Scene and Shot - BTS photos and the result

NextWaveG

NextWaveG

Well-known member
I decided to do a photo series of BTS shots from some of our productions and a frame grab of the result. Here are the first photos from the series. You can follow us on Facebook to see future additions. http://www.facebook.com/NextWaveDV
 

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Did this quickly for a friend's project today. Ended up using graduated NDs on the lens because I didn't have an flags/nets. 35mm @ f/2.8

Untitled-1-3_zpsa8fcfe5c.jpg
 
Hey William

Here's my basic thoughts on the lady with the glass frame grab.

Take them only for what they are worth but they reflect how I would approach that shot with the gear you obviously had.

Main thing is the diff on barn doors!. At that size and that distance from the source and the subject...its hard, harsh light.

Would the pretty lady thank me for lighting her "so hard"? .....strong shadow under jaw, right side of face and besides nose.

A bigger diff frame ( eg 4x4) closer to her for the light quality and then work the distance of the lamp to the diff frame for the exposure. (Generally ...cover the entire frame with light without spill). M

Makes a nicer eyelight if soft source ( the diff frame) is bigger and closer as well.

Ugly Nose shadow. Apart from harshness...Why is it horizontal beside her nose? Angle of key light. (Classic lighting...nose shadows go downward, soft and short.)

You had a motivational (practical) source light in frame ...yet you have no back light to make her stunning color hair shine and separate her from the bg

Right hand side of face jaw. Soft fill.

BTW - to get control from your lights with and without nets, cutters etc...feather them. ie point them and use the edges of the "beams".
 
Hey Tony

I really like the man in the chair shot.
Got a nice soft feel that you probably intended. (Is that your grade or your source?)

The guy in the warehouse Harsh horizontal Nose upward shadow!
Reflection of source in glasses! Raising the key can eliminate this. Why is it so far away?
Hot small eyelight reflection low in the pupil!
Any reason for no side fill?

Guy in front of cool BG
Same comment really...except the glasses.

Guy in lobby looks good.


　
 
Awesome - great examples and great suggestions. Hope to see more contributors and discussions in this thread.
 
Shooter said:
Hey Tony

I really like the man in the chair shot.
Got a nice soft feel that you probably intended. (Is that your grade or your source?)

The guy in the warehouse Harsh horizontal Nose upward shadow!
Reflection of source in glasses! Raising the key can eliminate this. Why is it so far away?
Hot small eyelight reflection low in the pupil!
Any reason for no side fill?

Guy in front of cool BG
Same comment really...except the glasses.

Guy in lobby looks good.


　
Click to expand...

The warehouse shot was lit for 3 different interviewees, the first of which was shorter. It was one of those in and out shoots. I personally liked the contrast in the lighting for this shot.

All the shots were ungraded.

Thanks for your feedback.
 
I also found the stand reflection in his glasses a distraction.

The guy sitting in the chair could use a stronger backlight to make him pop, and seperate him from the backround. he sort of just blends in.

I find the two different kelvin temps from the hanging practicles looks weird. It's not uncommon to mix light , but this deliberate mix makes his skin tones really look odd and synthetic. There's nothing motivating the different temps. Had there been a window, sure, you could get away with it. It's just not working in this grab, not to mention the hard clip and no fall off from the hanging lights create a harsh clippy bokah. I don't know if you can fix that in post, it looks to be clipped. But we'll see.

The last shot also has a strange look about it, he has a strong shadow in the middle of his face with almost equal amounts of fill from both sides. This shot could work as the large window is motivating the light, a little reflector to even out the shadows in the middle of his face would have given a soft more complete look.

Of course this is all opinion, if you and your client are happy, then thats all that matters. Lighting is pretty subjective, even more so these days.
 
Let me ask about that shot in the warehouse with the gentleman in glasses. I still struggle getting shots with talent in glasses.

Looking at the shoot above, the stand reflection is prominent, but isn't most of the reflection there coming from light on the large boxes, or what ever, just behind the diffusion stand? Would have knocking down the light hitting the boxes eliminated the majority of what is reflected in the glasses?

The next question is what would be the best way to knock down the light hitting the boxes? The first that comes to mind is to put up a flag or black draping angled to block the light (Which I assume is light reflected from the diffusion screen and not spill from the light shooting into the diffusion screen).
 
Shooter said:
Hey William

Here's my basic thoughts on the lady with the glass frame grab.

Take them only for what they are worth but they reflect how I would approach that shot with the gear you obviously had.

Main thing is the diff on barn doors!. At that size and that distance from the source and the subject...its hard, harsh light.

Would the pretty lady thank me for lighting her "so hard"? .....strong shadow under jaw, right side of face and besides nose.

A bigger diff frame ( eg 4x4) closer to her for the light quality and then work the distance of the lamp to the diff frame for the exposure. (Generally ...cover the entire frame with light without spill). M

Makes a nicer eyelight if soft source ( the diff frame) is bigger and closer as well.

Ugly Nose shadow. Apart from harshness...Why is it horizontal beside her nose? Angle of key light. (Classic lighting...nose shadows go downward, soft and short.)

You had a motivational (practical) source light in frame ...yet you have no back light to make her stunning color hair shine and separate her from the bg

Right hand side of face jaw. Soft fill.

BTW - to get control from your lights with and without nets, cutters etc...feather them. ie point them and use the edges of the "beams".
Click to expand...

Agree 100% and that would be my go to on any other day, but for this particular shot we wanted a harsh hard light. I auditioned something to give a rim from that BG light but it really started to look waayyy over-lit. Thanks for the comments though
 
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