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...