helo all, check this picture

[pankajpankaj]

hi,
I am new in digital photography, I have nikon d60 and softbox, but my picture quality is very ugly. Please check this photo. I want to know about best mannual setting of the camrea and distance of subject and softbox for indoor studio.
thanks,

[amica999]

Welcome to RetouchPro, Pankaj, hope you enjoy your visits here as much as I do. Now to the bad news: I am not a photographer at all, well I do take pictures, but I won't consider me even being an amateur :-) Sorry! We do have a lot of talented photographers around this place, maybe you just wait a while, I am certain they jump into this and have a lot of tips for you :-)

[pankajpankaj]

thanks,
I am waiting for tips.
agian thanks for reply.

[Aleksman71]

this will help you
http://www.olympusdigitalschool.com/...ons/index.html

I recommend you this tutorial,but you have to register to see pictures.
http://photocamel.com/forum/tutorial...rtraiture.html

[Juergen D]

I am not a great photographer, so all I know to say is that I would not use a flash. I removed the strong shadow and that seems to improve the shot some.

Juergen

[RokcetScientist]

Hi pankajpankaj,

welcome to RetouchPro. First few tips:

• ISO 200, F/8.0, x-sync shutter speed;

• if you want a full-length portrait the distance-to-subject is OK; if you want to decrease unflattering perspective distortion you need much more distance-to-subject, so you'll need a longer focal length;

• increase subject-to-background distance to 5 or 6 feet;

• smooth out the background where it meets the floor (iron!);

• lower camera to the subject's chest height, keep lens axis horizontal;

• add a large (D-I-Y) reflector on the left, low, just outside the FoV, but as close as possible, to open up the shadow;

• raise your softbox by 8 inches;

• make your subject relax and smile...

Once you have a good (series of) photo(s) you can make it perfect in post production. But a good photo is a first requirement.

Have fun!

[0lBaldy]

Your model must be related to Marylin Monroe! (6 toes)

It is difficult to judge this picture because of all the Jpeg artifacts!

...BUT...

Everything RocketScientist said Plus..:

Distances of flash should be posted in literature that came with flash or printed on flash head (minus 1.5 stops for softbox and/or 1.5 stops for reflected off of ceiling)

If all you have is camera flash.. For shadow control.. If your flash can tilt... tilt it up toward the low white ceiling or to wards the junction of the wall and ceiling at the upper right to reflect light upon your subject.. OR.. remove flash from mount and position it high and right of subject OR if it cannot tilt or be removed fix a piece of white card stock under the flash and pointing toward the subject but angled upward so as to reflect the flash toward the ceiling instead of directly at subject..In either case.. utilize the white reflector mentioned above or a slave flash at much lower power settings for the opposite side of subject.

For this Photo your camera obtained a reading from, and made a good exposure, for the white clothes... try for the skin tones next time... utilize the "3D Color Matrix Metering" and try the "Active D-Lighting " settings for auto tries... The best manual settings would be according to your setup (subject colors, lens settings, focal length, magnification, flash distance/strength, etc..)... Do a number of test shots using your manual settings then utilize and stay within the best results..

Like RS said, set your aperture at least at f8

Tripod and subject marks on floor for consistency

Make sure focus lock on eyes

Shoot at the highest quality resolution

When your subject is dress all in white your exposure of the flesh will be compromised and additional work in post might be necessary to bring back the proper flesh tones or you could shoot one exposure for clothing and another for face and skin tones and combine later...

But most importantly Practice cubed till you get it right and it becomes second nature!

Good luck!

[neumanns]

OlBaldy...You have keen observation, I'll bet not one in a thousand would notice! (I didn't)

[pankajpankaj]

helo sir,
this my studio setting, please check

[L33t]

LOL!

I think white background or grey is better... perhaps you wanna change your lighting setup.... lighting like that is flat.

I will try to illustrate.. I hope you would understand, not really good at drawing. But Im sure the girl looks hot!

Ok, what im trying to say here is that you got 2 softboxes, using Canon Ixus... dang I mean 1Ds probably, lol?! And this 6 toes guy... or girl and you put 1 softbox under and one upper 120 degree? Not sure how much, never been good in math but picture is the illustration of setup you could use.

So with this setup you get no shadow under the cheek and pretty good image. Try it.

[igot2pman]

Good suggestions everyone.

L33t, I love that sexy girl...the lighting setup is what you call butterfly lighting. More info can be foud HERE. The Ghetto Studio is another cheeper way to do it with just one light.

Here are some very helpfull refrences that I think every photographer that uses stobes should use.

Portrait Lighting Cheat Sheet Card

Reflector Card Cheat Sheet

Light Falloff Cheat Sheet Card

There is alot of great info at www.diyphotography.net/. Check it out when you get a chance.

Hope it helps,
-Keven

[L33t]

Yeah thanks for that one hehe, forgot the name.

[garibaldi]

holy shit that dude has 6 toes.

[garibaldi]

kill those incandecents, and move your boxes. You may as well pull a car in there and just turn of the headlights and use them instead of the strobes. Move them around, raise them up, try from the side, experiment. maybe tickle your subjects a little to get them to smile, unless either theyre really pissed off or your going for the "Im a badass pissed off refugee moustache sporting 6 toed m'fer look that is so popular today. You may even try hosing him down in that white sheer getup so it sort of becomes like a wet tshirt kind of shoot, show some nip, a little pressed ham, ya know, mix it up. Otherwise what your doing look fantastic for a passport photo.

[RokcetScientist]

Originally Posted by garibaldi

kill those incandecents,

Assuming those softboxes hide continuous light, or he'd better bring an oil lamp.

and move your boxes. You may as well pull a car in there and just turn of the headlights and use them instead of the strobes. Move them around, raise them up, try from the side, experiment. maybe tickle your subjects a little to get them to smile, unless either theyre really pissed off or your going for the "Im a badass pissed off refugee moustache sporting 6 toed m'fer look that is so popular today. You may even try hosing him down in that white sheer getup so it sort of becomes like a wet tshirt kind of shoot, show some nip, a little pressed ham, ya know, mix it up. Otherwise what your doing look fantastic for a passport photo.

Nothing Jack Daniels can't solve!

[garibaldi]

Finally! SOmeone up here with a sense of humor!

[voodooscuba]

Jeez. Can I ask what the intent of these photos will be? I think that could help with the specific advice you'll likely get.