2012 Jedi Wannabe

"May the force be with you"

Well I guess it was, because you have caught every detail really well. Good eye contact and I love the serious face, (Well training to be a Jedi Knight is a serious business) whilst the diagonal position of the Light Sabre effectively seperates and accentuates his face  The dark material you have used for a background was a good choice too. (What is it?)  Now because I am a complete novice I am going to ask you all the technical stuff, what was the source of light etc? As there appears to be illumination from both sides I am curious. Very well done Len!

Best Regards

Alf

PS, I did read the information under the "Details" tab, but "Kickers and Optical Slaves" need explaining further I'm afraid

Thanks for your visit and observations.  It was a fun session.  Lasted about 2 minutes.  About par for the attention span of a 6 year old.  (#2 Grandson) The pose was his own.  He's really into it.  :-)  The 'kickers' are the lights which provide the highlights on the sides of his face .  They are placed just a bit higher than his head and behind him facing the camera and angled at about 45 deg. so the beams intersect where he is standing.  The optical slaves (3) are attached to the flash units and are triggered by any other flash. (I use the camera's flash at about 1\4 power to do this - saves camera batteries) They all go off together.   The background material is simply bed sheet material in black.  Think of Darth Vader's bedroom.  Don't even think about confronting him.  He has the power of the 'Force' behind him.  Best, LM.

Thank you for the explanations, I have so much to learn about portraiture and the kind of studio type lighting that you have kindy detailed, but alas not enough time to study it properly. But untill I do, I'll gladly pick up any tips I can from yourself and other PN experts.  I like the further image you displayed too, darker with the details mostly on his face, and I think more dramatic and effective because of it.

Cheers Len

Alf

Expert!  Derived from ex: a has been, and spurt: a drip under pressure!   :-)  I love it when a session comes together and I can explain to others how I did it.  Doesn't happen all that often.  The second shot required a bit more Photoshopping.  It was taken before the main flash was fully charged I think and in bringing out that facial area I also boosted the 'kicker' lighting.   Technical failures aside the shot was worth saving in my opinion.  It's mostly about having FUN!  And we did that.  Best, LM.

Hi Len

I liked the details and the very expert lighting and exposure setting. I also feel the very natural colours form the face.

I think everyone on right ( as Alf Bailey did ) when inquiring about the technical stuff used in this perfect work. Best regards

Good to have your encouraging take on this offering.  I tried, in Photoshop, to produce the most neutral colour balance that I could.  I had to cut back on the red saturation a tad to accomplish this.  Not to get too hung up on them but I personally like to know the technical details of a shot.  Sometimes it's just one aspect of the photographer's workflow which allows others to elevate their own shots.  The devil is in the details, as is said.  Happy snapping!  Best, LM.

You have done great justice to Sir Wannabe with both shots, posed and spontaneous. Technically the first shot may be better but the second one has the immediate appeal of a well-timed candid. The improvised bedsheet has managed to give a very professional studio look - definitely aided by your light set-up. And impeccable processing...

The poses were both initiated by the subject.  No input from me.  As you hinted at, the second shot was indeed a hurried candid.  I didn't give the main flash time to fully  recover from the first shot and it responded with a weaker than normal output.  But the image had to be captured when it presented itself or be forgotten.  Speaks to the advantages of fast recycling studio lights.  But, alas, shallow pockets!  :-(  The main characteristic of a black background is that it not be reflective.  I found this material in a fabric store and it looked like it could do the job.  I'm happy with it.  Black velvet would have been a better choice but again, shallow pockets.  Best, LM.

Great photo. Much has changed since the times when children played "cowboys and indians" with cap guns.

Two excellent shots Len. of yout Grandson . I like both of them . The lighting has worked well and  like you say it's all about having fun . Bill

Always a treat to have a visit from you.  Yes, I remember those days.  Today you'd have to say 'cowboys and aboriginals' or 'cowboys and native peoples'.  Political correctness has gone nuts.  This year, 2012, in Ontario, Canada (where I live) a 4 yr old girl drew a picture, at school, of her father holding a hand gun.  School authorities called in Social Services who called the police.  The man was arrested, strip searched, had his home searched for a weapon (only found a toy suction cup dart gun) and totally embarrassed. Check it out here:  http://www.google.ca/search?q=4+yr+old+draws+father+with+gun&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a  Can't imagine a kid getting on a plane today with a full cowboy costume.  Sorry for the rant.  Touched a nerve I guess.  Dang, I wish they'd allow links on this forum.   Best, LM.

I'm happy you like them.  It means a lot coming from someone who I perceive has walked the walk.  You have had many successful portrait sessions yourself it appears.  Inspirational.  Best, LM.

Read the link. Crazy. We don't have that here (see attachment). Tom Mix and Hopalong Cassidy never killed the bad guys. Just shot the guns out of the bad guys hand -not like video games today.

