LightningPaul

04 Jun 2009 • 576 views
 
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photoblog image Celine #1

Celine #1


This is Celine, a beautiful, young and enthusiastic model. I'm happy I had a change to work with her. We had a great time experimenting with different lighting set ups. This was the primary goal of a whole afternoon shooting. During the first half I experimented using different kinds of lights. Afterwards we went outside into the dunes to shoot a more images.

In case you wish to do a photo shoot with her, let me know by writing a comment, then I'll arrange a contact.


TECH-INFO: This is almost a 100% pure strobist picture. I used 3 speedlight flashes. For the key light I used a shoot through umbrella placed at the left. You can see the reflection in here eyes. To add extra depth I placed a snooted flash at the right behind here. The direct reflections in here hair gives this beautiful warm spot light effect. I really love back light, it almost always makes your images more interesting. The third speedlight, placed on the ground behind the model, is pointed upwards to the white wall of my living room. It provides this nice gradient light behind here.
With a few (second hand) speedlights, some (very afordable) light modifiers, some space in your living room and a motivated model you can make easily great images.

Almost no post processing besides lens enhancements in DxO Optics Pro and skin smoothing with Portraiture.

Celine #1


This is Celine, a beautiful, young and enthusiastic model. I'm happy I had a change to work with her. We had a great time experimenting with different lighting set ups. This was the primary goal of a whole afternoon shooting. During the first half I experimented using different kinds of lights. Afterwards we went outside into the dunes to shoot a more images.

In case you wish to do a photo shoot with her, let me know by writing a comment, then I'll arrange a contact.


TECH-INFO: This is almost a 100% pure strobist picture. I used 3 speedlight flashes. For the key light I used a shoot through umbrella placed at the left. You can see the reflection in here eyes. To add extra depth I placed a snooted flash at the right behind here. The direct reflections in here hair gives this beautiful warm spot light effect. I really love back light, it almost always makes your images more interesting. The third speedlight, placed on the ground behind the model, is pointed upwards to the white wall of my living room. It provides this nice gradient light behind here.
With a few (second hand) speedlights, some (very afordable) light modifiers, some space in your living room and a motivated model you can make easily great images.

Almost no post processing besides lens enhancements in DxO Optics Pro and skin smoothing with Portraiture.

comments (12)

Nice work. Thanks for the strobist info Paul.
LightningPaul: Thanks! Besides HDR techniques, I love strobist techniques too.
for a portrait I think it is too stiff
LightningPaul: I can understand your comment but I don't fully agree. These days it's fashion for (flashy) environmental, relaxed, non-posed portraits (which I love too) but here I really wanted to have a more posed, traditional portrait but with (great) lighting (which was the main purpose). Anyway I appreciate your comments.
  • DrAW!
  • United States
  • 4 Jun 2009, 16:21
it's well lit Paul
LightningPaul: Thanks, I'm happy I succeeded in my goal.
can she get to Leeds Paulgrin lovely looks/eyes and i am sure she would be well happy with this fellasmile
LightningPaul: LOL :-D
I can't deny that she has indeed very lovely eyes and looks.
  • Lyris
  • Brazil
  • 4 Jun 2009, 18:13
Celine? Oh, I thought she was Monalisa wink

Good shot, love the lightening.
LightningPaul: smile LOL
Thanks for your comment Lyris.
  • Marc
  • france
  • 4 Jun 2009, 19:49
Very nice portrait, what i like in your picture is that you can feel the complicity between the photographer and model, i think that's the key to a good photo. About the tehnical stuff, it reminds me i definitely need to get myself some speedlights ! Great portait and rendering.
LightningPaul: Thank you Marc for your comment. I appreciate it a lot. Have fun using speedlights.
  • Ilan
  • Israel
  • 5 Jun 2009, 15:48
I was always to lazy to enter the whole 'strobist' world of flash and light ... As a street photographer, I prefer to be 'instant', but with results like this, maybe I should reconsider smile
LightningPaul: I have been taking lots of images inside (our hous) of my little children so a flash was necessary. When attending a workshop of Mr. Strobist himself in Paris (end of 2007), I really started learning and using his (and others) lighting techniques, and I still do. For me it is as fascinating as using HDR techniques.
It's wonderful world which offers you lots of (creative) possibilities, and of course lots of fun. When you are ready you'll probably end up using them, even if you are lazy (like me).
  • NatJag
  • United Kingdom
  • 5 Jun 2009, 23:47
Nice shot. Good to see your not trying the white background as most seem to. I like your lighting description as well. Interesting to see how versatile speedlights are. I've seen a studio in S. London that uses Nikon SB800's as the flash power. I look forward to the sand dunes shots.
LightningPaul: Thanks! I made a few shots of her using a window with indirect sunlight as background and two umbrellas to emulate beauty lighting. This resulted in a pure white background and a (almost) shadowless face.
The speedlights are really great, small, affordable (especially for an amateur), lots of options (manual, TTL, wireless triggering, 1/3 stops control), very fast recycling times when using 1/4 power or lower, and of course very portable. Just the lack of power is the only downside, but I use ISO400 which compensates this mostly.
nice portrait. Perhaps the skin a little too smooth, but it's still a beauty.. (as is she)
Cheers
Rob
LightningPaul: Thanks Rob. The skin is indeed very smooth. It was possible to overdo this much more but then you end up look most magazines: plastic, characterless, unreal beauties. Though it became (sadly) an important part of our culture.
Of course, in the first place, she is very beautiful, make up and skin smoothing only enhances this.
  • Tero
  • Finland
  • 6 Jun 2009, 13:48
Very well lit portrait! Thanks for strobist info.
LightningPaul: Thanks for your visit and comment Tero. I see you are also a strobist fan smile
  • Doum
  • Canada
  • 8 Jun 2009, 15:09
P E R F E C T I O N, for light management, photo treatment and model smile... You really a versatile photographer.
LightningPaul: T H A N K S Doum !
I really love to try everything.
A great portrait Paul, I will be ramping up my strbist attempts soon too.
LightningPaul: Great to hear that. I'm looking forward to it.

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camera NIKON D200
exposure mode full manual
shutterspeed 1/200s
aperture f/10.0
sensitivity ISO400
focal length 105.0mm
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