[Leica] IMG: daughter by candle light

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Adam Bridge showed:

>>Subject:daughter by candle light

 

>>My daughter Margaret by candle light. Five I think.

<http://www.adam-bridge.com/Images/Margaret%20Christmas%20Eve%20Color.jpg>

<http://www.adam-bridge.com/Images/Margaret%20Christmas%20Eve.jpg>

M8, noctilux, ISO 640, f1.0<<<<

 

Hi Adam,

At f1.0 that's living dangerously at anytime to have the focus point right
on the mark particularly in very low candle light. A highlight becomes the
absolute point to focus on as a form of focus aid. That is if there were one
on her left eye or glasses frame.

Focusing  at high noon with a ND filter and asa 100 or 50 to achieve the use
of f.1.0. that's easy, certainly for neat out of focus backgrounds & getting
rid of clutter.

 

A couple of things for the next time providing your daughter is in a
co-operative mood. :-)

 

What you have here is a broad side of her face and neck which in this case
is a no-no.  You need to slim down her face rather than showing the flat
broad cheek side we see here.

By turning her head towards you to the point where she's turned her eyes as
we see here, would've narrowed her face and neck physically. Making her
slimmer looking.

 

And I think the light to her right would've been more of a skim light across
her right shoulder and side of her head. again a kind of narrowing effect.

The B&W is too dark so we loose what little detail there is and becomes an
unflattering picture. Besides quite often when working in candle light or
lower, unless the light is more of a rim lighting look, B&W doesn't work.

Where in the colour shot the lights and colour add a positive effect due to
the colour. In B&W it just falls flat on it's face.

Anyway a thought for the next time. Just think narrowing face and neck and
have the model sit 45 degrees to her right as here with the head turned
towards straight into camera as we see her eyes in this photo. This sitting
position will create a narrowing effect and the light would've added a
better effect by also narrowing.

 

Hope I've made this understandable because if we were standing right there
it would take all of 2 minutes and you'd see exactly what I mean.

ted