www.withheart.ca Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 So I've been messing around with different lighting techniques and want to improve the lighting of my outdoor portraits. The sample picture of the girl wearing teal and black is taken with window light only. Sometimes I'll change the angle and use reflectors and such with this set-up. But what I love about it is the huge glistening eyes. I want light in the eyes like that (for 1-2 people) outside in the following situations: 1. Overcast day mid-morning no open shade (about 2-3 hours before sun is directly overhead) 2. Sunny day mid-morning no open shade (again 2-3 hours before sun is directly overhead) I tend to shoot with my 85mm 1.8 lens on my nikon d200. I've got a SB-800, lightstands, umbrellas, a 32" 5 in 1 reflector, Lumisphere (gary fong thingy). I'll post a picture of my current outside photo lighting quality. I've been shooting with my camera on manual, using a light meter and setting my flash to -2. I also stick the lumisphere on it in an effort to soften the flash light. I'm thinking of purchasing a sunpak 120j to play around with and am also open to purchasing/making a better reflector system. Don't be afraid to make suggestions that include equipment I don't have or may not have mentioned here. Thanks again for any help! I always apreciate your responses :)<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.withheart.ca Posted April 23, 2007 Author Share Posted April 23, 2007 Here's an sample outdoor picture.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronald_moravec1 Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 The inside one is beautiful with a unique pose. The outside is rather informal and nice for what it is. Because the lady is smiling, her eyes are closing somewhat. That coupled with the natural overhead light gives the darkened eyes. The best fix is a horizonal flat reflector to get some light back into the eyes. There are numerious varieties out there. An overhead scrim is also a classic solution, even better, but very labor intensive. A black gobo over their heads will also cut down on dark eyes. You might try some photoshop. Make a duplicate background layer, then an empty fill layer on top with blending mode- softlight. Enlarge the photo and work with a white soft edge brush over the eyes set to 3 or 5 % opacity. Paint back with black to undo if you go too far. This is a standard lighten/darken technique and reversible if you delete the fill layer. Do not overdo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 big black flag (or roof) over ahead and bouncecards to the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.withheart.ca Posted April 23, 2007 Author Share Posted April 23, 2007 Oh I should mention that I generally am shooting alone. What are some good solutions for holding up the black flag (or roof)and reflectors? thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronald_moravec1 Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 They go on a horizontal rod attached to a weighted lightstand. My very old Larsons have a C clamp affair that allows horizontal rod placement on the vertcal support. Look up Larson Products or Larson Reflectasol. Their stuff is expensive but lasts a long time. I forgot you can open up the eyes with the liquify filter. This is tough work in ps though. I seen it done, never did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.withheart.ca Posted April 23, 2007 Author Share Posted April 23, 2007 These look intriguing. Is this the product you meant? (obviously the size is wrong but you know hat I mean) http://www.larson-ent.com/products_detail.php?id=52 How's the adjusting of angles work? Do they keep their angles well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooks short Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 More like this.... http://www.lastolite.com/skylite-kits.php The best way to hold these large scrims and flags in position is with large light stands such as those made by Matthews, and plenty of sandbags. Lastolite also makes some nice reflectors with built in handles for assistants to hold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronald_moravec1 Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 That the new model. Mine are 30 years old at least. If they are almost fully opened, use them like an umbrella for flash. open them completly flat for reflector/gobo. When fully flat, the center rod will allow pivoting in one direction. Just allow it to work againt gravity and you will be OK. The clamp to hold the reflactor rod to the stand is very stable. You need to ask Larson about the new designs. This is the company that started the entire reflector industry about 1960 and everybody bought them. My stuff is almost that old. I am sure improvements have been made. I can see there are new covers. With reflectors and gobos, there is one rule. Bigger is better unless you are doing tabletops. I will attach a portrait I did with one light shooting thru a white fabric and a second white reflector. ONE light, that`s all.