eldritch2k4

I was just looking at the newest set from you two. I must say, you are a lucky guy, your lady is smokin' hot. I'm not a professional photographer by any means, but I have learned a few tricks since I started fooling around with it. A big part of any set, is lighting. I have learned that a simple table lamp, shaded with wax paper, can make for a very soft, yet clean light. I've used a crappy 2 mega pixel camera and gotten some really nice shots due to good lighting. So don't think you need an amazingly expensive piece of equipment to turn out nice work.

I hope you don't mind, or take offense, as none is meant, but I took one of the of the photos from the set and edited it a bit. I noticed that the lighting(which is hard to get right in a windowless environment) is a little harsh and inconsistent from shot to shot. Your wife mentioned that the idea for the lighting was for her to be the main focus, and for the background to be dark. But you still wanted to convey that it was a basement you were in. The vision in my head when I think of the lighting for a set like this, is a simple hanging lamp, directly above the table where she will be playing. And a shaded lamp for you to use to get more direct lighting on her. And you can move around to keep the shadows where you want them.

I think this may have been a little closer to what you were going for, and if I'm way off, feel free to cyberpunch me.

This was the original(I'm assuming, untouched) image. There is a lot of background there, as the shot is wide, and the shadows in the background are a bit distracting. By getting a tighter shot, you put the focus on her, rather than the environment. But it still has the gritty feel of a basement, with proper lighting.

this is my edited version. I adjusted the brightness and contrast a bit, and cropped out the bulk of the background to draw the focus to her.

you can still see that she is somewhere gritty, the beams are still visible and the pole is very industrial feeling. The darkened background draws focus to her, and her lovely skin, which with softer lighting will glow like an angels.

You should look at the photography of Lithium Picnic.
sets he shot for SG, here.
His lighting is always fantastic. I learned a lot from studying his work. And I am no worse at what I've done for attempting to use light the way he has.

Also, I noticed a lack of depth to a lot of the photos, which is what a lot of people associate with good photography. I personally just think it's fun turning on the macro function and taking close ups of bodies from various angles. I personally think it can make for some really pretty photos. Just take lots, and I'm talking hundreds, from various angles, in various light, to see what works best. The outcome is sometimes surprising.

I hope this is useful in some way. A lot of the criticism that come around here is harsh, but I wanted to let you know that there was nothing inherently wrong with your set. It's just not the type that SG usually purchases. They want a more artistic feel to the photos, and I think with practice you'd be awesome.

No need for cyberpunches, you have a very good point. I appreciate the tips!