How's this lighting look to you guys? Too lit? not enough light?

Gordon Willis would say it's way too bright.


In all seriousness though, it depends on the script (which is what any cinematographer will say). If you're going for dramatic, I think you've hit the nail on the head, it looks dramatic. I think the tighter shot is a little flat, though.
 
Two comments...

1. In reading an article by the DP of "Sex and the City" he said something hugely profound for lighting women "of a certain age". If their face is the brightest thing in the picture, you're probably already in trouble.

2. In a similar vein, if you are going to light someone and put a source of light in the scene, then the SOURCE of light should be brighter than the reflected light. In this case, you have a nicely lit window in the background. I'd say that the face shouldn't read any hotter than the window in the background. Or if you want to light the face hotter, then show the window you're actually using for the motivated light. Otherwise it just looks forced.

I'll attach an example.
 

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i agree. the talent is simply not lit brightly enough.

the overall effect it has on me is to view this person as gray, drab, depressed, maybe even ill.

either increase the amount of light on her, particularly the fill, or try to decrease/control the ambient light on the background.

oh! i just realized, the mistake you might be making is leaving your iris on Auto!! because it looks like you're exposing for the overall picture where in these shots i believe you should expose for the talent's face. this will make the brightly-lit background blown out, but should make for a better portrait.
 
The first one looks ok to me, I can accept that there is another window on the right of the frame, which faces south. The second one is too dark and flat for me. The third one... what is she doing in the bathroom with the jacket on?
 
Context has a lot to do with how this images work or not. I can't see them pulled from a warm fuzzy "Feel good movie of the summer", but if they are from a darker, more serious drama, they would work. One thing that bothers me in the second pic, there is a prominent eye light on the subjects right eye (camera left), and the left eye (camera right) is almost lost in shadow and does not have any eye light. I find that disconcerting. As far as general portrature, I agree with most of the above and would bring up the light on the subject's face, and depending on the context of course, would flatten it out a bit to be a little more flattering.

And I quess it is cold in the bathroom!.
 
I really don't think that you can judge his lighting with what he's given us. If he's going for a dark dramatic sort of look, you've definitely got it. But if you're trying to light a high key comedy, I definitely don't think you're there.

I had the same feeling about the eyelight thing, but I don't know, again context is important.

Just gotta know more info and what you're going for. They're not bad though, that's for sure.
 
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