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 The window is like a large diffuse light source that is entirely directional, coming 100% from one side (the front). The outdoor shot has a huge light source (the sky) coming from above, and reflecting in from all sides <i>except</i> the front... <p>You need to learn to read your lighting situation. Look at the light sources and the things that create shadows and darkness in your natural light shots that are made inside. Then try to re-create that, "artificially", in outdoor settings. Use an open doorway or other structure, or a large well leaved tree to imitate the dark room of your interior image, then use your umbrella and strobe to stand in for the window. <p>You could also use a very fast shutter speed to underexpose the ambient light, and let the SB800 high speed sync capability provide the light from your umbrella. It will have to be very close, as it takes a lot of power to create that effect with high speed sync when bouncing the SB800 into an umbrella... t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucecahn Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 To the multitude of suggestions I have only one to add. Your window light picture is extraordinary. No flash. From this I would draw the conclusion that what I want is natural light. Flash is a last resort. I used it for years in my portrait studio for practical reasons, but what I would have given for the light you got in that window picture. Of course, if you have to churn these out like I did you might have to go for flash. But I always knew it was an undesirable compromise, and never kidded my self that what I was doing was of any value other than monetary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.withheart.ca Posted April 24, 2007 Author Share Posted April 24, 2007 Tom: What's the flash set to in your senario? TTL? I think I understand what you mean. I take an ambient reading. Bump up the shutter to increase the flash to ambient ratio. Maybe by a stop or two. All the while boucing flash into an umbrella. Keeping it close to the subject for power's sake. (How close by the way do you generally keep it?)Did I get you right? Well thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'm gonna go tinker and see what'll work best for me. Obivously I'd rather be shooting in window light. Or nice early morning light. But hey I don't always get what I want. ;) Pretty glistening eyes here I come! Thanks again to all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 "<i>What's the flash set to in your scenario? TTL?</i>"... never. I always use Manual settings when creating my own light, on camera and in the flash. But I never use any auto exposure, always manual with center weight or spot metering. This way my (relatively) big brain controls the light, not the little brain in the camera. <p>You seem to get the concept. Make some pictures and post them for our mutual satisfaction... t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.withheart.ca Posted April 24, 2007 Author Share Posted April 24, 2007 Sure will do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Have to agree with Tom. However, a couple of comments. First--people aren't going to have wide open irises outside, which adds to the glistening eyes effect. Second, you can't overcome outside light too successfully without a huge amount of lighting gear. Third, why not go with the light you have and make something pretty with it that isn't so difficult to do. When you want glistening eyes, use window light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.withheart.ca Posted April 24, 2007 Author Share Posted April 24, 2007 Hey thanks for reminding me about the iris'. I bet if I get the subject to close their eyes and open them right before the picture is taken that, that might help. I had totally forgotten about that trick. Thanks for reminding me! I know I'm being silly to want to duplicate this light. I'd just like to know how to do it when I want to. I'm playing around really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 For the first time, with some trepidation, I get to counter a point made by Nadine :^|... "<i>Second, you can't overcome outside light too successfully without a huge amount of lighting gear</i>".... this is generally true, especially with the hyper-manual lighting equipment that Nadine and I usually favor. <p>However, the high speed sync capability of the SB800 with compatible cameras, means it is now possible to make noon day sun disappear with a little tiny shoe mount flash. It <i>does</i> eat up batteries. It <i>doesn't</i> yield much power. But it can be done. <p>Better practice on a friend, before you try it on a client... t <p>(I think the eyes closed trick makes for photos of startled looking people) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 I'm sure if Tom says it is possible, it is. However, I would think the umbrella or softbox would have to be really close to the subjects and that you couldn't do more than maybe a tightly cropped quarter length of two people, and not with an iron staircase in front of their faces...and if so, you might as well do it inside with windowlight if you aren't going to see the environment much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 "<i>you couldn't do more than maybe a tightly cropped quarter length of two people, and not with an iron staircase in front of their faces</i><p>LOL...Exactly</i> so... t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob_smith1 Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 Great window light shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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