dark region under the eyes

[john_mccain]

When i take potrait shots theres always that dark region under the eyes.

Is there anything i can do to make them not appear ?

 

Thanks for your replies.

[steve_b3]

A question is where is you lighting coming from? If its all from above you will get the shadows. If thats the case you need to put some light into they eyes, either with another light (at a lessor power than your main lights) or a bounce card/reflector.

[john_mccain]

Hi, the light is coming from my sb28.

[jim_k.]

start using natural light. problem resolved.

[bwcombs]

Use indirect light. Bounce your flash off a wall or ceiling. Soften

the light.

 

If you are resigned to having to use the flash on the hotshoe of

the camera, then try bouncing the flash off a light colored ceiling

or using a diffuser on the strobe. Or try bouncing the light off a

side source, like a wall. This can simulate side lighting and be

pretty effective with some pleasing results.

 

Move your flash off of your camera.

 

Ideally, you'd like to get the light source off the camera and at an

angle toward your subject. And again, indirect light, as opposed

to harsh direct flash, is the answer. It might help to have a

reflector card or such that can bounce some light back into the

shadow areas to add some highlights. With existing light, hold a

white sheet of paper or cardboard close to the subject at an

angle from your light source. Look at your subject while doing

this and you'll see darkened areas lighten up slightly as you

move the card back and forth.

[twmeyer]

Do your subjects actually have dark regions under their eyes? Many people do... If so, that area will stay dark, relative to the surrounding area, regardless of photographic technique (exclusive of PhotoShop)... t<div></div>

[jonathan_brewer1]

The lighting on this shot is excellent Tom........I would suggest that the values gained from this photograph for the viewer/subject in this character study are obvious, it transmits strength, yet sensitivity without the heavy use of cosmetics/make-up. I know you know this Tom, but in speaking in general terms to anyone else listening, I'd also say that everything is relative, to me, this is how he looks w/a certain film, the light at a certain angle, and if the lighting were to be placed differently he'd look differently.

 

In terms of me personally, this is a terrific shot, without narcissism(however the hell U spell that), at the same time that I resist the requests of some of my clients to try to totally disquise their looks or to photographically COMPLETELY, reverse the effects of aging, I try to photograph people so they will recognize themselves, I will upon request, from say a woman into middle age, give her something that she wants that will make her feel good about herself, some folks don't care about bags under the eyes, wrinkles, some do, I'm 56, I'm still upright, some folks my age aren't, I'm thankful for that so the last thing in my life that affects me in any way is a crease on my face.

 

In terms of the original question, placing your key right above the lens, your fill just below the lens, and boosting your fill up to just below the intensity of your key will for the most part, will make the shadow areas barely noticable, since they'll be very close to your hightlights. If you want to eliminate shadows, you have to do the above AND utilize 'high key'(a lot of overexposure).

 

Now having said that, the above technicques would absolutely ruin Toms great character study, there's a look in the individuals eyes, that's legit, purposeful, and the lighting is perfect for the shot.

 

What needs to be said though is that photographic images are abstractions, something is framed in, other things are cropped out, a still photograph freezes the subject matter, freezes the subject matter at a particual point in time, when in real life(whatever that is), time streams along in a continium, ....................photographs are real, but they don't really accurately represent what seems to be in them, they give you a slice of something that seems to look real, said plainly, all photographs are 'put ons', none of them reflect reality.

 

If Tom's gentleman in his photograph is walking down the street, in the same clothes, with the same expression on his face, I'd probably recognize him............if hes got a hat on, dressed differently, with a different expression, I probably wouldn't, a photograph, particularly a portrait, isn't really us, it's a slice of us, at a certain wavelength of light, there's another reality in infrared, UV, harsh light, soft light and on and on.

 

Forgive me, I've lapsed into all this esoteric MACARONI to essentially say 'it's all good' :^).

[twmeyer]

I love macaroni, sometimes with cheese, sometimes with olive oil, salt and black pepper. It's all good.<p>Astute observations, Jonathan.. t