Corporate portraits

[Reschsmooth]

I posted these images in the other thread about 'Request for Advise', but thought I would post the images here for more C&C:

I reckon the shoot went well, even though I wasn't always the shooter (by virtue of being the subject, at times).

Here are some quick and nasty images with a bit of PP on a completely uncalibrated laptop. C&C appreciated.

[surenj]

Just repeating what I said in the other thread:

"Hope they paid you big money because these are sizzling!"

Addit; in the future us newbies would love a setup shot so we can learn from the master!

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks Suren,

Time permitting, I will try to use the website Bruce (Oz Beachside) referenced in the other thread. In case you are interested, the download is a psd file with a bunch of layers representing different tools, models, etc that you can move around your 'studio' to show where you place your main light, soft-box, gridded light, hairlight, flag, etc. Very cool, but a little time consuming when you don't have much to start with.

[biggerry]

I think these are great, the portraits really come off as pro looking images and are very 'corporate style', i think you have really achieved the desired result!

The first group shot might be helped alittle by giving the picture a bit more room, ie just a fraction wider to encompass the ladies shoulders on each side - I just feel a little cramped when looking at it, like its half way between a group shot and a group mug shot, am i making sense here?

[zafra52]

Number 2 and three are outstanding! You made the subjects feel comfortable, natural and human. Well done!

[Reschsmooth]

The first group shot might be helped alittle by giving the picture a bit more room, ie just a fraction wider to encompass the ladies shoulders on each side - I just feel a little cramped when looking at it, like its half way between a group shot and a group mug shot, am i making sense here?

Gerry, I agree with your comments, however, any wider would show elements of the background (namely white concrete pillars) which would have disrupted the 'feel' of the background. Accordingly, I have compromised and gone for the tighter shot. Even still, there is one element in the background which I had to try to conceal post as I couldn't do more pre.

Thanks for the comments, everyone. I will try to get the lighting diagrams up soon, but, a quick description:

Group shot:

1. Large softbox (horizontal) above photographer just below ceiling level angled down with the light on about 3/4 power or so.
2. Smaller softbox behind group at camera left, light on about 1/4 power
3. SB800 with white shoot-through brollie behind group camera right. Flash on about 1/8th power
4. Slave on bench behind group angled up at the wall.
5. I may have had the Metz facing the camera but obscured behind the bloke in the middle to provide a bit of rim lighting. I don't recall, and I may not have used it for this shot.
6. Camera aperture at about f8 and shutter speed at /250th I believe to kill some of the ambient.

Single portraits.

1. Large softbox (vertical) camera right (main light), at about 70 degrees away from camera. 1/4 power.
2. SB800 45 degrees camera left for fill at about 1/16th or less through shoot-through brollie.
3. Small softbox behind and to the left (from camera's perspective) for hairlight.
4. Slave as above.
5. Metz as above.
6. Aperture at about f/4.5 for narrow depth of field.

For the portraits of the blokes, I was initially trying a different lighting technique, along the lines of this photo of Lance Armstrong (the first one), but, apart from killing this one in post, I think I got no-where near.



I am happy for anyone to try to diagnose where I went wrong (my set up was two softboxes behind and at an angle to subject, SB800 shoot-through above camera facing down to subject's face), but my initial diagnosis was:

1. Too much power from softboxes.
2. Brollie in front of subject not high enough and too much power.
3. Lens too wide open.
4. Rear hairlights needed to be further back and at a sharper angle so there was no spill onto the face of the subject.

Anyone else want to give ideas?

[Glen]

Patrick, tremendous

[sirhc55]

There’s nowt wrong with those portraits Patrick

And what Mr Glen said. . . .

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks Chris & Glen

So, you reckon I should ditch the finance world and become a corporate photographer? Nah, I will stick with what I am paid to pretend I am good at!

[gstark]

Nah, I will stick with what I am paid to pretend I am good at!

Patrick,

You're in deep shit, mate.

[Reschsmooth]

Nah, I will stick with what I am paid to pretend I am good at!

Patrick,

You're in deep shit, mate.

How so? (I am sure your quip is painfully obvious to most, but I am sleep deprived so will claim ignorance)

[gstark]

Nah, I will stick with what I am paid to pretend I am good at!

Patrick,

You're in deep shit, mate.

How so? (I am sure your quip is painfully obvious to most, but I am sleep deprived so will claim ignorance)

zzzzzzzzzzz

[Matt. K]

Patrick
Nice work but I gotta admit I'm not a fan of the red background. I'm a great believer in neutral Grey or slightly blue backgrounds that don't try and compete with delicate skin tones. Not only does red overpower the skin tones but it also 'advances' the background whereas cooler colours recede the background and give an illusion of more depth perspective.
(Basic colour perception theory....warm colours advance and cool colours recede)
One last small point....it's not a good idea to sit people in low couches when doing portraits because they can't hold an elegant posture. What tends to happen is they slouch, their shoulders droop and the chin drops. It creates a layer of negative complexity that needs to be dealt with by the photographer before pressing the shutter.

Hope this gives you something to think about..

[surenj]

Matt, Thanks for those subtle but important observations! My untrained eye did not spot them at all!

[Reschsmooth]

Matt, thanks for the great feedback. Whilst I was a little constrained in terms of props and apperatus (the longest clean wall we had was the red one), I accept what you are saying. I was concerned about the couch as it is very low. We had some red chairs in the reception area which may have suited better, but, to have 4 in line for the ladies would have ruined the chances of a continuous background.

[sirhc55]

Thanks Chris & Glen

So, you reckon I should ditch the finance world and become a corporate photographer? Nah, I will stick with what I am paid to pretend I am good at!

If you had written concrete instead of corporate I would have said go for it with relish

[gstark]

Thanks Chris & Glen

So, you reckon I should ditch the finance world and become a corporate photographer? Nah, I will stick with what I am paid to pretend I am good at!

If you had written concrete instead of corporate I would have said go for it with relish

And mustard and ketchup too.