More Rio

Raised the key again with these by using a grey background lit by a flash with diffuser. The subject was lit by a softbox to camera right and a high snoot from camera left. Not sure if the latter added anything as he moves a lot and it is easy for the snoot to miss.

I dont have a white background so I lightened the grey one in Photoshop Elements using the dodge tool. This has probably led to some degrading of the image round the periphery of the subject, but until I get a white background is the best I can do.

I have started using the camera on a tripod triggered by remote so as to give me more control over the subject.

Peter, these are clearly not as popular as most of your series so far, judging by the lack of posts. Don't despair, the lighting on your subject itself looks very nice, plenty of directional quality and contrast. Its that background which has messed it up! They look like the commercial factory run photos my daughters get taken at school .... the bright white background they use saps away at the faces there, so much so that I've stopped buying them now. More of what you were before please

Thanks Nigel, appreciate the honest answer. Sometimes one can put so much effort into a picture that it blurs the objectivity...."I have put a lot into this so it must be better"

I always welcome a response and will only learn more from the critical ones too.