Idaho workshop and some images
I am back home from Idaho and finally mostly getting caught up. :) If you came to the Idaho workshop and did not get a "class list" email from me today, let me know. Here are a few of the demo images from Sunday for comparision.
This first one is an example of the differences you'll get when you block the overhead light and when you just leave open sky above. Yes, her head is angled slightly differently but notice the highlight on her cheeks and the darkness of the eye sockets compared to the one where we blocked the light from overhead. And her catchlights are so pretty in that second one, too. For those of you who WEREN'T there, this was an overcast day at about 11 am, so the sky was acting like a huge softbox. The problem is, you wouldn't normally put a softbox directly overhead without any kind of reflector or something to pop that light back up into her eyes, if you were in the studio. You'd want the light to be a little more directlional. Outdoors, the easiest way to get pretty light is to block that light coming from directly overhead. You can also see the little bit of hair light because we put the stronger light behind her.
This second example is of the difference between shooting a portrait with a wide angle lens (in this case, a 35mm) and a longer lens (in this case, a 70mm). I came in close for the 35mm shot and then backed up for the 70mm shot so her head size would be the same in both images. Look at the details in the background in both shots -- the settings (except for the focal length) are the same, but notice how the background is more in focus in the first than in the second (in other words, the depth of field appears shallower in the 70mm shot at the same settings). Also take a look at her head shape and features. The difference may seem subtle but it is there. In the 70mm shot, her features and head shape are more "true to life" than with the wider angle.
More to come!
