How to replicate this look -

[Onyx]

http://www.tuttoperinternet.it/musica/a ... eating.jpg

Black background that does not show up as a background at all.

Suggestions, tips, advice, etc all welcome. Thanks in advance.

[MHD]

Well he is top lit so hopefully a black background will not give a reflection... Looks like studio lighting to me...

[sirhc55]

As far as I can see it is very similar to shooting flowers with flash and a black background at a distance so that all of the light falls on the subject and there is no spill over.

I have a very good book on lighting techniques that I have just lent to Geoff which might have an explanation or I might try and experiment myself over the weekend.

Chris

[Onyx]

Thanks MHD & Chris. Looks like I'll have to push desklamps into service as "studio" lights. (I got commissioned to do some trendy portraits tomorrow... only learning of the poses he wants right now)

[Greg B]

onyx, you would probably start by changing your hair colour.....

[birddog114]

onyx, you would probably start by changing your hair colour.....

Yes, my guess is: he will be doing it soon!

[gstark]

Onyx,

One light, slightly diffused (mini-softbox) placed high and to the left of the photographer when looking at the subject.

Black background, several feet behind the model.

Use a couple of barndoors on the light source to prevent light fall-off onto the background.

[Onyx]

OK guys, lacking all that fancy schmancy lighting gear - and it being pretty much my first time shooting posed people, here are my results from the shoot:


Pixspot Link

That was the shot intending to copy the style of the previously linked one. (fairly heavily PP'ed)

Another

And another

Seriously, critique the hell out of it please. I have a heap to learn about shooting people - and at this stage I still prefer shooting inanimate objects.

[MHD]

I think you need something to shine on his hair.... It blends to the background to well...

[sirhc55]

I think you need something to shine on his hair.... It blends to the background to well...

I would tend to agree with MHD on this Onyx. Did you use any lighting other than natural?

Chris

[Onyx]

I think you need something to shine on his hair.... It blends to the background to well...

That was the look I was going for - he wanted to be "mysterious and unrecognisable".

Here's the original shot -


Notice the undesireably not-quite-black background, and the existence of a shadow due to not being far enough infront of it.

[MHD]

if you could get a light that added some shine to the hair (ie some reflection) even if it just gave an idea of hair I think it would improve the image without loosing the "mysteriousness" of the image

[sirhc55]

Onyx - took your shot into photoshop and used the magic want to select the background (rough and ready) then filled the selected area with black - it worked very well. This gets rid of the background and gives you the space to work on the pic itself

Chris

[Onyx]

Well, I told James to dye his hair a lighter colour and get his hands on some fancy movie making lights from his uni - we'll try another session.

Thanks for your input Chris and Scott - I've taken it on board and in the process of absorbing it all.

The 80-200 held up its end of the deal...now to improve what's behind the viewfinder.

[owen]

Hey Onyx, how ya going mate.

If you're after mysterious and unrecognisable, then I think perhaps try leaving full shadow on one side of his face, maybe having one light shining one one side so that it slightly spills over to the other side of his face - but then goes into darkness.

Just an idea.

[ru32day]

A tip which might or might not be useful in this context, which I read in a book some time ago, is to shoot from slightly low (not too far, because you ruin the perspective), to make the model look more powerful (that is, if you're after strong and mysterious).

Although I'm by no means an expert at shooting anything, let alone live victims, this tip did work well for me, but I usually have to take a few shots because, as I said, if you get the angle too severe, it's immediately noticeable.

Also, I'd consider shooting less of the neck and, rather than trying too hard to get light reflecting off the hair, another option is to simply compose the shot so most of it's not shown either. You've cropped a reasonable amount of neck and hair in your pp'd shot anyway.

[lejazzcat]

OK guys, lacking all that fancy schmancy lighting gear - and it being pretty much my first time shooting posed people, here are my results from the shoot:

Seriously, critique the hell out of it please. I have a heap to learn about shooting people - and at this stage I still prefer shooting inanimate objects.

Ok Onyx,

Some of the best portraits are done with bounced daylight .

