More talk about Photography :::
 

Hey gang, just sitting around the house today doing some cleaning and prepping my gear for some shoots this week. Thought it might be fun to answer some more questions about Photography. I know a lot of you are shooters and if your having an issues with your material - post some samples and lets see if we can get you heading in the right direction.

In the meantime, here's a pic that I shot of the beautiful Kerie this past week for BlueFantasies.com. Incidently, the mainlight in this picture (the light that is lighting up her face and the front of her body) is a flashhead shot thru a queen-sized white bedsheet. You don't need expensive softboxes and umbrellas to shoot beautiful content. Just grab a white bedsheet off your bed and put a flash behind it - how easy could it be? :winkwink:

http://www.glamourshoots.com/pics/kerie/kerie.jpg

Tell us your exact post shoot processing you do so we can copy it. hehe. :winkwink: In fact a video tutorial would be nice, plus links to free copies of the ps plugins you use... kthx! hehe. jk

My models seem to prefer the professional look of my softboxes.

But an impressive result. Well done.

looks superb on my sony lcd flat panel.

perfect wb, saturation, hue, contrast, brightness.

all that matters is the end result, not how you get there.

sometimes i see some shots that are too high key.

this one has everything right.

Thank you, I'll try that!

Good to know - thanks for posting :thumbsup

I have more questions then I care to write down, lol.

But a couple that are easy (maybe).

How do you make money off the pictures you take of models that are not for web use?


When using strobes (max of 2) what are some set ups that make the sexy soft look.

-There are quite a few different ways to use a 2 light setup but it's too complicated to get into here. The "soft sexy" look that your asking about has to do with the lighting but also the hair/makeup and of course post-processing. There's no "one thing" that will transform your work from one level to another. Instead...it's a combination of many things coming together to produce a magical result. Practice, practice, practice...that's the best way to learn!

-I can't be of much help to you on this one. All of my work is for web use and that's how I make my living. Maybe some others can help you out with more ideas on this one.

amazing pic... as usual!

Hi Paul....my models prefer to look beautiful - they could care less what I use to make that happen. They don't care if it's a softbox, an umbrella, a white bedsheet or a shower curtain! Softboxes are great tools and I use them all the time, but I also like experimenting with other ways of lighting....keeps it fun and interesting for me :winkwink:

Nobody here would have known that I didn't use a softbox on this picture unless I told them. The reason I mentioned how I lit it was because I wanted people to know that you don't have to have softboxes to get a "professional look" with your work. And even if you do have softboxes, your limiting your options by using them on everything you shoot! :thumbsup

For people who only shoot for money - using softboxes for everything they shoot is fine. For those shooting because they love Photography and they want to learn more about it - experimenting with different lighting sources will always keep it interesting and will ensure that you continue to grow and evolve as a shooter!

Any new word on when the workshop is going to be? I would love to have the chance to see you in action in person. I primarily do video but I think expanding my still knowledge could only help my video shoots.

How much of your look in your pics is photoshop? What do your pics look like right out of the camera?:)

First let me say that is a beautiful shot and pretty close to perfect if perfection can be obtained.

I wanted to comment on your use of the bed sheet. While you say you don't need fancy light boxes and umbrellas you don't mention their advantage and their real value.

Using the bed sheet may work fine as a light modifier, which for those that don't know, difuses the light coming from the light source making it softer and more flattering on the subject. But what you don't mention is that to use the bed sheet you had to hang it on some sort of frame or rod so it's placed in between your model and the light source and to make it movable, so you could get it into the best position, you had to have it set on stands. By the time you have that all set up you pretty much have a home made light box.

While the end result is virtually the same, you get the extra manuverability and convience in a self contained light box as opposed to rigging up a sheet. Being resourceful is very important in photography and using a bed sheet is a great tip however givin all the other stuff you need to make the sheet work I don't see how it could even come close to functioning as well as a light box.

Also I'd like to add that in no way am I implying that all you have is a bed sheet to work with. My comments are directed to the beginning photographers and in the spirit of which this thread was intended. :)

Here's a shot I took with no light modifers, just backlite from the sun

http://www.julie-clarke.com/public_h...ages/camo2.jpg

Dean
Your work here is top notch and would love to have you answer a few questions.

