Studio My Portrait Lighting Demo results

pentaxpete

pentaxpete

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Peter
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I did a 'Lighting For Portraits' demo at Brentwood Photographic club -- I took my Multiblitz Profilites and another smaller flash for background and plugged Pentax K10D into our Club Digital Projector with a longer lead i bought in Brentwood Maplins and showed results on the screen as i was doing the lighting. Club members were asked to try it out but many would NOT even get their Cameras out!
Here are a few results -- I started using the Tungsten modelling lights and 800 ASA and full aperture then changed to the flashes at 100 ASA and had to stop down to f13 even on flash half power. I used a flash meter but for the tungsten ones the camera meter on 'AV' So many members did not know how to set their cameras -- all more expensive than my 2007 bought Pentax K10D and very expensive huge lenses !! One lens i showed was my Russian Jupiter 9 85mm f2 M42 fit with the screw-bayonet adapter -- the other lens was a 'gift' 35=80mm f4-5.6 SMC Pentax-F.
The 'SOFT FOCUS' one was the Russian 85mm f2 at f2 and green backgound flash with gel.
IMGP0006.JPG IMGP0024.JPG Peter Print 19.jpg IMGP0023.JPG
 
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Sorry if the following seems a bit harsh, I'm genuinely trying to be helpful.

#1 Seems to have some motion blur, though it may be missed focus. 1/30s is quite slow.

The lighting.. is very hard. That’s ok, but it needs more careful control than a softbox would. My eye is drawn straight to the area of strongest contrast, i.e. his hands and right shoulder. I’d either change the pose or try to feather the light upwards slightly.

#2 is much more successful but I reckon the green background has confused the auto white balance. He’s much more orange in this than the first. The background is too bright, I reckon – the halo around him is the most dominant feature. The key light could have been a bit higher too.

#3 If the soft focus was intentional then it doesn’t do anything for me. It looks just out of focus rather than classic vaseline / tights soft focus. The lighting has produce some really harsh specular highlights, too.

#4 is suffering WB issues, unfortunate shiny patches and is oversharpened. The fill light looks a bit too small, the main light a bit too hard and the background light too bright

What modifiers are you using?
 
:agree: with the above I'm afraid

Reading your description I can't quite tell if you were being taught how to shoot by someone or not Peter, so I'll assume so and blame the tutor :)

I've run a few portrait nights at club level and it is often surprising how few have a clue how their cameras work

One chap who told me he was a semi-Pro complained loudly that at the settings I'd suggested he was getting a totally blown screen so I was 'obviously' doing something wrong, I soon realised he had auto ISO switched on so rather than the 200 ISO he thought he'd set his auto ISO was going straight up to 3200 !!! He was so embarrassed he didn't come again :D

Dave
 
I don't mind what you say -- after over 60 years in Camera Clubs it just bounces off ! Well I used the Tungsten modelling lights to start and NO umbrella so members could see 'harsh' lighting ( OK for male sitters but not for Females) then I set 'Tungsten balance' on camera -- for the flash ones I set ' Flash balance' NOT 'Auto White Balance' It took a LONG time to get any member actually to USE their 'Expensive All-Singing-All -Dancing' Nikons and Canons with HUGE lenses---- they make fun of ME using PENTAX still but at least I TOOK some and each sitter went away with an A4 colour print as I took my Epson Stylus Photo R265 A4 printer along and I have since done all the photos for them as 6x4" prints.
PS -- My Wife says I am the ONLY ONE to tell all my Techniques at the Club -- no other member will tell anything -- they keep it all SECRET -- she says I am the only one to tell even what is 'Under my Bum' , others pick my Brains and win or else once they have learnt they leave the Club.
 
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pentaxpete said:
I don't mind what you say -- after over 60 years in Camera Clubs it just bounces off ! Well I used the Tungsten modelling lights to start and NO umbrella so members could see 'harsh' lighting ( OK for male sitters but not for Females) then I set 'Tungsten balance' on camera -- for the flash ones I set ' Flash balance' NOT 'Auto White Balance' It took a LONG time to get any member actually to USE their 'Expensive All-Singing-All -Dancing' Nikons and Canons with HUGE lenses---- they make fun of ME using PENTAX still but at least I TOOK some and each sitter went away with an A4 colour print as I took my Epson Stylus Photo R265 A4 printer along and I have since done all the photos for them as 6x4" prints.
PS -- My Wife says I am the ONLY ONE to tell all my Techniques at the Club -- no other member will tell anything -- they keep it all SECRET -- she says I am the only one to tell even what is 'Under my Bum' , others pick my Brains and win or else once they have learnt they leave the Club.
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Umm.. this is a bit of a delicate subject at the moment, echoing as it does another similar thread which went a bit ranty.. but this reads rather as though you're not actually after critique at all. Perhaps if you'd explained what you were doing in your initial post then it might have been clearer?

