Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Omni Reflector only set to camera Right with diffuser on
Opinions very much welcomed

RandRob, the light from the Omni Reflector is beautiful, hard but smooth. I like that you used one light only instead of another hair light, side light, etc. I always use 1 light to light subjects ( usually a 7' umbrella). I like to see direction in light.

The photo's contrast is nice for black and white. If you wouldn't have converted this photo black and white, the highlights would be a bit blown out. That's not your fault because the model's/bride's face is correctly exposed, it is likely the camera's dynamic range is not wide enough. It mostly happens with Canon cameras as opposed to Nikon's because Nikon's cameras have wider dynamic range. You can see what I'm talking about with the flowers on the head and details in the dress washed out a bit, except near the shadows.
I would suggest if you have a Canon camera to set the camera to +DR in the camera's menu, for less clipped highlights. You will be limited to starting 200 iso though.

The lighting is perfect and I like the pose in general, except where the hands are placed. I would pose the model with one hand softly placed on the side of her face.

Chaya

Actually The Black and white version was edited to look a bit more high key
I do use a Nikon here is the color version

As far as the pose there were many many poses we did ....In this shot this is what she wanted
I do have some hand/face poses also
But I truly appreciate your input

Randall

RandRob, I love the color version. Yes, I can now see the image was not shot with a Canon camera - the highlights are perfect, I see no clipping. The b/w version is edited nicely, its got more contrast, which is nice in b/w. I just have a preference for color and even tones.

I really have to experience more with hard light. Can you tell me how far you've placed the light from your subject?

I would say at this point the light was probably about 5-6 feet from her
I had the diffuser on and settings were f/20 160 iso 100
aperture was at f20 to let the background go dark.

We were shooting in the main lobby of the Cathedral of learning a very old gothic style building part of the Pitt Campus so we wanted to cut the background out as much as possible

Randall

Nice shot. I really wished tho more people wanting to show examples and such would just show straight from the camera as shot images. Depending on the amounts and types of post processing nearly anything can be changed to something else.

Here are a few of mine. One Einstein camera left with the Omni. Powered w/ a VML.

There wasn't much post processing. Pretty much just the Basic panel in Lightroom.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsk7ATVo5

Bill

oducks

The color version is pretty much SOOC
The only thing done to it was darkening out a couple lights in the background that still showed up in the corners

Randall

After studying the unedited, colored version, I see the Omni Reflector produces light that is medium-soft as opposed to hard. It is definitely a big diffence between a 7" reflector, which I have been comparing the light output to a small, 42" umbrella. The 7" reflector gives off a VERY hard light. The Omni reflector's light is more like a small umbrella, which makes the Omni very versatile because it can be used in many other ways where an umbrella cannot be used.

RandRob, thanks for the info regarding the exposure.