The Easter Bunny Talks?

Comments & critique welcome. Just learning to use flash lighting.

Very interesting!

Hi Jayme!! I've been following your lighting and other frustrations (!!) series as I've had time, but haven't said anything because I have nothing to offer, really. I haven't graduated to "lighting" techniques yet. :-D

 

I like the compositional elements of this! His eyes are great, looking at the bunny like that. Are you posting these without tweaking the exposure in PS? The rest of the shot (everything except the child) is too bright for my taste. I had to look twice to see what he was looking at.

 

Bravo to you for stretching outside your comfort zone!! Warm regards!

Good job on the lighting, what did you use?

I like the concept but unsure about the 'pose' set by the child...looks very uncomfortable. The knee takes up the bottom left corner and draws you eyes away from the main focus of the shot.

I love your pictures and you seem to always be a step ahead, I'm also using the 20D and I swear my pictures come out nothing like this. Are you using a flash what so you do in photoshop? Did you use custom white balance? Need help thanks.

Outstanding... !

Jayme, I like this one a lot! Very nice colours and lighting giving an almost high key effect with the emphasis of the shot being on the face and eyes. The pose reminds me of the way my own kids could fold themselves up when it suited them. Classy!

Thank you all for the comments. As I am learning to light with flash lighting, these new images are examples of my learning process. I hope to improve as I learn. I've only had them since Monday, so bare with me.

 

 

Lou Ann- I took this in RAW and did all post processing myself in the PSCS RAW processing software. The only thing I did after the Raw processing was to crop a little off the left. Sometimes the 2x3 format is not what is wanted. So the only option is to crop.

 

 

Denneco & Peter- I set this up with 4 lights. 2 background light about 6 feet high, set at F11 on either side and about 1.5 feet to the back of Ethan, Main light-F8 (a large soft box about 3.5 feet to the camera right at a 45 degree angle) and fill light F4 (white bounce umbrella slightly to the camera left and angled in approx. 20 degree). I agree the Bunny is pretty light, but he was suppose to be, white on white is difficult to keep the detail without burning him out. If I'd had just a little more separation of the subject from the background, it might have been better. But in my make shift studio at present, I don't have a lot of space. Ethan was in a small chair, with his legs draped over the edge. 2 year olds DO NOT follow direction very well :) So... I believe my shutter speed was 125 and F10. Next time I'm going to increase the shutter speed to 180 or 200 and F11 because he moves constantly and changes direction frequently. I'll have to increase the light intensity to compensate for the changes. Hard to keep him in the optimal area of light and in focus.

 

 

The modeling lights are difficult for me, I've read they are WYSIWYG, (what you see is what you get). I guess I haven't enough knowledge re: flash lighting to understand this yet, because I think it is not WYSIWYG.

 

 

Also Denneco- I used a PocketWizard receiver plugged into one of the lights and attached it to the light with Velcro. The transmitter fits in the hot shoe of the camera (no other connection needed) and the other 3 lights have slave capability. So... when I push the button to take a picture, the transmitter sends a signal to the receiver light and fires that light, which in turn fires all the other lights. This un-tethers me from a sync cord. Which I like, now I move freely around my area.

 

 

The only problem I encountered with this process was that neither the Wizard nor the Flashhead came with a connecting cord that would connect them to each other. Both have RCA plug in ends. They both came with flash cords that have one RCA end and the other end that connects to the camera port. So.. a simple trip to RadioShack yielded the double ended RCA audio cable. It works perfectly. (3.29). I had lots of trouble getting this little bit of information from the guys at my favorite camera store and the people that I bought the lights from (ALienBees). They all knew there was a way it would work together, but no one I talked to knew exactly how. It was way too simple I guess. So good luck, if I can be of help as I learn, let me know. Just email me.

 

 

Sorry so long all but this is "Learning lighting and other frustrations". :)

 

Your subject & idea are absolutely wonderful. Thanks for posting; thanks,too, for the lighting tips.

Richerd- You are very welcome. Communication of our trials and tribulations just may save someone else the quest! A simple RCA audio cord! HUmmm.... who would have thought!

Okay, time to start your own business. Beautiful work.

Thanks Howard! He was not too cooperative, he wanted to play with Buzz the bubble guy :) Had to use that as leverage! Bubble spit all over the place! Oh well, I never would have let my kids play with bubbles inside, advantages of growing old and mellowing out!

What a beautiful shot, so spontaneous, I love it.

Beautiful work!

first... judging from the equipments, you r really serious in lighting ! and it works great ! ..and agreed with earlier comments, you can can start your studio business in no time. great work !