Harsh lighting is perfectly fine for females but it needs precision. I've spent some months refining my skills with it. You can probably see my progress on my flickr feed - I've left the less successful stuff up there too.

If the WB isn't off then the bright green background is affecting my perception. Either way you'd do better to with a grey card or colorcheckr passport than setting WB manually.

fwiw only one photographer has ever mocked my little Olympus - but then I've never been to a camera club.
 
Comments like this

pentaxpete said:
It took a LONG time to get any member actually to USE their 'Expensive All-Singing-All -Dancing' Nikons and Canons with HUGE lenses---- they make fun of ME using PENTAX
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and this

pentaxpete said:
PS -- My Wife says I am the ONLY ONE to tell all my Techniques at the Club -- no other member will tell anything -- they keep it all SECRET -- she says I am the only one to tell even what is 'Under my Bum' , others pick my Brains and win or else once they have learnt they leave the Club.
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make it sound like you have a massive chip on your shoulder for some reason. If you think that little of your fellow camera club members why go?

Aside from that, maybe you could share your lighting setup.?
 
It took a LONG time to get any member actually to USE their 'Expensive All-Singing-All -Dancing' Nikons and Canons with HUGE lenses

I expected they were scared that they couldn't match your shots ;-)
 
I don't want this to get 'nasty' -- no need -- well I cannot 'share' lighting diagrams as I don;t know how to do it . I had one Multiblitz Profilite as main light from left at 45 degrees and one with small umbrella down lower on right as a fill then a Jessops Photoflash behind in floor pointing up to a club-room wall painted cream. Then for the flash ones I showed the use of a Yunguo Wireless Flash Trigger I got off Amazon and the other flashes used their built-in slave units. Then a member wanted to see a 'GEL' used as they had never seen one so I put a green piece of green gel over the rear flash. Whenever I organise and 'Practical' nights or outings it's the same thing -- VERY FEW attend or use their gear -- I saw several members with 'compact Digital Cameras' photographing the sitters from the back of the room -- they would not come to the front and learn properly how to compose a head and shoulders portrait. When I set up a trip to Warley Place Nature reserve most will not get out of bed on a Sunday to take part .I am lucky to get 5 members to attend out of a membership of 41. Regarding the 'Pupils' results -- only TWO have produced anything -- one was an Advanced Photographer who didn't use his NIKON but only a Canon Compact Digital and they all had bad colour fringing and not very sharp -- he sent them to me by e-mail -- and HE used to do people's weddings with a Rolleiflex ! Some members have NEVER entered any photos since 'Digital' came in . We used to have 92 members but most LEFT as they could not understand Computers and 'Digital' stuff -- at least I try -- went to a course in Brentwood High Street and found out that a 'mouse' was NOT a small Furry Animal that used to rum along the skirting board in the lounge ----
 
I must admit, I like the idea of camera clubs, in principle.
I live close to Brentwood (in Hornchurch), and have thought about Brentwood club.
But from what you say, there doesn't seem to be much collaboration or participation.
If that's the case, why bother being a member of a club?
I quite enjoy going on meet-ups, and meeting/shooting with like minded photographers, as I'm always willing to learn.
So does the lack of participation mean the members are shy, or that they know it all already?
 
GHP said:
I must admit, I like the idea of camera clubs, in principle.
I live close to Brentwood (in Hornchurch), and have thought about Brentwood club.
But from what you say, there doesn't seem to be much collaboration or participation.
If that's the case, why bother being a member of a club?
I quite enjoy going on meet-ups, and meeting/shooting with like minded photographers, as I'm always willing to learn.
So does the lack of participation mean the members are shy, or that they know it all already?
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At the risk of going way off track

I've helped run and even start successful camera clubs

They all have their groups who like to keep 'secret' whatever it is they know, IMO that just means they think they know it all but clearly don't

Clubs can be great or crap, it entirely depends on what members bring to them, and if you like sharing then SHARE and others will share back :)

