What is causing this?

FlyTVR

FlyTVR

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Was shooting portraits this week, and when pp'ing I noticed what looks like shadows on some of the eyes. I think it's one of two things -

a) A shadow from the eyelid

b) An actual reflection showing the end of the white backdrop (at my feet) - the light bit. The dark bit - the wall behind me.

I suspect it's (b).

Setup, softbox key, reflector fill (and two heads illuminating backdrop). Any ideas?

I've labelled up one eye in the image below, but you can also see the effect on the other.



Appologies for image quality - severe crop.

eyes-1.jpg
 
If the softbox is above the subject I'd say that it is almost certainly shadow from the eyelid. I doubt the reflection from the floor would give as clearly defined a seperation between light and dark.

Phil
 
I'm going for option B as I can definitely see what looks like a white sheet on the floow. Maybe it's a combination of both though.
 
philthejuggler said:
If the softbox is above the subject I'd say that it is almost certainly shadow from the eyelid. I doubt the reflection from the floor would give as clearly defined a seperation between light and dark.

Phil
Click to expand...

See your point, but it's a large softbox as low as poss. Key light is at child's height, so I would have thought it would have filled any shadow.

Of course I could be wrong - hence the post :)
 
Kev M said:
I'm going for option B as I can definitely see what looks like a white sheet on the floow. Maybe it's a combination of both though.
Click to expand...

It's a white paper roll.

If this is a reflection, then how do I get round it? The shot was not made in a studio (but a classroom) so I have limited control over the background.

Only thing I can think of is to have a white sheet or something up against the wall.

Am I being anal about this?
 
JasonRS said:
Looks like a reflection of the studio behind the camera to me.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jason.

So guys, is this a common problem?

I realise that it's easily pp'd - but I'm trying to minimise that these days!
 
FlyTVR said:
It's a white paper roll.

If this is a reflection, then how do I get round it? The shot was not made in a studio (but a classroom) so I have limited control over the background.

Only thing I can think of is to have a white sheet or something up against the wall.

Am I being anal about this?
Click to expand...

A little bit maybe. Stop pixel peeping and look at it at printing size, you might still notice because you know it's there but I bet nobody else will.

Pixel peeping is bad for the soul you know.
 
Kev M said:
A little bit maybe. Stop pixel peeping and look at it at printing size, you might still notice because you know it's there but I bet nobody else will.

Pixel peeping is bad for the soul you know.
Click to expand...

Fair point :)

I just wanted to be sure I understood what was going on?
 
Im sorry but I dont have a clue what you are talking about!!! :lol:

I can see nothing but a lovely pair of blue eyes :shrug:
 
Janice said:
Im sorry but I dont have a clue what you are talking about!!! :lol:

I can see nothing but a lovely pair of blue eyes :shrug:
Click to expand...

In which case you are going for option (c) - which is "Stop being anal about photography". :)

Maybe I should have posted the image for in depth crit. Some b****g*r would have spotted it then ;)
 
That is the edge of the bg/floor for sure It is something I have experienced also but as mentioned no one is going to spot it at printing size.. only real way to prevent it is not to have the edge of the paper so close to the subject, a huge studio, or to get the subject to look a little higher..:shrug:
 
onform said:
That is the edge of the bg/floor for sure It is something I have experienced also but as mentioned no one is going to spot it at printing size.. only real way to prevent it is not to have the edge of the paper so close to the subject, a huge studio, or to get the subject to look a little higher..:shrug:
Click to expand...

Thanks Matt. I actually spotted the effect during the shoot and went about rolling out further paper. I'll take a look at the latter shots to see if things were improved. Not at home right now - so will check later.
 
If you can see the floor/background reflecting in the eyes like that, and I think that's what it is, it's because it is bright and therefore punching quite a lot of light back to the subject. You get the same effect with a reflector.

Apart from being quite unnecessarily paranoid about it, if you get rid of it by removing the white surface, you'll lose a lot of light filling-in under the eyes, chin etc.

In other words, the light will look different, not just the eyes.
 
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