Here,  a SWAT team would have the little girl tasered, cuffed, and hauled off to jail, probably arresting the parents as accessories to the crime.  Some of the police (Keystones?) here can be real Bozos.  I mean, a 4 year old draws a picture of her father with a gun and the guy gets hauled off to jail?  Give me a break!  Sorry, rant continues.  Best, LM.

Today I have spent some five hours with Museeb ,we have our lunch together ,with other friend,Jalili ,who is a PN member too.

Museeb have mentioned this image to us,and since I am away from PN,for a while ,he praise the image(as he always do ) ,and told me to see it ,.

Upon my first look at it ,I burst in laughs ,not at the image of course ,but at Museeb,he told me that your fine grandson,is holding a Samurai Sword,and it appeared to be a toy representing a Jedi sabre,of course our mutual friend Museeb knows about movies exactly as he knows about photography,and that what makes me laugh ,and from the 150 DVDs he bought while he was with me buying them (just jealousy),he have just seen two.

This very same day I bought some 22 DVDs,he bought nothing .

BTW,I have paid what is equal to 15$ for the locally recorded quality DVDs.

Fine grandson,and he was lucky to got you as his grandfather.

If the image would tell me something important among other things ,then it was about the family ties of yours.

Best regards.

Hi Len,

I saw this picture on the top rated photos page, it's very high for number of comments for the last three days! Very interesting and good looking picture, technically perfect and I already know what is it all about, although I have never watched various TV shows and movies which have been an inspiration for the kid on the picture, I suppose your grandson!  And I came down to see what's going on here!

Interesting how violence in any form attracts children from non violent surrounding, something in the gens inherited from the cavemen , ha!

I think those swords have a light inside, why didn't you tell him to switch it on, it would have been interesting since the background is black especially!

Best regards Len!

PDE

Some Samurai sword! :-)  I'm happy you both have seen the humour in this shot.  It seems you are not without humour yourselves. It seems that Museeb has a large collection of those DVD's.  Tell him to take some time off picture taking to view some of them.  Or, perhaps he is reluctant to do that lest you get too far ahead of him in photographic skills.  :-)  As for my Grandfather\Grandson relationship, it would seem that both of us are lucky.  And we both know it.  Always good to hear from my IRAQI friends.  :-)  Best, LM.

You have an interesting take on things.  I'm happy to see this one works for you.  The enthusiasm kids have for this Star Wars theme has almost resulted in knocked over lamps and knick knacks from shelves etc.  I only allowed it in my 'studio' for the length of time it took to take these photos.  My flashes & cameras are too valuable to risk on a careless swing of the 'Light Saber'.  This was the Light Saber Mk l, an entry level weapon with no internal light.  The Mk ll is an improved version with the internal light. :-)   Actually I thought the 'kicker' lights provided a hint of luminosity to it, more so that straight frontal light.  Thanks for your participation.  Best, LM.

A fun shot, Len; I really like his sideways pose with the light saber diagonally pointed downwards & the way you placed him in the frame. Your lighting set-up looks professionally done indeed. I like the black curtain as a BG too, as it sets off your grandson nicely -- a small detail in it, though caught my attention: = a little rectangular shining pattern = at the far left, against the frame - at the level of your grandson's shoulder...it might show up more if you were to print the image...?  Re: the links : Yes you can insert links on PN; i do it often. You just need to highlight in blue the word or sentence you want to link to, and then click on the link  feature ( a small chain in the text field above)& a separate box opens up, & you can insert your copied webpage in the space provided. Carlos H. was the one who showed me a while back :-)  best regards, Marjolein

What you are seeing on the left is a highlight off a fold in the background fabric due to my kicker lights not being far enough away and thus allowing some spill light to contaminate the background.  I've moved them out a bit more.  I've printed this one using some Photoshop hanky panky to smooth things out a bit.  Thanks for the link info but how does one highlight a word or phrase in blue?  The chain link on my screen stays grayed out.  Sorry, I'm a bit thick in this area.    Whoa!  I think I've got it now.  What a site!  What helpful peers.  Best, LM.

IMHO, expertly lit and captured. Thanks for your recent visit!

Thanks for your thoughts.  It was a short but fun session.  Satisfied two needs:  artistic outlet and chance to get an unusual (controlled) photo of my grandson. :-)  Best, LM.

re; link-Marjolein I did not get it either.

When you've finished entering a comment, left click on the word you want to use as a link and, holding the mouse button down, slide the mouse to the left.  This causes the blue background Marjolein was referring to.  Now the 'link' in the bar at the top of the box goes from grayed out to  solid.  Click on it and you have another box in which to 'paste' a previously 'copied' link.  Works like a charm.  Let me know how you make out.  Thanks again Marjolein.  Best, LM.

I like the top photo best.  The other one looks unnatural with bright light coming from both sides to shine on his face.  I like his poses and neutral colored clothing.  In any case, the important thing was that you both had fun.  When my neices and nephews were that age was when I first took up photography.  They are willing subjects for experiments.  :O)