Recreating shots

P

Polaroid22

Well-known member
Hello,

I am planning doing some macro shots. And I have just bought 2 Arri 650's. And a roll of 1/2 CTB.
And I tried recreating some images from a video, but they are far from it. Can someone have a look at it and tell me how to change those shots to something that looks more like it?

Here you can see the screenshots With inspiration and how my shots look. Keep in mind that my shots are not graded.


Inspiration shot 1:
10opv28.jpg

1zqeued.jpg


My shot (Daylight by the window):

2hhordi.png


Inspiration shot 2:
2644z07.jpg


11vk7kh.jpg


My shot 2 (Arri 650W with bakingpaper infront of it(diffusion).):
6e3c6g.png


Inpspiration shot 3:

s6hd87.jpg

30hork7.jpg


My shot 3 (3 times a 1/2 CTB in front of a Arri 650W.):

14mce38.png



3 times a 1/2 CTB in front of a Arri 650W as backlight and a ARRI 650 with diffusion hit from the side.
2m4akk1.png



2 times a 1/2CTB in front of a ARRI 650W
34i1nxs.png



1/2 CTB in front of a ARRI 650W
11ry5ow.png



ARRI 650W
2v2uusn.png


Inspiration last shot:
25upd9v.jpg


2ccpj7m.jpg

Thanks
 
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It would be better if you'd just embed the pics into the post. Most people are going to be wary of those kinds of links.
 
OK, now that you have pics, I'm not totally sure what you're asking about here. It would help further for you to identify what you yourself see as the problems.

One of the biggest differences I see between your example shots and your own shots is the angle of the shot. You're taking shots of the eye (your own?) from pretty much straight on, but the exemplar shots are all from what looks to be about a 45-degree angle to the side of the model's face, with the model looking into the lens, and catching part of the nose, creating a contour you don't have.

Also, part of the background in visible in those shots, though out of focus, creating an effect not present in your shots which show only the eye and surrounding face.

And yes, the wet eyelashes in the exemplars make quite a bit of difference, as does the eye color and eye shape. The bulk of cinematography -- and recreating a shot -- is what you point the camera at. As they say, if you want a pretty shot of a girl, start with a pretty girl.

As for the lighting, it looks like the lighting of all of your shots is also pretty much straight on, rather than from an angle and a bit above like the exemplars. The exemplars have shadows and shaping that yours don't. They also appear to be employing softer light.

The dark shots -- it's pretty hard to compare when the exemplars are totally different shots (skin, hairpin), but in those, they're probably shots which were taken with a much higher exposure than it appears and the levels brought down in post.
 
Yes I did not have a model today, and I just tried shooting my own eye as a reference. Mainly I am looking how they did the lighting. The colors look so much different then mine. They look so more better. And I dont think its the grade??
In the inspiration photo's. I can see its daylight, evening(tungsten?), Night, and morning.

So when I get someone to model for me:
- Change the 45° degree of the camera so i have some "Nice" Background.
- How do I soften my light? Add more baking paper on it? (I do still have some umbrella's from flash photography, I can try to use those)
- And also change the angle of the light, so more shadow falls into the face.
- How do I change the color? As the color of the lights seems so much better?
 
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Well, I don't know what you mean by the color of the light being "better." It could be a bit cooler (more blue), but a lot of the perception of it has to do with the blue/gray background and the blue iris. Plus, her skin is wet, creating effects you don't have, reflecting some of the colors surrounding her.

No idea what kind of grading was done, either in-camera or in post, but certainly something was done.
 
My brother just came home, so I took advantage of that. And tested it on him.

I set my lights up as so(I might want to order a Blue party gel, for my second 650 wat that can light up the wall):


So the light is a ARRI 650W with a half CTB on it.
saw4lj.jpg


t0sz1h.png
 
- Well I am shooting on a GH3, and shot this with a panasonic 12-35mm 2.8. Some of the shots are around 20mm. + I use a diopter +10 + ETC mode. So that makes it 80mm + diopter +10.
I just ordered a step down ring, so I can use my canon 50mm 1.8 with the diopter +10. But I find it very hard to focus with longer lenses with the diopter on it.

- I am useing the 1/2CTB to make it look more like daylight.

Any suggestions about how to increase the shots?

Thanks!
 
Would really need to see the video in context to tell, but to my eye it looks like a longer focal length lens was used, and I would drop the 1/2 cto.
 
Polaroid22 said:
My brother just came home, so I took advantage of that. And tested it on him.

I set my lights up as so(I might want to order a Blue party gel, for my second 650 wat that can light up the wall):


So the light is a ARRI 650W with a half CTB on it.
saw4lj.jpg


t0sz1h.png
Click to expand...

That's already closer to what you want, isn't it? But I think you have your key on the wrong side. Plus, you'll need a bit of fill.
 
Yes I will order some party gels and light up the wall and use a umbrella as diffusion on.
As seen in the diagram below. Will that work?

2jc96qo.jpg
 
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