Bikini on the beach

[surapon]

"If I were any better on photoshop, I'd clean the background and especially myself out from the mirror glasses "

That wish is easily granted. This is full scale so you can copy and paste my crop onto your image and it is done. Happy Christmas

Wow, Wow, Wow, Dear privatebydesign---You are the great master of Photoshop User/ Creator.
Wow, Surapon

 

[Menace]

"If I were any better on photoshop, I'd clean the background and especially myself out from the mirror glasses "

That wish is easily granted. This is full scale so you can copy and paste my crop onto your image and it is done. Happy Christmas

Good job!

 

[jdramirez]

"If I were any better on photoshop, I'd clean the background and especially myself out from the mirror glasses "

That wish is easily granted. This is full scale so you can copy and paste my crop onto your image and it is done. Happy Christmas

I wish light room had a function/button called, Read My Mind. But no.

 

[tpatana]

"If I were any better on photoshop, I'd clean the background and especially myself out from the mirror glasses "

That wish is easily granted. This is full scale so you can copy and paste my crop onto your image and it is done. Happy Christmas

Awesome

Which tool(s) did you use? Clone? One day I should learn to do such. I can do some, but anything more difficult will look too obviously photoshopped.

 

[jebrady03]

This is an example where I think using flash (or a reflector, or whatever) has made the image look worse. It's obvious based on the shadow on the ground that this is a back-lit scene, yet there's no shadow on her body indicating this. It screws with my head and just ruins the image for me. My brain tells me that there SHOULD be shadows and it WANTS to see shadows, but there are none.

 

[Taemobig]

My attempt at being artsy ???

 

[jdramirez]

My attempt at being artsy ???

Spectacular... and the photo is pretty good too. I like the first... did you sepia the top right and then allow the water to be blue? I like the effect... and the composition... nice job.

 

[tpatana]

This is an example where I think using flash (or a reflector, or whatever) has made the image look worse. It's obvious based on the shadow on the ground that this is a back-lit scene, yet there's no shadow on her body indicating this. It screws with my head and just ruins the image for me. My brain tells me that there SHOULD be shadows and it WANTS to see shadows, but there are none.

Interesting opinion. I'm sure you know that if I didn't light her with anything and metered on her, then everything else would be completely blown. I don't think that would look better.

 

[jebrady03]

Interesting opinion. I'm sure you know that if I didn't light her with anything and metered on her, then everything else would be completely blown.

Of course. I'd just wait for better light. Perhaps a less strong lighting would have been less obvious.

This isn't a knock against you but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

 

[tpatana]

Interesting opinion. I'm sure you know that if I didn't light her with anything and metered on her, then everything else would be completely blown.

Of course. I'd just wait for better light. Perhaps a less strong lighting would have been less obvious.

This isn't a knock against you but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

Yep, true. This shot was certain time of day, so either couldn't shoot down towards the water or use flash.

 

[privatebydesign]

.... but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

So, window light, studio light, off camera Speedlite or on camera Speedlite?

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

Interesting opinion. I'm sure you know that if I didn't light her with anything and metered on her, then everything else would be completely blown.

Of course. I'd just wait for better light. Perhaps a less strong lighting would have been less obvious.

This isn't a knock against you but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

in the real world, shoots happen at any time of day...you can use lighting and have an awesome background and well lit subject, or, use no lighting and lose the entire background...

 

[RAKAMRAK]

Interesting opinion. I'm sure you know that if I didn't light her with anything and metered on her, then everything else would be completely blown.

Of course. I'd just wait for better light. Perhaps a less strong lighting would have been less obvious.

This isn't a knock against you but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

Yep, true. This shot was certain time of day, so either couldn't shoot down towards the water or use flash.

As you have said the time of the day and the angle of the sun you had to make the choice of taking the shot and use flash or do not get the shot at all. I shall always go for getting the shot.

Just one thing, the "obviousness" of the flash is basicaly due to couple of areas on the skin (and the rim of the glasses) with localized highlights/reflections which would not be there if flash is not used, and a bit of extra (cannot say overexposure) exposure on the entire body. It is upto your taste and liking - but you may want to thing about reducing that over exposure slightly and eliminating those highlights. My guess is that will give a more "natural look". Of course depending on your liking you may disagree.

 

[jebrady03]

.... but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

So, window light, studio light, off camera Speedlite or on camera Speedlite?

I guess I should have been more specific, using flash outdoors bothers me.
For this image, I'm guessing something other than ambient window light. Although it's obvious that IF something other than window light was used, it was dialed back in intensity.

Interesting opinion. I'm sure you know that if I didn't light her with anything and metered on her, then everything else would be completely blown.

Of course. I'd just wait for better light. Perhaps a less strong lighting would have been less obvious.

This isn't a knock against you but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

Yep, true. This shot was certain time of day, so either couldn't shoot down towards the water or use flash.

As you have said the time of the day and the angle of the sun you had to make the choice of taking the shot and use flash or do not get the shot at all. I shall always go for getting the shot.

Just one thing, the "obviousness" of the flash is basicaly due to couple of areas on the skin (and the rim of the glasses) with localized highlights/reflections which would not be there if flash is not used, and a bit of extra (cannot say overexposure) exposure on the entire body. It is upto your taste and liking - but you may want to thing about reducing that over exposure slightly and eliminating those highlights. My guess is that will give a more "natural look". Of course depending on your liking you may disagree.

I agree that dialing in some flash exposure compensation would have been ideal here.

 

[dawgfanjeff]

IMG_1569 by dawgfanjeff, on Flickr


IMG_1491 by dawgfanjeff, on Flickr

 

[CTJohn]

.... but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

So, window light, studio light, off camera Speedlite or on camera Speedlite?

I'll bite....on camera Speedlite bounced off a wall?

 

[jdramirez]

I saw that adorama was selling a 72 inch umbrella for $50 on black friday... and I was tempted... but I think a 72 inch umbrella @ the beach would wind up being a $50 kite that doesn't really fly well, but will keep on going until it reaches in land.

 

[jdramirez]

.... but, I've been told repeatedly that when someone KNOWS what they're doing with flash, you can't really tell they used it. I've yet to see an example of that myself, but I've had my eyes open for it. Until then, I prefer natural lighting.

So, window light, studio light, off camera Speedlite or on camera Speedlite?

I'll say... almost all of the above. I'm sure there was a window... but that probably didn't contribute to the lighting of the image primarily... I want to say some fill flash with on camera using a diffuser, and then off camera lighting... maybe a speedlite and umbrella to the left of the subject... so... maybe not studio light...

 

[dcm]

So, window light, studio light, off camera Speedlite or on camera Speedlite?

A nice combination of window or other large soft/diffuse lighting to the left providing main light source with subtle camera mounted fill flash - flash exposure compensation dialed in, say -2 or more. Flash to the left of camera in portrait mode.

Speedlite hint - notice 1) the lighting on her right hand and shadow from her right hand on her shirt, 2) the lighting on the bag in the near left foreground and shadow it casts on her right forearm. A diffuser on the speedlite fill might help soften the shadows lines.

I like outdoor fill flash when it doesn't overpower or conflict with the natural lighting. A little FEC can be used to remove the dark shadows and isolate the subject from the background.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

IMG_1569 by dawgfanjeff, on Flickr


IMG_1491 by dawgfanjeff, on Flickr

Gorgeous skin tone. It is a native of Hawaii?