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Ripley's turn tonight as my model.

pschlute
Posted 27/05/2017 - 20:23 Link
Another go at portraiture this time with little Ripley.

I lit this with a reflector dish and sock from the left as main light and a softbox from the right as fill light. The background I lit with an umbrella, but i think it could do with more light? Or not?

I change tacticks tonight by setting the camera on a tripod pre-focussed so I could interact with him more and get a more animated expression.

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royd63uk
Posted 27/05/2017 - 23:36 Link
it's a perfect shot
regards
Roy

Pentax K3 gripped,and some lenses
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pentaxroy/

my pbase gallery
Edited by royd63uk: 27/05/2017 - 23:36
Mag07
Posted 28/05/2017 - 02:26 Link
Amazing.
'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)
08tiger
Posted 28/05/2017 - 07:58 Link
Gorgeous
C&C welcome.
Don.
Nigelk
Posted 28/05/2017 - 10:41 Link
Great dog portrait. Such a soulful look beautifully captured.
pschlute
Posted 28/05/2017 - 13:49 Link
Thanks for the comments.

It is a real trial to get him to sit still for a picture. My dilemma is that if I hold the camera he is a) likely to move before I take the shot and b) he tends to be looking straight at me which leads to same-ish pictures.

Using the camera pre-focussed and triggered by remote means I can interact with him and keep him from moving, but I am not getting perfect focus using this technique. I did have some much more animated captures but had to bin them due to focus. At the distance i am shooting I am getting a total DOF of about 7 inches even at f11. That may be fine for human portraits but with the canine sitter one has to allow for the long snout !

I will have to bribe my partner to be my photographic assistant !
Edited by pschlute: 28/05/2017 - 13:51
StephenHampshire
Posted 28/05/2017 - 14:01 Link
I thought for a moment you had got Sigourney Weaver to pose for you!

Very expressive eyes on that pooch, but is there a hint of a halo around the dog??
McGregNi
Posted 28/05/2017 - 14:16 Link
Your lighting again has produced great depth, tones and contrast across the dogs coat (sorry, is that the right term? I'm not a doggy person!). The background brightness seems fine ...personally I still prefer the black background as in your earlier ones, which really sets off the deep tones on the subject.

It's a good angle with the nose at front, giving a sense of presence and dimension . I think you need a smaller aperture, perhaps 1.5 stops smaller, to pull the eyes fully into focus like the nose.

I'd like to see a crop, without the body, a square crop cut off just below the ears and the top brought down also ...I wonder if that would pack a bit more punch? If you leave it as it is then I think there's a bit too much space at the top.

It's good to see your project still developing!
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Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Edited by McGregNi: 28/05/2017 - 14:21
pschlute
Posted 28/05/2017 - 15:20 Link
StephenHampshire wrote:
I thought for a moment you had got Sigourney Weaver to pose for you!

Very expressive eyes on that pooch, but is there a hint of a halo around the dog??

Sigourney was busy I am afraid.

The halo you are seeing is from the illumination of the grey background. I am using one flash with a reflctive umbrella to light it up to try and achieve "seperation" from the subject. Directly behind him is the brightest spot and the light falls off quite sharply. I think I could do with two flashes on the background to light it more evenly, but am already using two flashes on the subject (+1 on background) and I dont have a spare........Yet !!!
Edited by pschlute: 28/05/2017 - 15:21
pschlute
Posted 28/05/2017 - 15:34 Link
McGregNi wrote:


I'd like to see a crop, without the body, a square crop cut off just below the ears

I think you are right Nigel, the square crop suits much better. Although with this particular photo it shows up the focus defficiencies more.

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Edited by pschlute: 28/05/2017 - 15:41
McGregNi
Posted 28/05/2017 - 18:03 Link
Peter, I'm sure that will divide opinion ....i prefer the tighter frame around the face, but I can also see the strength in the longer shape. I think if that original one was to work even better, it would need the paws included.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Edited by McGregNi: 28/05/2017 - 18:04

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