My job as a photographer is only to shoot the cover and back shots for DVD covers. I'm a video guy but now have to shoot these cover shots as well and they need to get better. :-)

1) What lens do you recommend for doing this? Of course I large one to get the depth of field, but do you recommend one lens over another?

2) Do you have experience with portable light kits? I have been looking at the Killer Bees kits for travel.

3) How much of your pics is photoshopped verses how much is your talent. Your colors are INCREDIBLE!!!

One more... since I am a total newbie to taking pics.

Why a soft box over a umbrella?

Absolutely beautiful, Dean. Sorry if you've answered this in another thread, but do you use the same makeup artist every time, or do you shop around?

Hey Tony.....since I shoot in "raw" mode, my pics look like shit right out of the camera. In fact, all raw pictures look like shit right out of the camera until they are processed. Processing raw files is an artform in itself and requires a lot of skill, experience and patience to get better then average looking pictures. The more you practice at processing raw files, the better you become over time.

Photoshop is an important tool in achieving my final "look", but it's no more important then my camera, my lenses, my light meter or any other tool that I use to produce these pictures. It's just part of the process :thumbsup

Nothing new to report yet - still trying to gauge interest. I'll keep you posted though :thumbsup

Would you be so kind to post a before (raw) and after (processed) pic?

Looking for a insurance company for my photography stuff, who do you recommend?

I have a private lesson in the morning with a local photographer on centerfold shooting, lights, gels and such to shoot playboy type stuff.

He said the same thing as you did when I did a portrait lesson with him, that you can make allot of your own stuff, no need to buy all this expensive gear.

The main thing I learned from the protrait lesson was the importance of a light meter and a big, steady tripod.

But here is a question for you, same one I asked him... I bought an Alien Bees B800 strobe, used in conjunction with 2 large softboxes, is that lighting good enough, he said it was but said he would also add a lower power strobe, like the alien bees b400 for accent lighting, what do you think?

Hope

Good points :thumbsup

BTW I am in need or a good hair/makeup person in vegas for sept 10th .. anyone know of one?

I have a great one here in phoenix but she cannot go to vegas right now.

Hope

dear god thats a great shot....

jesus... dear god..

shes a fuckin heart breaker

link to sign up =

-It all depends on what your trying to do. If you want to blur out the backgrounds and foregrounds in your pictures, use a longer lens. If you don't need to do that or don't want to do that - use a smaller lens. The only thing I would recommend is to buy the most expensive glass that you can afford if image quality is important to you.

-I haven't used the Killer Bees kits but I've only heard great things about them. I'm sure they'd be fine for what your doing.

Hmmmm, I think I answered this already but I'll say it once again. Photoshop is just a tool that I use to get the final result. It's a tool just like my camera, just like my light meter and just like my white-balance card. Photoshop is just part of the process that it takes to get from A to Z.

twistys is really the best................

I cannot wait.. Until then if you ever need an extra set of hands while shooting let me know.. I would do a day or two free in order to watch you at work.

Softboxes are tools just like the umbrella. I wouldn't say one is any better then the other - only that they both have different characteristics. Softboxes are usually square and some people like to see square catchlights in the models eyes. Some softboxes are also round. Softboxes usually take a bit more time to setup then an umbrella might. Most umbrellas are round and some people like to see round catchlights in the models eyes. Some Umbrellas are also square. Umbrellas are usually easier and quicker to setup and use.

Softboxes are a little more controllable then an umbrella might be. For beginners this is not important but for a seasoned shooter who wants to be able to have total control over his lighting - it's very important. Softboxes are usually more expensive then umbrellas and typically require a speed-ring (to attach the softbox to the light source) which is an additional cost.

I'm sure there are more differences but this is all I can think of right now :winkwink:

Hi Elli - we have a hair/makeup artist that we use exclusively for our shoots. I've tried using others from time-to-time but am usually never satisfied with the outcome. It's hard finding a good hair/makeup artist that is not only good at what she does, but also incorporates all the other attributes that make for a good team member. She shows up on time, she's dependable and reliable, she never causes any drama on the set, She gives 200% on every shoot, the models fall in love with her and she REALLY loves being a part of the Twistys team. Shit, what more could I ask for? :thumbsup

Hi Venus!!!

