My first "real" portraits

[eddie]

great series. well done. it is not easy using an 810 flash etc etc. you did a good job.

cheers

eddie

[johnielvis]

nice---

but too much lighting crap for location for my patience---one strobe only or two is best for me--and NO umbrellas--they never seem to work for me--they waste a LOT of light too--go up to 11x14 and you'll need the light you're throwing away with the diffusers---I've tried 3 stobes and 2 strobes with umbrellas for similar---finally the umbrellas are in the closet---also--I had prolems with light falloff with the umbrellas--when the umbrellas get far enough where the light gets even on a full body, then it's getting pretty directional--like no umbrellas at all--either that or I just can't properly use ubmrellas/softners--whatever---not for me, stopped wasting my time--I will never learn

of course, I don't get the shadowless background though--unless I put up a black background..even then, I still see the shadow unless it's VERY far back....and even then I still see it if I look REEEL close

yeah lighting is tricky--I only seem to see what I did wrong/don't like AFTER the film is developed...and this is DESPITE polaroids

if I do use the big strobes, it's NO umbrellas or softners----I recently got a verito--THAT's what gives the "diffused light" now---it's a big lens but less to lug around and it's designed for HARD lighting like no softbox/noumbrella strobe. something to consider when you gotta carry this stuff, you know?

OH--but the pictures are GREAT---yes..you got excellent results and the RESULTS of the setup DOES work for me for sure---just sounds like a lot of stuff that's all

very lucky to have access to people like that....

[GabrielSeri]

Very cool David! I love the series, I don't have any additional advice for you, other than to keep your same passion and enthusiasm you display with all your work. I can tell you are really love photography and the whole process that comes along with it.

P.S. Thanks again regarding the Rollo Pyro advice.

[megapickle1]

Wonderful photographs David! Chapeau!

George

p.s.: I still not dare to use strobes, I´m a chick!

[atlcruiser]

Again...thanks for the support and kind words. I got a bunch of 4x6s printed at costco to give to the folks tomorrow. I printed all 7 on azo g2 and g3 in amidol. When I see them printed I can see a bit more of the light bias R to L but still not as much as I thought I wanted but, as it turns out, just what I needed....

I have one print ready for the owner.

My thought now is to play around this week, in all my spare time , with one light vs 2 and to play with a faster shutter speed as well. I built a true homebrew white backdrop to use next week and I think that will make a giant difference.

Sincere thanks for all of the kinds words...this has motovated me to move this into a series!

[welly]

I encourage you to just use one light, at least until you get that solid. Just put it 30-45-60 degrees off axis, just outside the frame and make sure it isn't spilling onto your lens (good shading is a must).

What would be the best way of avoiding light spill?

Cheers

[welly]

Oh and excellent series, David. Inspired me to get my strobes out with my LF camera!

[Robert Jonathan]

Try to dabble/learn about using Scrims if you're fed up with umbrellas, etc.

Photographers go nuts with umbrellas and softboxes, but they don't realize that if you walk onto a movie set, all you see are big metal frames with fabric to either diffuse, reflect, or block light (translucent fabric, reflective fabric, and black fabric).

Photoflex has PVC and aluminum frames (39x39 inches, 39x72 inches, and 77x77 inches) and fabrics you can use. These fold up and travel easily.

I use the Calumet light control system, which consist of aluminum 42x42 and 42x78 inch frames, with translucent fabrics, as well as black/silver and white/gold fabric, etc.

Take a strobe with standard reflector, and move it in close to the scrim. You end up with a small light source... move the strobe further away, and now you have a larger light source.

With a big scrim, you can end up with a 6.5x6.5 foot light source, without carrying a giant softbox.

I still like softboxes, though. They give the cleanest highlights for products, but for people, scrims are very versatile, and can be homemade, and travel well.

You can make frames out of PVC pipe for a few bucks, and use a bed sheet if you wanted to...

I do like your portraits though. Good luck!

[Frank Petronio]

Scrims are great but you need more power since they aren't going to be as efficient as a softbox or umbrella.

You can buy Mathews flags or just use clamps and foamcore, but if your light(s) are bouncing around all over the place, especially in front of the lens you're going to get a lot of flare and weird low contrast areas, which you can see in these already. Somehow you have to either position or control the light (and lens) to minimize the flare.

D - Remember in NYC - had those flags (also called gobos or just cards) between that big key light and the camera?

Controling that spill is why so many pros went to Chimera type softboxes in the 80s-90s... greatly simplified life!

[Ash]

Those pics look great