You're right, Bruce. Too broad of a generalization. I primarily do street photography. I spent years fighting highlight versus shadow down here, getting chalk and soot results on Tri-X. Pretty soon, I just stopped shooting from 10-4 unless it was overcast (which I like the most). It does wipe out a lot of street photo opportunities, but the people are less sweaty. ;-) I also don't have to futz with lens hoods. These 4-petal hoods make me look so conspicuous, I might as well use a tripod too.
It's good to be back on the list again (after a hiatus of the past 12 months or so. Jeffery On Jul 13, 2013, at 8:47 AM, Bruce Walker <[email protected]> wrote: > Jeffrey Smith wrote: >> >> I don't do formal portraits, so the lighting is the way it is. > > I respectfully disagree, Jeffrey. The light _source_ may be what it > is, but what you do after that makes a huge difference to the quality > of the portrait. > > You may have the sun coming in through blinds on one side of your > classroom. You can position your subject closer or further from the > window and that will affect light fall-off across their face or body. > You can have them face the window or away from it, or any angle in > between. > > If you have them turn their back to the window then position a large > white board behind you to bounce soft light into their face, you can > get a gorgeous backlight to define their hair and flattering even > light to illuminate their features. Do that but have them face 45 > degrees to you and you'll get some side light as well. > > Even a little fill flash from a mini softbox like Walt's will improve > the look in a windowless room with overhead strip lights. > > Fight the crappy light, Jeffrey! :-) > > > On Fri, Jul 12, 2013 at 10:20 AM, Jeffery Smith <[email protected]> wrote: >> I don't do formal portraits, so the lighting is the way it is. ;-) I take a >> photograph of each of my students (75% are African American) on the first >> day of class, using ambient (lousy) classroom lighting and a fast lens. >> >> Jeffery >> >> >> On Jul 12, 2013, at 9:18 AM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Virtually all of the answers so far have focused on exposure only and >>> not lighting. I found this article to be very informative. >>> http://www.nyip.edu/photo-articles/archive/photographing-people-of-color >>> The secret is to create "lots and lots of highlights" on dark skin. >>> This can be done with reflectors or side lighting. >>> >>> From experience, I know that using a strobe from the side would also >>> be very effective if a wedding dress was in the photo. The side light >>> shows the dress in relief (which highlights and preserves folds and >>> details). In fact, a single on-camera strobe is probably the worst way >>> to show off a white wedding dress. >>> >>> On Fri, Jul 12, 2013 at 8:54 AM, Jeffery Smith <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> I adjust lighting accordingly (the meter reading will try to make them >>>> Zone VII) so that all of their facial features are clearly visible and >>>> pleasant. >>>> >>>> Jeffery >>>> >>>> >>>> On Jul 12, 2013, at 12:58 AM, Larry Colen <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> It is discussed briefly in Light, Science an Magic. >>>>> >>>>> In short, either increase exposure, or take advantage of reflections. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 10:31:14PM -0400, P.J. Alling wrote: >>>>>> I have nothing to share except that a mix of skin colors is nothing >>>>>> compared to a black bride in a white dress. >>>>>> >>>>>> On 4/20/2013 12:15 PM, Bipin Gupta wrote: >>>>>>> Request please share resources for photographing dark skinned people. >>>>>>> There is still a greater challenge, that of photographing a group of >>>>>>> people with yellow, brown, white, black skin or every other races of >>>>>>> mankind. >>>>>>> Regards. >>>>>>> Bipin - from that far away enchanting land. >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> There are two kinds of computer users those who've experienced a hard >>>>>> drive failure, and those that will. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>>>> follow the directions. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Larry Colen [email protected] >>>>> http://red4est.com/lrc >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>>> follow the directions. >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>> follow the directions. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> "Photography is a Bastard left by Science on the Doorstep of Art" - >>> Peter Galassi >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > > -- > -bmw > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