Well, you should understand that a "big steady tripod" is not necessarily a requirement for shooting Glamour Photography. Some people use them - some people don't. For me...I don't find tripods useful in my work at all and therefore...I don't use them. I hand hold my camera so I can "move & groove" with the model. A tripod would just slow me down. Just something to keep in mind as you progress with your photography!

Now, on to your questions.....

Your saying that you have 2 lights already and your asking if that's good enough - right? Wondering if you should add another light to get the "Playboy Look"?

One thing you should keep in mind is that the "Playboy Look" is much more then how many lights you have. The Playboy Look starts with the styling of the set, the styling of the models wardrobe, great hair, great makeup, great lighting, composition & framing of the image and of course....post production of the images. It won't matter if you have 1 light or 30 lights .... if you don't have the other elements that makeup the "Playboy Look", you'll never get the Playboy Look.

I've been striving for years to "mimic" the Playboy look knowing that I'll never have 30 lights (they sometimes use that many lights for a centerfold shoot) and knowing that I'll never have the time that they have to fine-tune the lighting and sets like they do. I joke with my photo-assistant that we get the Playboy Look "on a budget". Meaning.....I'm about as close to getting the Playboy Look as I can get based on how much we are spending on our productions, how much time I have to produce the work and the quality of some of the girls (and locations) that I get to work with. If I had more time to shoot, more money for the budgets, higher quality locations and more lights, I could come closer to getting the Playboy Look. With all that said - I'm very happy with the material that we are producing for Twistys right now and from what I hear - they are happy as well!

Now, back to your question. Venus, I've seen beautiful pictures shot with 1 light and I've seen beautiful pictures shot with 30 lights. The more lights you introduce into your workflow, the slower your going to be able to move and the more tweaking you have to do thruout the shoot to ensure that all the lights stay within your exposure range. As the model moves - your lighting needs to move. If she stands up - you need to raise your lighting. If she drops to her knees - you should re-adjust your lighting. If she lays on the floor, you need to adjust the lighting for that as well.

You can't setup your lighting at the beginning of the shoot and never touch it thruout the whole shoot. That's the way that beginners and lazy people shoot and that does not equate to good photography. The answer to your question Venus is.........you should use as many lights as your comfortable using :thumbsup

THank you for conselle.

This would open up a can of worms that I'm just not prepared to deal with. I can hear all the haters coming out of the wood work to slam me for my use of Photoshop. Fact is, most of my post work is done in the raw convertor with only some slight enhancements done in Photoshop.

Besides, unless you have some raw conversion software designed to view raw files from my camera, you'll never be able to see the raw image. :winkwink:

huhhuhhhuhhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhhh

I dont get this statement at all. Changing things in RAW is just making up for mistakes made while shooting the picture in the first place, if your camera is set up properly then no changes would be needed in raw and you could go right onto taking out blemishes on the model, modifying the background, and giving it that soft air brushed look.
But even the soft look can be done with the right lens and camera settings.


I may be a newb at this trying to be a pro thing, but I have always read and understood that the more practice you get taking the pictures means less post production that is nessisary.




Most any viewer thats not windows picture viewer can open a RAW or NEF file. Might not be able to tell you all the info that another would, but it would open the file.
Also you could just take an image and export it to jpg without changing anything.

I can tell you shoot with a Canon.
I think your not wanted to post a raw has more to do with it showing everything from the zoom to the algorithm and that will tell people more about your photography skill then you want them to know.

good info, thanks. I shoot pics on trips and also some events so any info i can get my hands on is always welcome

Interesting thread.

-That comment shows that you have absolutely no idea what your talking about.

-Hahhahaah - your cracking me up. I don't have anything to prove to anyone. My work speaks for itself! Check back with me in a few years when you learn more about what your talking about and we'll finish this little conversation! Gotta love the haters! :1orglaugh

Sweet..thx

Great shot, beautiful and horny.

What would you say is the difference between pornography and photography?

I don't know man...that's too deep for me :Oh crap