Portrait Tips Wanted

[Ulysses]

Where is Neballer when you need to call upon his devine wisdom?

Okay, maybe someone has some good experience and knowledge with taking good portrait photographs. I want to take some photos of myself (hell, who wouldn't want to!?) but the lighting is all wrong ... I just cannot capture my beauty as I see it in the mirror. Am I going to have to get a pro photographer or what!? If only I was a landscape ...

Anybody got some good tips and/or advice?

[D-Frag]

Ive got some great photography tips for doing portrait shots. One thing that I have seen, is a piece of paper with a white, black, and midtone sample on it. Your subject holds it up while you do some tests shots so you can do the minor adjustments on your camera. When you finally get the shots into PS, you can use that one with the test strip and adjust your levels, save them, and use them on your other shots.

Also, their are endless amounts of books out their for digital photography, the best one ive read so far is "Photoshop CS for digital photographers" by Scott Kelby. This book will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about photography, and adjusting in photoshop. If you want some super duper details, I will have to wait until I get off work to write you up a tutorial of sorts. Pm me if I forget and ill hook ya up, got the book sitting right here.

[morea]

1. watch your lighting

2. wear pants

[Ulysses]

1. watch your lighting

2. wear pants


1. Good point. I'll have to read up on this, like D-Frag suggest.

2. Bugger. You don't mean underwear, right!?


That test-page photo idea is a cracker too, D-Frag. Thanks for that.

[Ulysses]

Just looked up the book D-Frag mentioned: here (http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1584503211/ref=sib_rdr_next3_ex6/104-7106801-9915126?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S00O&ns=1#reader-page)

Seems that the lighting/flash/exposure configuration is going to take some time to develop. I never worried about it much back at school, but I'm, sure it plays the biggest factor with why my shots are coming out crap.

[keith1]

photoshop does wonders. i can make myself look like brad pitt. wait i already look like brad pitt, ;)

[Vikia]

I love using natural lighting from a window as a backlight and soft reflecting the light from a large sheet of brite white poster board in front to light up facial features. I usually have someone hold the poster board and aim it upward. Try with and without a flash.

[Ulysses]

I love using natural lighting from a window as a backlight and soft reflecting the light from a large sheet of brite white poster board in front to light up facial features. I usually have someone hold the poster board and aim it upward. Try with and without a flash.

This light-dispersal idea is good ... I was sure that there must be ways around the dark shadows that I always seem to get.

[Vikia]

This light-dispersal idea is good ... I was sure that there must be ways around the dark shadows that I always seem to get.

You can also bounce reflect a flash that is pointed at the poster board or white wall or ceiling to give you a softer flash.

[beano]

Tutorial (http://www.deviantart.com/view/8090016/) <--- May or maynot be of use to you... ;)

[Ulysses]

Thanks Beano ... the shadow thing has come up again a few times now ... I've already been told to mock up a cone with foil, to help direct light from the subject, so as to soften the face. I'm thinking this will have a tremendous affect on the portraits ...