Golden Brown (Westy 52 Project)

Golden Brown
Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

This weeks' image is a shot of Clare from our two flash trial session.

This shot used one flash (camera left) shot through a white umbrella to give the lovely soft lighting on Clare's face, and another behind her to provide the hairlight. (Diagram at end of post)

Converted to B&W in Photoshop and then I applied a 'Brown Sugar' photoshop action that gives the warm (almost Sepia) effect to the background.

I hope you like it. 

 

  The hairlight SB-600 was set to very low power, and yet still gave more spill than I would have liked. 

A snoot would have been a better way to go.

Another from the trial...

Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

Again this was shot with my 'Budget Studio'

Light shot through a brolley (camera left) to difuse the flash from the SB-800, white reflector (camera right) and the SB-600 directly behind Clare to act as a hairlight.

Levels adjusted in Photoshop, and a little bit of 'ping' added to the eyes.

We are getting there with this lighting gear...

Budget Studio - Megan

Budget Studio - Megan
Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

I set-up this shot to see what was possible with the flash gear I have.

I used a sheet for the background (covering a mirror... which reflects the light back a little), 1 x sb-800 with a Fong sphere and 1 x sb-600 with a sphere...

That's it!

Really pleased with the soft wrap around light that the Spheres have produced, and also the skin tone.

A little sharpening on Megan's eyes in Photoshop, and a slightly lightened background was all the post production work that was required.

I will continue to test with the set-up, maybe using a Black background too.

Can't put it down (Westy 52 Project)

Can't put it down
Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

This weeks' shot was very simple to set-up.

Clare was reading in bed, with her side lamp on - The book was acting as a reflector, which gave me the idea of firing a wireless SB-800 directly into it to get the effect here.

I underexposed the background by a full 1 stop to turn it to black.

D300, single sb-800, 85 1.4.

Like my Big Sister (Westy 52 Project)

Like my Big Sister
Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

My choice for week 2 is this shot of Megan.

I set-up a 2 flash (simple Speedlights) home studio in the Lounge. One flash (camera left) firing into a silver brolley, and one behind Megan (camera right), to move her away from the dark background.

The rear light also acted as a bit of a 'hair light'.

Very little post production in Photoshop, just a slight radial burn to darken the corners.

As usual, feel free to leave a comment (you don't need to register or anything, or even leave your name if you wish...)

Planning for next week's shot already...

52 Week Project launched

Megan - Holga Portrait
Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

This is the first image that I have chosen to feature in my 'Westy 52 Project'.

It is a natural light portrait of Megan, which I have converted using Nik SilverEFEX.

I will post my favorite image every week of the year throughout 2009. Each image will have been taken during the week in which I post it.

The full set will build, and can be viewed at;

Westy 52 Project '09

I will also add a Blog entry each week explaining the reason behind my choice and also some of the background to the image.

Megan - Holga Portrait

Megan - Holga Portrait
Originally uploaded by Westy Photography

This is my first post of 2009 - Happy New Year all!

This was a shot of Megan using the D200 + available light. Due to the low(ish) lighting available, I had to go to ISO 640.

Although the D200 can handle that (I wouldn't go much higher), noise does start to appear.

Rather than try to erradicate it (with Noise Ninja for example) which would have softened the image, I decided to USE the grain instead, going for a 'Holga' style portrait.

I think the contrast works really nicely.

Still undecided on the Holga though...