Self Portrait (no, don't run & hide!)

Jelster

Jelster

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Steve
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My Lencarta kit turned up yesterday, but I didn't get a chance to look at it until this morning.

First image, a self portrait, done with just one light and the larger of the two reflectors.

jelster.jpg


I hope you like the processing, and I'm really into B&W portraits at the moment...

ANY C&C either on the shot or positioning of lights etc would be gratefully received - I now have the kit, I just need the practice to get my standards up to what I would call "respectable"

This self portrait stuff isn't easy is it??

Steve
 
Hi Steve, I think this is a great shot and it is not at all obvious that this is your first attempt with your lights.

My only niggle would be that due to the light area on the left hand side of the picture I keep straining to see the other half of your face. If that was blacked out - or better still the image cropped slightly to put you more off centre I think it would be more dramatic
 
Kerioak said:
Hi Steve, I think this is a great shot and it is not at all obvious that this is your first attempt with your lights.

My only niggle would be that due to the light area on the left hand side of the picture I keep straining to see the other half of your face. If that was blacked out - or better still the image cropped slightly to put you more off centre I think it would be more dramatic
Click to expand...


Thanks Christine....

Would you say crop the left, or the right hand side of the image ?

Steve
 
Kerioak said:
The dark side -that small lighter area above your ear brings my eye over to it too much
Click to expand...

Ahh, I can cure that... I have another version in which I removed that small light area.... One sec and I'll post it up...

Edit:

Is this better ?

jelster2.jpg


Steve
 
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think the first was better, but as been said already left hand darken more slight crop
i like using one lamp too or flashgun
 
Hi Jelster
Very good effort - looks good.
The edited shot works betterbut I think you should have left the little bit of collar showing. The little light patch on glasses is a bit distracting too.
 
Had a quick play myself

Toned it

Turned your head

Tilted your head

Gave you a shave

Ruffled your hair

Changed your top

Moved the lighting and change the type of lighting

Altered the exposure

Added fill to the left

Added light to the background

That's about it really

:D

DD

JelsterDD.jpg
 
I'd say you were a lot braver than me, I absolutely hate having my pic taken so there is no way I'm going to do it to myself!

I'd need a genius to make anything decent out of the raw materials!

I do think it's a pretty decent effort for a first go out of the box, you have obviously been listening to Garry with the one light at a time approach which is exactly right. Tiny bit more light reflected to the left of your face would (In my ignorance) help to define what lies to the left of your nose. (That sounds awful but I hope you know what I mean) :)
 
DiddyDave said:
Had a quick play myself

Toned it; Turned your head; Tilted your head; Gave you a shave; Ruffled your hair; Changed your top; Moved the lighting and change the type of lighting; Altered the exposure; Added fill to the left; Added light to the background.................
Click to expand...

Some people will do anything to get their pictures on here :LOL:

Steve
 
Jelster said:
Some people will do anything to get their pictures on here :LOL:

Steve
Click to expand...

I actually posted it to show the difference a little more light, turn of the head and less stark lighting can be

I find your attempt poor tbh, it's very unflattering as it broadens your face and adds loads of weight to you making you look much fatter than you actually are

The angle too has led to your chin being held back and low, this fattens your throat and again makes you look much fatter as a result

I think if you ask most people to judge, they'd say if your shot is NOW, then mine must have been taken a few years ago when you were slimmer & younger too

Bearing in mind these two were taken in very similar conditions, by the same single light source in roughly the same position - the difference is startling

HTH rather than puts you off ???

There again, if you wanted to look older, fatter & pee'd off - it's a good shot :LOL:

Looking forward to your next attempt (y), but yes, self-portraits are always hard

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
I actually posted it to show the difference a little more light, turn of the head and less stark lighting can be

I find your attempt poor tbh, it's very unflattering as it broadens your face and adds loads of weight to you making you look much fatter than you actually are

The angle too has led to your chin being held back and low, this fattens your throat and again makes you look much fatter as a result

I think if you ask most people to judge, they'd say if your shot is NOW, then mine must have been taken a few years ago when you were slimmer & younger too

Bearing in mind these two were taken in very similar conditions, by the same single light source in roughly the same position - the difference is startling

HTH rather than puts you off ???

There again, if you wanted to look older, fatter & pee'd off - it's a good shot :LOL:

Looking forward to your next attempt (y), but yes, self-portraits are always hard

DD
Click to expand...



Doesn't put me off at all Dave. The fact is it's hard to see what the image will look like when you're in front of the camera, although I was trying to get that harsher, grittier look.

IRRC the image you took used that large octagonal softbox, where as I was using just the larger of the two reflectors that come with the kit. So, although you're picture is actually technically better, I was trying to achieve a different look, although not particularly successfully :shake:

Steve
 
By "two reflectors" do you actually mean softboxes?

I guessed you were after 'grit', but you can have grit and less unflattering too

Go get your wife instead, tell her Santa told you she needed a long sit in the garage while you mucked about trying lighting - and that Santa won't bring her any pressies until she does (y)

It's Sooooo much easier when you can see what you're doing

DD
 
Jelster said:
No, the kit comes with two basic reflectors:

A standard Reflector

& an "umbrella" reflector

I was using the standard reflector....
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No wonder it's such harsh lighting then, I've not seen a kit come without either brollies or softboxes before - I thought you'd just had a smallish softbox too far away

Still, gives you plenty of room to add bits to I guess

DD
 
Sorry Dave, I should of added, it also comes with an Octagonal softbox (about 60cm), a reflector umbrella, and an 80cm "5-in-1" hand held reflector, as well as a set of wireless triggers and a couple of decent stands. (Link)

So it's all there, I just need a willing subject to be photographed.

Steve
 
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Jelster said:
Sorry Dave, I should of added, it also comes with an Octagonal softbox (about 60cm), a reflector umbrella, and an 80cm "5-in-1" hand held reflector, as well as a set of wireless triggers and a couple of decent stands. (Link)

So it's all there, I just need a willing subject to be photographed.

Steve
Click to expand...



Ah - that makes more sense

Here's one of mine taken on a white floor/background with the same standard reflector as you have used

Maybe not quite so gritty though !!!

DD

TP_image.jpg
 
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