I made some new attempts with Four Legged James tonight. He is not quite as cooperative as Cali is (nor as pliable via treats). However, we got some OK ones. I also did my first stab at human-pet portraiture. It came out OK - the one complaint that I had was the hair that kept falling in my wife's face. Otherwise, the light is quite nice.

-JM

Those are really nice! The last one is an excellent portrait.

I might have your wife wear a lighter color, so she stands out against the background. If she had lighter hair, I don't think it would be as big of a deal

But then, part of me likes the way her shirt blends in

How is that for waffling?

Hi Julie,

Thanks for the comments. It was a real debate on the color of her shirt. We decided that we wanted to go for a very soft light on my wife's face and to real make the images about my wife's expressions and the cat's.

A little waffling is OK. We did the same thing.

-JM

Hi James,

Sorry to keep harping on but I think these would look nicer (technically) if you put that reflector in on the left. It would bounce some soft light back into the kittys right eye which is a little dark. If you get one of those lastolite ones you can have white on one side and silver on the other to choose a different look. Or do what I did when I had no money - get a big sheet of mount card and stick baking foil to one side. I'm going to the studio in a minute and if I get a chance I'll shoot an example.

Hey Pete,

Please harp away. You are referring to the shots outside of the one with my wife in it, yes? I intentionally cut the light out from one side. I have a 6 flashes at my disposal and only used two in this one. However, I am not sure that we are seeing the same things.

BTW, how and where would you mount the reflector? When I have used a reflector in the past, I have had an assistant with me. In these cases, I have no assistant as it has just been my wife and I. I would love to see an example of what you are talking about.

Thank you for your feedback.

-JM

Hi James,

Ok Lets see if this works



It should hopefully demonstrate the ability to lift a shot slightly when using a single light source. Personally I would never shoot anything without a reflector on the oppsite side. (Unless I was after really dramatic light/dark). It should hopefully be self explanatory but fire away with questions if anyone has any.

For the record I always work on my own and am used to holding reflectors up with another light stand or a chair or sticky tape - generally whatever is around. The fhird shot has got so much light on it from the gold reflector I would start to alter my exposure a little but these have been deliberatly taken at the same exposure.

Hey Pete,

Thanks for taking the time to do this. I do see a slight different in the teddy bear shots. It will be fun to add a few of these this weekend when I get a chance to do some shooting next.

In my shots of James above, I specifically angled the lights and light ratio so that one side of the face would be slightly darker than the other. I take it that this is unpleasing or not extreme enough?

-JM

Hi James,

Its not that they are unpleasing - but I do feel they kind of sit in the middle - either get it darker or add a bit of light back in. The problem for me is in the eyes - its a great pair of bright eyes your kitty has but one is really flat and dull (I'm talking about shots 1 & 3) and the other is bright with a nice catch light. Try going one way or the other.

Its tricky - photography is subjective and I will look at your pics in a different way to you and others (anyone else out their going to add their two-penneth?) Its further complicated by the fact that as its your cat you are "attached" and see things differently than if you were doing it for a customer.

If I get a chance on Sunday I will take my two cats to the studio and shoot some pics.

Hey Pete,

Thanks again for the comments. I understand fully where you are coming from and I can definitely see it. I think the look I was going for was not complete. I really should have handled the light in a fashion to really go dark on one side (which was what I was attempting to do).

I look forward to seeing your felines this weekend!

-JM