Camera Labs

From a shoot yesterday - I put this edit out quickly last night to let the model and makeup artist get an idea of the pictures they'll be receiving. What do you think?

[edit] Just noted Logic had given some tips on studio lighting so here's how I lit this - it was 4 lights in total.

1. Rear grid spot on white paper behind the models head. I used this to get a diffused glow behind her head fading out to grey. Not sure it's so clear in this tight shot but is more visible in others from the series.
2. Front - 15" Bowens beauty dish with grid diffuser - double diffused with another shower cap type fitting on top. (this creates the circular highlight at the top of the models eye)
3. Above rear pointing down - snoot. This was to direct some light to the hair.
*** All of the above were Bowens 300/500 studio monoblocs
4. Camera right/rear about 45 degrees to the model. An SB900 on a stand with another grid diffuser and shower cap arrangement - highlighting the shoulder and chin.

Reflectors
1. Lastolite triflector - one silver panel only - a few inches below the models chin. (this creates the highlight at the bottom of the models eye)
2. 42" circular reflector (camera right/front at 4 degrees to the model) providing some reflection back from the SB900 diagonally opposite

Thanks
Scott

I'll let others comment on the lighting etc as I'm pretty ignorant on studio lighting - but some points on the model:

The first thing I fixed on were her lips. I don't know if it's the make-up, her pose, or just the way she is, but her lips seem wonky/twisted and are a bit distracting.

I also think her make-up is way over-done. It's so thick on her face that it slmost looks like high ISO noise.

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I agree that her lips is a bit odd especially the bottom and personally I don't like too much make-ups, hmm any post processing on this image? her eyes looks scary O_o..

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actually i noticed the lips right away and can't look away now.. they're too crooked.. everything else is pretty nice though,good job on your side

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Nice photo
enough said about her lips... but on her left shoulder the light is a tad distracting.
Too much make up, try to use the denoise tool.
If I ever shoot a portait like yours I would be very proud, so please accept the comments as helpful tips.

Thanks for all the comments - I knew the crooked lips would be an issue for some while others have commented it brings character. Here's another shot from the same series with a slightly different expression - I think prefer the first one but here goes.......

p.s. I think the "noise" people are referring to are the pores and very fine hairs on the models skin - unfortunately a lot of the skin detail is lost through compressing the image down to fit on this site (it's compressed to approximately 1/5th of its original size) a point which LahLahSr graciously pointed out on an ealier post. If you zoom in (Ctrl+ on most browsers) you'll also see the eyes are quite pixelated too unfortunately. Detailed skin texture is an extremely desirable feature in beauty shots for magazine quality reproduction which naturally doesn't translate well to web quality repro.

I think the lighting is great. Top-bottom set up is great for this kind of photo (lighting, reflector bottom)- eyes caught it nicely. I don't find the flare on the shoulder distracting at all, gives it form- would be flat without it.

Yeah the lips are weird. Liquify-filter those badboys.

I think the make up is quite normal- this amount of make up is very typical of shots like this. There may be a tad more than usual but definitely not a lot by any means.

I think overall the pic is successful, just the lips and maybe the crop is just a tad tight for my taste.

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