Babysitter portrait

Michele Rushworth · 06-30-2004, 02:57 PM

Try moving her a lot closer to the window. The daylight is probably angling downward to light her lower half and her top half is in shadow.

Joan Breckwoldt · 06-30-2004, 05:01 PM

Hi Michele,

My problem when I move her closer to the window is that her face is half in shadow because the light is hitting her face from the side. I'm squished up against the wall and even if she's two feet away from the window, when she turns to look at me, half her face is in the shadow. That is why I moved her away from the window, so when she looks at me, I could try to get more of her face in the light. See my dilema? I hope I'm explaining this right. I even took a few where she was closer to the window and I opened the french doors and stood OUTSIDE.

Oh, let me show you one of those. Here it is below. It looks cooler, don't you think?

Thank you Michele for hanging in there with me and trying to help me solve this problem. I really appreciate it.

She is planning on coming over tomorrow so I can paint a little from life, I could shoot more photos then if I could figure out what to shoot! So you think the one below is an improvement?

Joan

Michele Rushworth · 06-30-2004, 05:15 PM

Yes, it is an improvement, though the problem is still there somewhat. Having her kneel might be a good idea when you take additional shots, though, since your window isn't very tall.

Another possibility would be to use a large piece of white foam core as a reflector to bounce light up onto the top half of her. Position the reflector (held by an assistant) off to the left, aimed up at her face. (Whatever position it needs to be in to mimic the direction of the original window light but bouncing it up onto the top half of her figure.) You don't want TOO much light coming from the reflector though so play with how far the reflector is from the subject.

Since you're going to reshoot you might also want to ask her to stand up a bit straighter.

Joan Breckwoldt · 06-30-2004, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

The daylight is probably angling downward to light her lower half and her top half is in shadow.

I think you figured it out when you said this! That must be what's happening, I don't know what else it could be.

I'll try her kneeling tomorrow. And I'll ask her to take her heels off. Either that or specialize in subjects that are less than 4' tall.

Thanks again Michele for taking the time to help me with this,

Joan

Allan Rahbek · 06-30-2004, 06:02 PM

Joan.

Perhaps you could try to reflect the sunlight from outside the house would give a stronger effect?

Allan

Chris Saper · 06-30-2004, 08:37 PM

Dear Joan,

Having just done some very exciting bedtime reading - the Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers, I have discovered that the recent CS edition of photoshop has an adjustment that can change the Kelvin temperature of the image on the computer, and therefore on the print. It doesn't matter whether the image got into the computer as film or digital.

So it occurs to me that you might want to experiment ,if you either have the CS edition or know someone who does. You get to "Photo filter" in the "Image Adjust" area.

Another possible solution might be to simply work from a good B/W print, and commit to either a warm or cool light source. You probably have enough color information to guide you.

Joan Breckwoldt · 06-30-2004, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Saper

. . .change the Kelvin temperature of the image on the computer, and therefore on the print.

Dear Chris,

Lucky me that you have such exciting bedtime reading! I find what can be done with technology amazing. I have yet to purchase photoshop but I think I need to buy that program. I am very happy with the poses I have and the shadows. I have been working hard to get good shadows. It seems when I get one thing figured out, there is always something else that I didn't get! I know, this makes life interesting and challenging.

It sounds worth it to me to buy this program if it can alter my photos enough to make them good enough to paint from. And if it saves me from having to reshoot over and over.

I plan to paint the model from one of the photographs I took. I'll mix up skin color according to your book and then do a study from the photographs on Sunday. When she comes over Monday I'll adjust the colors however they need adjusting. It'll just be a painting of the face, a study with color 'notes'. Anyway, that is my current plan. But it sure would be nice to have a photo with the correct temperature to paint from. I was planning on cool light and warm shadows since it's daylight.

Enough of my rambling, Chris, thank you for passing on your suggestion!

Joan

P.S. What do you think about the skin tones in that last photograph above? Too . . . . what?

Joan Breckwoldt · 06-30-2004, 08:42 PM

Hi Allan,

Hmm, that's a good idea! There is a lot of sunlight out there when the sun isn't behind clouds. But . . . what exactly do you mean? I did use a white reflector, just a white poster sized thick matt board to reflect light back into the shadow side of her face. Maybe I need a huge reflector board of some kind? Or a white sheet draped . . . somewhere. It's not immediately obvious how I would do this but now I've got the whole weekend to figure it out. My 'model' can't come over until Monday morning, then she's leaving town. So at least I've got one more chance to take some photos.

If you can elaborate on your idea, I would love to hear more.

Thank you!

Joan

Allan Rahbek · 07-01-2004, 03:34 PM

Hi Joan,

What I meant was simply to get the maximum light indoor. I imagine that this can be done by placing a big white sheet just outside the door, to catch the sunlight like a mirror and reflect it into the room. This will bee like a big soft lamp.

If the door is open, the effect will be stronger.

Allan

Linda Brandon · 06-30-2004, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joan Breckwoldt

I'll try her kneeling tomorrow. And I'll ask her to take her heels off. Either that or specialize in subjects that are less than 4' tall.

Joan, how about just putting her in a chair? That ought to lower her down and get her into the light. Get your camera at her eye level; if you don't have a tripod, support yourself with your elbows on a table.

I often prefer seated poses anyway, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that subjects often just look more comfortable that way.