How can I improve this?

johnsy

johnsy

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I got some studio lights (2x Interfit EXD200) a while ago but not really had the chance to use them. Yesterday I bought a 5m x 1.5m roll of white vinyl from the range for under £20 so gave it a go this afternoon and this is one of the first shots.

Softbox pointing at 45deg front left with other flash on the background. Image is pretty much straight out of camera, apart from some sharpening.

f11 at 1/125sec iso-125, white balance set to flash.

I'm pretty happy as a first shot but the lighting looks a little flat, I think it could do with another light at front right to help lift the shadows/floor? Any suggestions.

*ignore the pose, he would only sit still for 2 mins so had to make do before he wandered off.

DSC_3753 by GarethJohns, on Flickr
 
I wouldn't describe the lighting as flat, you got exactly what you planned for, there's some modelling on the face, in fact for a 'first attempt at a white background' it's better than I'd have expected.

What is it exactly you think you should have got / would like to have achieved?
 
I've just looked at this on my phone and it looks far better than on my computer. I'm about to check my settings to see if something changed during the hundreds of system updates that we're applied after a restart on the weekend. Thanks all :)
 
did you have shadows.. looks like some cutting out done top right of head.. I would address that for perfection.
 
It's a kids portrait. You don't want the shadows to be too dramatic.

Looks great for a first attempt.
 
KIPAX said:
did you have shadows.. looks like some cutting out done top right of head.. I would address that for perfection.
Click to expand...

No it's not cut out. Though on the full size image, part of the hair has overexposed so looks like it has on a smaller image.
 
Was the vinyl all the way under him or did you have some other flooring? Photo looks really good mate. Well done.
 
All the way under him, it is slightly shiny so has resulted in some reflection. The vinyl was £3.40 a meter from the Range and seems to be ok, not the best but will be ok for the occasional use it will get.
 
I must say imo this is brilliant for your 1st attempt.
White backgrounds are my nemesis and no matter how much I practice I cannot seem to get them correct.
I've even got to the stage where I pray to the lighting gods to help me when I have to shoot white backgrounds and I am not joking.
Green perfect. Blue Perfect, black, red, pink with yellow dots. Perfect.
But white. ^&%$££"££"£%^&&
 
It did take a few shots before hand to get it white! Basically kept adjusting the lights and turning them up until the blinkies showed on the camera.
 
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