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-   -   Blue Boy (http://portraitartistforum.com/showthread.php?t=1163)

Tammy Nielsen 08-16-2002 09:11 PM

Blue Boy
 
1 Attachment(s)
Here's a photo: though I now know, thanks to the Forum, that one light source is not ideal, could this be saved?

Thanks,
Tammy

Mike McCarty 08-25-2002 11:11 AM

Quote:

Here's a photo: though I now know, thanks to the Forum, that one light source is not ideal, could this be saved?
Tammy,

If that single light source is a flash, I would agree with you. Otherwise, a single source of light can be quite desirable. You have a cute kid with a nice outfit for painting. One of my complaints with this photo is that the photographer shot down on the little guy. It is a common mistake when shooting short people. You are better off to bend those knees and bring the camera down to their eye level or below.

Place a chair near a window. Position the camera at the approximate hight of the seated boy's eyes. Look through the lens at the chair and the light. When you like what you see go and get your little fellow and place him in the chair. Now run around to the camera and look at him through the lens. If the light is too harsh pull the chair further from the window. If too dark, move towards the window. Now do your best to direct his chin up or down and his nose left or right. Watch as the light hits the cheek on the opposite side of the light source. Then as speedily as you can take a dozen or more shots. No flash. 400 speed film. Preferably using a tripod to control the shakes. And remember to position your camera at the subject's eye level. If they refuse to be posed then just let them move. When they come to rest then shoot.

Kids can be tough in these settings, but if you do most of your work before they get in the chair it can work out. Even small kids can keep it together for 5 minutes. You can take a roll of 24 in that time.

Can this be saved? I would say that you can do better. You could be looking at new and better pictures in 3 hours. No need to settle.

Tammy Nielsen 08-25-2002 11:45 AM

Thanks, Mike.

I've learned so much from your advice as well as your photos. But this little boy was captured at my Grandma's 90th birthday and he's four years older now. I just really liked this shot and it surprised me that the background was all black. I just used one of those cameras that you send in. Why was it black in the background? It did the same with another picture. I have just completed the picture in pastel and I tried to use all the things I've learned from everyone in the Forum. See what you think, Mike. I posted it in Pastels:. http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...threadid=1217.

Thanks,
Tammy

Steven Sweeney 09-02-2002 03:04 AM

A little late (I'm catching up), but to the matter of the perspective on this little guy, you might find it instructive to have a look at Peggy Baumgaertner's "Professionals Unveilings" post entitled "Jackson" [you'll have to search back in the posts to the prior page of topics].

Administrator's Note: Here's Peggy's post http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...hlight=jackson

Tammy Nielsen 09-02-2002 12:15 PM

Thanks, Steven
 
Peggy's post gave me a full plate. In Tiger's words, "I love this place!"

Thanks again,
Tammy


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