jpg


4)
DSC_0528.jpg


5)
DSC_0542.jpg


6)
DSC_0556.jpg


7)
DSC_0571.jpg


cont...

InvG
 
...cont

8)
DSC_0577.jpg


9)
DSC_0621.jpg


10)
DSC_0623.jpg


11)
DSC_0627.jpg


12)
DSC_0647.jpg


13)
DSC_0648.jpg


14)
DSC_0663.jpg


15)
DSC_0690.jpg



I also found my kit 18-55 too short on zoom, but the kit's 55-200 too long. I think my next major investment for the camera will be something like 20-70.


InvG
 
Last edited:
-TA- said:
fetch the the iron!

all my attention is drawn to the background, and thats not good!
Click to expand...

Same here unfortunately.

Untill proper backdrops are used, maybe focus on the face and take them against a white/light wall and PP them?
 
I never really paid much attention to the backdrop due to faffing with colours and stuff in processing, but yeah I agree a plain (ironed) backdrop would have been better.

I would have used the plain white wall, but I know it would have thrown light around badly, so went for the sheet option...but didn't bother/think to bother about using the iron.

It's all about learning though, and I certainly have learnt a lot doing it. :)

I think if I'd got her further from the wall, even with the non-ironed backdrop it may have worked, due to it then being out of focus...but still, next time I'll use ironed sheets. :p

InvG
 
-TA- said:
fetch the the iron!

all my attention is drawn to the background, and thats not good!
Click to expand...

Was going to say the same thing a quick use of the iron would have improved the quality no end. I think your big problem though is lack of light you photo's are not very sharp and I'm guessing this was due to subject/camera movement as you using some quite slow shutter speeds.

On the posotive side the pictures are mostly reasonable composed and the model seems relaxed and happy which isn't a given even when you using your girlfriend! Keep up the good work and save up for a nice f2.8 lens in the range you indicated or as a quick fix get yourself a nifty fifty which while not as flexible is loads cheaper and really quick.
 
Most of your shots were taken at ISO 100 and 1/13". Increasing the ISO would have helped the sharpness. I did some test "studio" photography on my girlfriend and it was great fun but it is hard first time. Im going to try again at some point, keep at it and share what you learn :)
 
Last edited:
Mint_Sauce said:
Most of your shots were taken at ISO 100 and 1/13". Increasing the ISO would have helped the sharpness. I did some test "studio" photography on my girlfriend and it was great fun but it is hard first time. Im going to try again at some point, keep at it and share what you learn :)
Click to expand...

ISO etc. are something I'm not 100% on what to use...which I'm sure doesn't help my shots at all...so need to read up more on it. :)

I'll probably be trying again in a couple of weeks, but I will not have as much space, so it could prove to be a right pain setting it all up etc.

I may see if I can source some cheapish lights etc. for next time, then I can worry less about lighting and more on what settings I'm using. :)

InvG
 
That's due to the window being on the right (her left). :p

Problem I find is that they have a bit too much shadow on the left (her right) side, which is a pain. I think in my processing I did overexpose some of the shots though.

InvG
 
You seem to understand where you're being limited which is good... to sort the background you either need to blow it with a light/strobe (which you don't have) or move your model further away from it (which you couldn't).
 
robertgilbert86 said:
You seem to be suffering from central-autofocus-pointitus
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's a major problem, it always focuses on the nearest item, and I'm sure the camera's manual said to roll the command wheel to the side/focus point you want...but it does nothing when I do that...guess I need to read it again. :)

robmiller said:
You seem to understand where you're being limited which is good... to sort the background you either need to blow it with a light/strobe (which you don't have) or move your model further away from it (which you couldn't).
Click to expand...

I want to do both. ;) And think I will invest in some lights, even if just some cheap ones, some is better than none. :)

InvG
 
A few of them the coponsition is out becuase i think you have used the center focus point on the face then not recomposed which has left the face in the centre, lots of white above and missing the bottom. Prime example, number 3. If your going to use centre point focus instead of one of the side ones, foucs on the face, then recompose before you shoot.

You could also do with a fast prime to throw the backgournd out of focus.
 
What camera? By you saying "P,S,A,M" I presume Nikon, but you can definitely select AF points in those modes. Are you sure you've not got it set to closest subject AF mode?
 
Yeah, D40x...from the looks of things it is set to closest point for focus, but only in those modes, tried it with other modes and it was happy to change the focus point.

It was on closest...which would be better, dynamic or single?

InvG
 
I personally don't find dynamic area AF particularly reliable on the lower end Nikons, it seems annoyingly willing to hop out of your selected point even when your subject hasn't moved. I use single area for anything that isn't a quick snapshot, personally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom