Girl

[jventer]

Right here is an image that I took for a girl the other day, any suggestions?

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww341/jventer/shootfordominique.jpg

[tirediron]

Yep. Reshoot.

Okay, I know that sounds harsh, but there are a couple of issues; one it appears that you slightly missed the focus; the eyes seem just a tad soft to me, and the flash has made the image slightly flatter and harder than is ideal. Consider at least a two-light setup, using diffused or reflected light vice straight-on flash (the pop-up?) If a re-shoot isn't an option then run this back through pose, dial down the highlights and soften the skin slightly. She also doesn't look terribly happy.

I'm also curious as to why you elected to use such a long shutter speed.

[jventer]

Thanks for the feedback, I will not be able to reshoot, I did use 2 lights with umbrellas. I will see what I can do with it in Photoshop. Reason for the shutter speed was everytime I moved it faster I got this under exposed image.

[kat]

I did some fooling around, hope you don't mind. I think this photo means a lot to you so I thought I may be able to help out. Not to sure I did though. I came up with a B&W version (not to sure if you want to keep color). I did a glamour blur first, converted the color and sharpened the eyes.

[Marko]

Good critique so far.
I agree, shutter speed too slow. You shot is at iso 100. You could have easily raised it to 400 and used 1/80 to compensate

and the model does not look happy at all.

Kat's b/w version is quite well done and the model looks much softer.
Hope that helps
Marko

[jventer]

Kat thanks I do not mind I have tried that same image in B&W but I could not get it as soft as what you did it you talk about glamour blur not sure which program you use I use CS4 but still very new in it and I cannot find glamour blur in it?

[kat]

I do this. Not to sure if it's the right way but the only way I've found so far...

http://www.adobetutorialz.com/articles/982/1/Glamour-Effect-In-Photoshop

I couldn't get it to work on your colored version..it was just so bright. But then again..I didn't really play with it for very long.

[jventer]

thanks will have a look at it at try it out :) :)

[Iguanasan]

Thanks for the feedback, I will not be able to reshoot, I did use 2 lights with umbrellas. I will see what I can do with it in Photoshop. Reason for the shutter speed was everytime I moved it faster I got this under exposed image.

I suspect it was probably flash/shutter synch. It keeps hitting me every once in a while when I want to add a little fill flash outdoors. I pop open the shutter to add in fill flash but when I shoot, it automagically drops the shutter speed to 1/200. I'm sure it's a setting I haven't figured out yet.

[kat]

I think...just thinking..but my camera will only go to a certain speed when the on camera flash is on. I think there is a max that every camera can go to.

Not to sure if that is the same thing or not. I haven't used other flashes yet.

[tirediron]

I think...just thinking..but my camera will only go to a certain speed when the on camera flash is on. I think there is a max that every camera can go to.



Yep, this is the Flash Sync Speed. This is the maximum speed at which you can take flash pictures with a given camera. The sync speed is the fastest speed during which the shutter is completely open. At faster speeds, as the top of the frame is being exposed, the bottom of the shutter is already covering the lower part of the sensor (or left-right or however your particular camera's shutter works). Sync speeds range from 1/125 - 500th; not sure why you'd be seeing exposure issues at such low speeds. Could you have a particular mode (Slow sync?) selected accidentally?

[Mad Aussie]

A good quality external flash can override the camera flash sync speed and allow you to shoot at much faster shutter speeds with flash. I often shoot flash shots at 1/1000 and even higher if needed.

I was also going to suggest Glamour Blur but Kat beat me to it. :)

[AntZ]

Personally I think the least pleasing aspect of the image is girls expression. Its a disinterested look. I think if she had been happy or sad/moody it would have been better.:twocents: You could try some selective colouring on the flowers.

I've never understood the shutter speed limit with flash. Why does it matter if the flash is on for longer than the shutter? The flash that occurs before and after the shutter being open won't affect the image.

[Mad Aussie]

Maybe it would. Perhaps that split second it's on as the shutter close allows more light onto the sensor and leaves a graduated lighting effect?

[tirediron]

Flash duration is very short, < 1/10,000 second and the exposure is based on the illumination provided by the flash, so, if the entire shutter isn't open than you will have a under-exposed band band demarking the point where the shutter curtain covered the sensor.

This page describes it well, with pictures! (http://dptnt.com/2007/10/flash-sync-speed/)

[scorpio_e]

A good quality external flash can override the camera flash sync speed and allow you to shoot at much faster shutter speeds with flash. I often shoot flash shots at 1/1000 and even higher if needed.


Providing you have HHS synch capability with your flash. My 430 EX does. With HSS you lose a lot of flash power.

[MoinMoin]

Hello jeventer,

as the others already told, the flash isn't flattering her teint. I hope you don't mind, but I played with your foto too - like Kat, but with colours. I'll load it here directly (so there will be some lost of quality). If you want the better version, give me an e-mail adress to sent. I won't store it on my space, because it isn't my picture.