how the head changes things...

[carrbowl]

So I wasn't sure where to post this....I hope people will view this thread here. I really just wanted to post these for samples so you could view how such little changes in the tilt of the head or camera can make such a huge difference in how a person looks. My mother was a nice guinea pig. She is 73 and I was taking their 55th anniversary photos and she wanted some of herself.

So I hate how the sharpness goes away..so life goes on!! But notice how broad her face looks in the first photo. Then as she turns her head just slightly...nothing else...her face doesn't look so fat!! Then in the last photo, notice how she turns it too much and the wrinkles show up in her neck.

Now all I have done to the photos is color adjustment and some light adjustment. I haven's adjusted any of the wrinkles!! Which I will slightly do...I don't do much. I would love to get that right eye open more, mainly because it really bugs her, but it aint' gonna happen!!! Might get really crazy and do away with the lower right catch light too. oops...whiten some of those teefers..too!!!

Any other suggestions??

[Dangineer]

i don't think her face looks fat in the first one. I actually think hiding the far ear makes a more pleasing portrait. Nice solid line along the cheekbone. Also it seems to convey more personality than the others, but maybe that's just the expression.

Anyway, interesting comparison. I'm a complete noob to portrait photography though so take that for what it's worth.

55 years? Wow, awesome. Gives hope to those of us who are young and single. Easy to be cynical about the whole thing these days...

[TXAvi8tor]

I like her expression in the second one best. Photojournalist Bill Pierce wrote decades ago that the best expression would always be on the worst exposure. I guess the concept applies to focus too... I'd suggest moving her right arm forward, perhaps even providing something for her to rest her forearm upon. This would provide more of a visual base to the image, and is a case where an adjustable-height posting stool and table really can be useful.

I also like the soft openness of your lighting ratio, and would like to see a hair/rim light from her back left to define her pretty hair and help separate her from the background. It would need to be snooted or gobo'd to keep it from skimming the side of her face and neck. Last of all, in my experience, you could widen her eye pretty easily by using liquify in PS, or with a program such as Portrait Professional. The recently-released version 10 is _very_ controllable; subtle results while avoiding that over-processed look are easy.

[carrbowl]

well thanks for kicking me in the behind....I started playing with liquify in CS5...it will taking a little getting used to, but I can do it. I will play later and post a copy. It will look much better and momma will be happy!!!

thanks for the comments!!

FLAT lighting is my biggest downfall and it is going away this year. It is making me crazy!!!!!!!

[texxter]

FLAT lighting is my biggest downfall and it is going away this year. It is making me crazy!!!!!!!

I was going to comment on the lighting. You may want to experiment with different lighting ratios. Try to place your fill light behind the camera, and change its intensity with respect to the key - this will give you a good sense for how to control contrast.

Also, experiment with short and broad lighting, which is another independent variable.

Finally, key light placement, height and angle w.r.t. camera will make a difference in how the shape of the face is rendered.

One approach I recommend is this:
- Pose the face
- Take the key light and place it for your desired effect - Rembrandt, loop, Hollywood,...
- Add a fill light with the right level of contrast
- Sprinkle hair or separation lights as neeeded.

If you want to reduce the apparent width of the face:
- Use short lighting
- Use higher contrast
- Use 3/4 head placement

Here below you have two images of the same woman, one with the suggestions above to make the face look thin, and the second without any of it, and notice what a difference lighting makes:

Thinner face
Not so thin face, frontal, not frontal.

[BenE]

Originally Posted by carrbowl

=========

Any other suggestions??

In my opinion the first is the most flattering as far as a thinner face.

Other than what has been said, I always strongly suggest that older women wear darker colors, plain, no pattern (there is no pattern in the samples posted, I am just making the comment), and something with a collar. A blouse with some sort of jacket. Never any clothing that has a crew neck, or rounded neckline.

If in doubt I suggest they bring several items and we can pick the best.


You might experiment with using some type of flag or gobo; something to block the light on the body.

....edit.. you mentioned the eye. In this case, Photo Shop is the one way to solve that problem, and is not too difficult using a copy/paste method, and the warp feature.

One posing tip is to always have the smaller eye closest to the camera... and since short lighting would be more flattering, if photographing the same subject, turn her the other way, and move the key light to the opposite side.

[carrbowl]

UGH!!! So while shooting, my shutter speed accidentally got hit and moved to 320...which made a nice little dark line which messed up this photo and another. This actually was our favorite but because of the line, we couldn't use it!!

It's better with that right eye, but still not as good and it should be..