First Submission

[CharlieWI]

Let er rip. Only way I'm going to learn is from the experts here. The model is my model of 24 years and about to turn 51 so please don't include her. It was hard enough to get her to agree to put her on the web to begin with. As for everything else, I wanna know.
Thank you.





Both photos used a 500w softened lamp to left forward and rflected white from right. Front flash was set on low output.
1/5 sec
6.3 f.stop
ISO 100
9.8mm I do not know the conversion.

This one I put together for fun. Still needs work.

[MartinaSmith]

She has such a pretty smile. Seeing her smile makes me want to smile.
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Marty

[extreme]

First of all, these aren't really experts you're being critiqued by. Just guys like you with too much spare time.

I'd just say lighten up with the cheesy photoshop effects. People have a tendency to go crazy when they first start messing with PS. The cut and paiste makes her look out of place, like she's floating. Pick a nice background, shoot with a shallow depth of field , to make it out of focus, then don't mess with it. Photoshop looks best when you can't tell it was used. (very subtle)

[CharlieWI]

Thanks for commenting. I know #3 is way overdone. Just playig with that one for some experience. If you are speaking of #1 as the cut and paste, it was actually a white background where some wrinkles could be seen so I just took it out. #2 was the same so I made a background for that one.

I know it is easy to get caught up in photoshop. You just seem to keep going and going to see what happenes.

Compared to me, everyone here is an expert. Maybe some more-so then others but an expert just the same.

Appreciate your input.

[epeters]

Pretty lady, doesn't seem to fit with the jeans and sweater. Other shots with colorful scarf, and shots with dressier clothes I think would work really well??

[CharlieWI]

Thanks. Impossible to get her out of those jeans, well, not impossible but they are a part of her it seems. The Punjabi Suit is her idea of a little heritage fun. She is half Indian (the country) and half Dutch/Indonesian. We have a sari on the way for the next heritage try out.

She bought her first jeans in Hong Kong in 1976 and still has and fits into some of those first ones. She owns a lingerie business so likes the tight clothing for some reason. The jeans she is wearing in the pics are a bit too large. Bought by our daughter for her. They are a 3 and she wears a 0.

I'll pass on your suggestion of fancier clothing.

Thanks again.

[jford]

Let's see...

Your wife is 51, beautiful, wonderful smile, still has figure of 25 years ago, and models for you ...

and you're asking for advice? LOL

Oh, wait...you didn't want to include the model.

First, the images are a little small for serious evaluation. However, your combination of lights seems to be giving the effect of multiple, unbalanced light sources - particularly on her face. It's as if you're trying to soften a directional source by using multiple directional sources. You might want to read the "Tips" section here to learn a little more about lighting - and you'll certainly want to practice.

I recommend that you don't go nuts buying lights, softboxes, umbrellas, panels, ring flashes, and every other doo-dad imaginable. Practice more with your 500 W light and reflector. I'd lose the flash (i.e., turn it off) for now, if I were you. And you might want to get a tripod if you find the exposure times too long. IMO, you need to simplify your set-up to learn more easily what the light is doing for you.

One specific comment - watch for missing limbs. In the first image, because of the angle, she appears to lack her lower left leg.

Thanks for sharing.



My few Mb

[CharlieWI]

Thank you very much for your input. I know what you mean with the lighting and realize that it will take a lot of practice to better understand it. I was thinking the more light the better and probably just ended up having one cancel the other out. I was trying to avoid shadows but in the end still had them. Now that you mention it I see where the leg is a problem. I'll watch for that.

I'll keep trying different things with the lights and see what happens. I have been reading but maybe too much at once without actually trying everything first.

Thank you for sharing.