Try this, sit a chair a few paces inside of a opened garage door .
Set up a white screen to bounce daylight back into the darkened garage.
The back of the garage should be -4ev darker, so hence a black backround.

Position the screen to the right and at 45% to camera, and the camera perpendicular to the line of your model. Place his chair at a angle to camera . Straight is boring. Either stradling the chair or sitting comfortably.
And just start talking to him as you shoot( its digital so your not wasting film ) . After a while, he'll forget whats going on. Tell a few jokes and when he laughs out loud, shoot . Its usually his best smile . Forced smiles always look fake.

Onyx, You dont need heaps of flash gear to get a nice portrait !


As for shooting a inanimate object , I think you managed to capture just that. Talk about a mug shot! (actually put one beside it in profile and you have your edgy arty look )

Seriously,
Wheres the emotion??? Two words - body language!
70% of what we communicate is done via body language. Ask any women.
Actually get a women's opinion on your work in progress. They have great instincts for this type of thing.

Try to get him to use his eyes, his brow, the tilt of his head , the tip his tongue - whatever, BUT he and you must think like a silent movie actor.

Have him looking off into the distance, making us wonder what about...
Especially if you dont want his body in frame.

Hair and makeup- get some product in there and mess him up !

Then theres props - a hat, glasses, a glass, the classic cigarette etc

Also, as he has fairly dark features , you might like to try a contrasting empty white backdrop(harder to recreate). Dress him in all black and you have the 'bad guy'look . That sort of thing- its just theatre tricks but it adds drama.

If he doesnt have a character in mind , create one for him, like as if hes an actor in your movie. Roleplay thigs. Get his input and he'll get into it, and then 'bam'!, youll get into it and 'wham' all of a sudden there will be this connection between him and the camera and all you have to do is squeeze the button at full speed . Capture him in motion . Dont pose him anymore . He should always appear dynamic, even 'mysterious' because you dont know what he'll do next !

Ok - have fun !

[Raydar]

I'll have a play with it tonight when I get home if you don't mind????
You will be able to get the effect in photoshop!!!!

Cheers
Ray

[Onyx]

lejazzcat - thank you for the many suggestions. I immediately noticed a difference in the images shot sitting versus standing. The face is ultimately more relaxed and makes for a better pose.

Raydar, welcome to have a play, and thanks. I actually uploaded quite a number to my Pixspot gallery (under Misc) but deleted most of them last night cos I was merely showcasing it off to James. He actually favoured most of the images straight from the camera - so I'll do more of that in the future shoot and don't bother wasting time in PP...

[ru32day]

Set up a white screen to bounce daylight back into the darkened garage.

I use the white side of a reflector made for a car windscreen - it's quite large (windscreen size ) and it works really well - the whole thing twists into a circle that will fit into the lowepro micro trekker with my other gear as well. Of course, the fact that it was one piece of gear I already had and therefore didn't need to fork out for was a good thing too.

You'd be amazed at the situations in which a bit of reflected light helps.

[Raydar]

Had a quick play with it.
You could add a lighting effect to soften his face a little as well.
See what you think.





Cheers
Ray

[Onyx]

Raydar, that's a great result! You managed to make his hair more prominently stand out from the background. I'm a PS newb so if you don't mind, what were the step by steps you took for the final outcome? (lighting effects to soften face totally lost me) TIA.

[Raydar]

All I done was make a selection of James using the lasso tool for a rough start then the quick mask to go around the edge to get all the fine detail.
Then feather the selection by about 2 – 3 pixels.
Then invert the selection & have a play around with the hue saturation to get the black back ground.
When you have done that grab the colour picker & sample the back ground, then grab the brush tool and go around James’s out line & blend him into the back ground.
With his face just use the blur tool set to a very low setting to clean his face up a little.
That’s it.

With the lighting effect go to filter, render – lighting effects, in there you will find a heap of deferent lighting you can apply to the image.

I think you will find that the image you are trying to recreate was touched up in PS any way mate!!!!!!

Hope this helps!!!

Cheers
Ray