# A dignified portrait



## tirediron (Mar 23, 2017)

This gentleman came in for a Veteran's Portrait recently, and as I already had the lighting set up I decided to do a more traditional portrait.  He was (as many of my Veteran's Portrait clients are) very dignified and proper and I thought this actually suited him very well.  Your thoughts, SVP?


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## DarkShadow (Mar 24, 2017)

To my eye this looks fantastic,great lighting and skin tones. I also think the suit, color shirt and tie to the back drop is perfect.Thats a well dressed man.


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## weepete (Mar 24, 2017)

Very nice mate! A classic dignified portrait and is ideal for the subject IMO. light fall off is good and his face is lit well making it the centre of the shot.  Mind if I ask how you set up for this?


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## Derrel (Mar 24, 2017)

Looks good. Classic light and pose. He looks comfortable.


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## ronlane (Mar 24, 2017)

I think you should have bracketed it and did an HDR portrait.

Nah, just kidding. Great job John.


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## jcdeboever (Mar 24, 2017)

Nice


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## JonA_CT (Mar 24, 2017)

I like that you include the hands in many of your portraits. Particularly in this gentleman's case, it's clear they have stories to tell.


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## Rick50 (Mar 24, 2017)

Excellent photo. I see no way I could improve this.


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## Gary A. (Mar 24, 2017)

I like the hands on the chair, well done. I'd give his right hand about the same distance to the edge as his left elbow.


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## zombiesniper (Mar 24, 2017)

Excellent portrait.


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

DarkShadow said:


> To my eye this looks fantastic,great lighting and skin tones. I also think the suit, color shirt and tie to the back drop is perfect.Thats a well dressed man.


Thank-you!



weepete said:


> Very nice mate! A classic dignified portrait and is ideal for the subject IMO. light fall off is good and his face is lit well making it the centre of the shot.  Mind if I ask how you set up for this?


Thanks Pete.  I thought I had a set-up photo, but can't seem to find it ATM.  Basic 3 light set-up using BD as key, hairlight boomed in camera right and background light.



Derrel said:


> Looks good. Classic light and pose. He looks comfortable.


Thanks Derrel!



ronlane said:


> I think you should have bracketed it and did an HDR portrait.
> 
> Nah, just kidding. Great job John.


Oooooh... what you said! 





jcdeboever said:


> Nice


Thanks JC!



JonA_CT said:


> I like that you include the hands in many of your portraits. Particularly in this gentleman's case, it's clear they have stories to tell.


Thanks!  I like hands, they're often an overlooked element, especially when you're dealing with older folks, or people who do manual labour.


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## Braineack (Mar 24, 2017)

is his finger actually missing?    nice job on BG, just enough but i think i prefer it over the all black I'm used to seeing form you.


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## pixmedic (Mar 24, 2017)

very nice, as usual. 
love the background choice for this


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## smoke665 (Mar 24, 2017)

Echoing Derrel's comment about  "comfortable", your portraits always seem to convey that, as if this is normal everyday for them, not stiff or forced.


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

Braineack said:


> is his finger actually missing?    nice job on BG, just enough but i think i prefer it over the all black I'm used to seeing form you.


Yes, he can only count to 9 1/2...  Thanks, I really like it as well. 



pixmedic said:


> very nice, as usual.
> love the background choice for this


Thanks Jason! 



smoke665 said:


> Echoing Derrel's comment about  "comfortable", your portraits always seem to convey that, as if this is normal everyday for them, not stiff or forced.


Wow, thanks!  I REALLY appreciate that.


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

@weepete  This is the lighting set-up for the portrait.  The background light isn't actually in the set yet, but it will be mounted on the shorty stand you see image right and positioned about two feet directly behind the chair:


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## JonA_CT (Mar 24, 2017)

tirediron said:


> @weepete  This is the lighting set-up for the portrait.  The background light isn't actually in the set yet, but it will be mounted on the shorty stand you see image right and positioned about two feet directly behind the chair:



Do you shoot in your house? How tall are the ceilings?


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

JonA_CT said:


> Do you shoot in your house? How tall are the ceilings?


No, I sublet space at a local dance studio.  The ceilings are 14' on the right, lowering to 10'6" on the left.


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## jcdeboever (Mar 24, 2017)

tirediron said:


> JonA_CT said:
> 
> 
> > Do you shoot in your house? How tall are the ceilings?
> ...


My wife would pitch a fit if that were in my man cave.


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

jcdeboever said:


> tirediron said:
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> 
> > JonA_CT said:
> ...


Why?


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## jcdeboever (Mar 24, 2017)

tirediron said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> > tirediron said:
> ...


Because she likes to yell at me? She sees stuff like this as clutter.


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## BrentC (Mar 24, 2017)

jcdeboever said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > jcdeboever said:
> ...



So its not your man cave but hers?


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

jcdeboever said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > jcdeboever said:
> ...


She needs new glasses?


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## mmaria (Mar 24, 2017)

Y e s


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## Derrel (Mar 24, 2017)

What light unit and type of reflector was used to get that nice blue backdrop? Maybe people might like to know that information.


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

mmaria said:


> Y e s


Yes?


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

Derrel said:


> What light unit and type of reflector was used to get that nice blue backdrop? Maybe people might like to know that information.


MW3U with a gel holder and three cuts of blue gel.


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## MSnowy (Mar 24, 2017)

Nice John! Like I've said before I really like when you use the blue background


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## tirediron (Mar 24, 2017)

MSnowy said:


> Nice John! Like I've said before I really like when you use the blue background


Thanks Mike!  If you ever make it up this far north, bring your snowflake shoot, and we'll drag you down to the studio!


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## chuasam (Mar 24, 2017)

Would lower the keylight just a touch so that we get some catchlights in his eyes


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## tirediron (Mar 25, 2017)

chuasam said:


> Would lower the keylight just a touch so that we get some catchlights in his eyes


There are slight highlights there (not visible in this low res version), but you're right, I should have tweaked it a hair more.


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## Derrel (Mar 25, 2017)

Speaking of eye catchlights and tweaking...I've been known to take the pencil tool and click-in catchlights, or to enhance or augment already exisiting but small or weak catchlights with the pencil tool and eight to sixteen clicks. How do other people approach this (this meaning creating a stronger or a totally faked catch light) on a first-shot basis? After I get a good catchlight, I will clone it then clone-stamp it in on subsequent frames, and if it looks good, I'll keep it. Not trying to derail the thread, just wondering if other portrait-oriented people have a good way to do this.


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## tirediron (Mar 25, 2017)

Derrel said:


> Speaking of eye catchlights and tweaking...I've been known to take the pencil tool and click-in catchlights, or to enhance or augment already exisiting but small or weak catchlights with the pencil tool and eight to sixteen clicks. How do other people approach this (this meaning creating a stronger or a totally faked catch light) on a first-shot basis? After I get a good catchlight, I will clone it then clone-stamp it in on subsequent frames, and if it looks good, I'll keep it. Not trying to derail the thread, just wondering if other portrait-oriented people have a good way to do this.


I've done similar as well, and I will likely do something along those lines once I know which image he selects.


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