Photo help!

[Trzmiel]

Hi! I was directed here. What makes this photo bad? I would be thankful for any advices.

[shmax]

Hi Trzmiel, thanks for posting the photo. I think the main issue we have with this photo is the shadow--there's just something funny about it. Each leg of the toy seems to have its own shadow. The one on the right is pinkish, the one on the left is more bluish, and they don't connect--they look as if they were taken from two different photos! I suspect that this is a result of extensive post-processing work, but it's difficult to say. The other photo experts (particularly Hellscream333, Wallas and Engledogg) will probably have more concrete advice for you, but in the meantime if I may make a request, why not show us what the raw, straight-out-of-the-camera photo looks like? That usually sheds a lot of light on the subject, so to speak!

[Hellscream333]

Hi! I was directed here. What makes this photo bad? I would be thankful for any advices.

Hey, guy! Yeah, sorry I had to turn this one down. The figure itself is a great shot but, Max is right, it's the shadow. More specifically, I can see spots where you erased to 255 white bg and then just stopped. If you can't see these spots you may want to try adjusting the brightness on your monitor until you can spot them. Have to give credit to Max on the monitor help myself as I had the same thing happen when I first started doing this stuff. Hope this helps and if you're still having trouble let me know and I'll pop in here some more!

[Hellscream333]

Also, can you post the original unedited photo and tell me what your process is like for editing? I'd be able to help a little more with this info.

[Trzmiel]

Oh man! I had really big contrast and brightness on my monitor, now i see how my pictures were bad! Yuck!
Here is the original one:


And here is one i tried again to edit:

[shmax]

Now we're getting somewhere! Unfortunately it seems that all of the photo experts I had hoped would be helping us out here are either out of town or suffering medical problems, but I'll list a few of my observations. Basically, I believe that the shadow problem is a result of your light placement. You have two problems going on here:

1. Two shadows. One is coming off of the right leg, and the other is coming off of the left and spreading into the background. Typically, you should have two primary lights, only one of which (at most) should be pointed at the figure and creating a shadow. One light (the brightest one) should be pointed at the backdrop. The other light can either also be pointed at the backdrop, or pointed directly at the figure.

2. One shadow is too large and bleeding into the background, necessitating photo editing to paint it out. If you have a light pointing directly at the figure, make sure it isn't stronger than the backdrop light, and make sure that if it is strong enough to be creating a strong shadow, that you move it high enough such that the shadow it creates pools around the figure's feet.

Other than these lighting issues, this is a near-perfect raw photo!

[Hellscream333]

Max's advice is correct so long as you have a photo set up that isn't using a typical lightbox as seen by what I use here:

With this type of setup, the purpose of the cloth and multiple lights is to create an even light setup that nullifies shadows, equals out your light levels and gives an even background.

Whether you do it the way of Max or the way of me doesn't matter. So long as the end result is a nice clean pic. Just keep in mind that if you actually have to you use an eraser to get rid of BG flaws somethings not right.

BTW, that newly finished pic looks much better.

[shmax]

Hellscream333's box is definitely more advanced than anything I've used. One small warning: it's definitely possible to use too much light. If your photos start having a sort of angelic, diffuse, glowing or washed-out quality to them, you'll know you've gone too far. I'll also add that while HS recommends nullifying the shadow, I personally enjoy a soft, subtle shadow. It adds depths, helps ground the figure on a visible surface, and fights off some of the harshness of the void imparted by the all-white background. Wallas and Hellscream333 both produce a very pleasant effect with their techniques:



I suspect they have similar setups--we'll have to ask Wallas when he gets back.

[Trzmiel]

Thanks! Now i know how to upgrade my photo corner.

I would like to show what i have achieved with light i can use in this moment:

[shmax]

Much better!

[Hellscream333]

Thanks! Now i know how to upgrade my photo corner.

I would like to show what i have achieved with light i can use in this moment:

You appear to be getting some color impressions from your lamps. Does you camera have a light setting? What kind of bulbs are you using in your lights? You're camera should allow you to change the light or white balance setting to one of the follow options: Natural, Incandescent or Fluorescent. Depending on the type of light your using you'll want to change this setting to match. This will help even out your whites and reduce artificial color effects which will make both your subjects and shadows more balanced ridding you of that pink and or yellow hue you're seeing.

[shmax]

You appear to be getting some color impressions from your lamps.

Ah, good eye. Engledogg noticed the pinkish problem, too. I was so happy about the lighting getting better that I forgot to nitpick it! But yes, almost certainly something that can be corrected with the white balance...