I'm running a model OCF meet for a club soon, showing how to do portraits in the street, sharing is good (usually)

Dave
 
Mr GHP : Well I wish you WOULD attend even ONE meeting at Brentwood and see how it compares to Hornchurch Photographic Society or Upminster Camera Club -- no club can get new members easily especially YOUNGER ones. I was 15 when I joined the South Essex Camera Club in 1951 in Manor Park Library and I didn;t think they were all Old Fogies of 40 years and over -- it did not put ME off ! I just thought they were all 'Photography Enthusiasts' but NOW -- if a YOUNGER person arrives once they see the serried ranks of Pensioners they never come again -- my wife says it has all changed now -- Friday Nights is when younger people go out with their mates to the pub . I managed to get ONE new member recently from Brentwood Streetlife.com -- she has Son aged 16 but she must have told him about all us Old Fogies as she said he WOULD come if there were 'more people there nearer his own age' -- well -- we are all 45 -50 years OLDER now -- I had HAIR and NO CANCER years ago -- now I had two cancers and not much hair left and I turned up to Club with a Catheter and Urine bag strapped to my leg to support the Club . Not many people are KEEN any more -- once they have 'picked Brains' as my Wife says they leave.
 
I turned up to Club with a Catheter and Urine bag strapped to my leg............once they see the serried ranks of Pensioners they never come again
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Are you surprised?

no club can get new members easily especially YOUNGER ones
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Definitely not true. Our club has grown dramatically in the past eight years, specifically by embracing new blood and Facebook Twitter etc. Sometimes you have to go where the younger people are. And involve them. The older members will still turn up, but you definitely need to bring in some replacements.

And why not change the days of your club nights to attract others?[/QUOTE]
 
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I've asked around== NOBODY in the Club is on 'Facebook' or 'Twitter' from what I have learnt there is more NASTINESS on that than on photography Forums .We cannot change from a Friday -- the 'Friends' ( Quakers) who rent out the rooms are not very friendly and will not let anyone have a different night and there is nowhere else in Brentwood suitable -- Chelmsford Camera Club meet on a Wednesday -- they are lucky BUT people have to pay £ 2-00 each meeting ON TOP of their yearly subs.
 
Sadly I definitely don't fall into the "younger" category, as I'm 55 !
However, I wouldn't let that stop me.
What would stop me is the apathy of others.
Another of my hobbies is fly fishing, and tying my own flies.
The other members of my fly-tying club are eager to show members how to tie a certain fly, or show a certain technique etc.
What is it about a lot of camera clubs? It's like a secret society, if they share their knowledge, then they would have to kill you.
It's a Shame really.
 
Mr GHP -- well you can come to meet the few 'Active' old Fogies like ME -- and the New Lady who found out how to set her Nikon to 'Tungsten' balance last Friday at my Demo. As I said -- I was a Young Fogey 60 odd years ago -- I have a photo of ME taken at South Essex Camera Club when I was about 20 -- just out of the British Army, when the famous Photographer Kevin Mc Donnell came with his Rolleiflex loaded with Ilford Selochrome Pan and brought a free bottle of Johnsons of Hendon 'Capitol' developer and he took me with his huge electronic flashes -- No Canon 'Speedlights' in those days but on real FILLUM he got a good result !
Me at SECC.jpg
 
pentaxpete said:
I've asked around== NOBODY in the Club is on 'Facebook' or 'Twitter' from what I have learnt there is more NASTINESS on that than on photography Forums .We cannot change from a Friday -- the 'Friends' ( Quakers) who rent out the rooms are not very friendly and will not let anyone have a different night and there is nowhere else in Brentwood suitable -- Chelmsford Camera Club meet on a Wednesday -- they are lucky BUT people have to pay £ 2-00 each meeting ON TOP of their yearly subs.
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That sort of supplement per club night is not unusual if you want good speakers.

I dont know Brentwood that well but I do know the Rugby club there certainly hire out their bar/rooms.

Are all the sports clubs/church halls and upstairs rooms at pubs so very busy mid week?

fb and twitter are what you make them.
 
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I really enjoy the camera club i belong to. They have a good variety of speakers, print and pi competitions, members evenings and trips.
None of the members are secretive about their photography, i was surprised though by the average age of the membership when i joined (Then i thought, "I'm 46, they're not really that much older than me).
 
blimey ! 46 is YOUNG for Club age around here in Essex !! Mostly over 70 -86 years old now !
 
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