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Second Opinion on Kid Portrait


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6 replies to this topic

#1
leighgion

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I've had some comments that were very surprising to me elsewhere on this pic from a few years ago. Interested in what you folks think. 

 

White Balance -- It seems everyone who commented flogged the white balance as an error. I had specifically chosen a gold reflector to warm up the light, so I didn't undo it by neutralizing WB in post. Is the gold tone that contrived-looking?

 

Underexposture -- A lot of people were telling me I was about one stop under on my subject. It never really occurred to me this was an issue that would jump out that much. 

 

Focus missed eyes -- This one I totally own up to 

 

14756076376_998d9c7dee_o.jpg

Portrait of Julie by Leigh, on Flickr

 

Nikon D700 + 100mm f/2.8 E

f/2.8, 1/1250 sec, ISO 200

Gold reflector camera left.



#2
Merco_61

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The warm light doesn't look quite natural as it comes from below. This, and the hard shadow is a risk one takes with a highly reflective gold reflector. What looks really strange to me is that the sunlit part of the hand isn't warm.

 

I don't see this as one stop under overall as you would have started blowing detail in the blouse @ about 1/2 EV higher exposure. A little tweak to the middle of the exposure curve might work to raise the midtones a bit.

 

The missed focus is what it is.

 

 

I like to shoot a gray card without the reflector to set the WB and then use a Sunfire rather than a gold reflector to get that nice afternoon glow even if it is shot in cold shadow.



#3
leighgion

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Thanks for throwing in a word in, Peter. Really good point about the directions of the light.

 

I confess my ignorance: What's a Sunfire in this context?



#4
Merco_61

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Lastolite make a reflector that is striped in silver and gold. It also wrinkles more than their standard reflectors with use, so it is gives slightly softer light than a gold does.



#5
leighgion

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Lastolite make a reflector that is striped in silver and gold. It also wrinkles more than their standard reflectors with use, so it is gives slightly softer light than a gold does.


Ah, neat. Probably never going to be I the market, but it’s good to have this recommendations in mind.



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#6
Ron

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I can see why you got a lot of white balance comments. The white blouse makes up a very large portion of this photo and the human mind wants it to be white. Ditto for the teeth.

 

And, I agree with Peter about the other aspects. The shadow is a problem for me as well.... almost looks like you used flash.

 

I'm not sure how I would go about fixing this since you don't want to reset the white balance. But I think that's where I would start.

 

It's a nice photo though... worth saving.

 

--Ron



#7
leighgion

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I can see why you got a lot of white balance comments. The white blouse makes up a very large portion of this photo and the human mind wants it to be white. Ditto for the teeth.

And, I agree with Peter about the other aspects. The shadow is a problem for me as well.... almost looks like you used flash.

I'm not sure how I would go about fixing this since you don't want to reset the white balance. But I think that's where I would start.

It's a nice photo though... worth saving.

--Ron


Thanks, I’m not actually looking at fixing it. Just learning from it. Posing and lighting people is one of my weak spots, yet I find myself doing it more now.


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