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Preventing Raccoon Eyes

May 09, 2008, 02:46:41 PM

Overcast days are perfect for outdoor imaging. No bright sunshine, hard shadows, or streaks of sunshine in places in the image where it can be distracting, but overcast lighting will give your subject raccoon eyes if you are not careful. An off camera flash powered up so it is one stop more than what the ambient light reading is will give you natural looking directional lighting and get rid of those dreaded raccoon eyes. In the left image below Shanda was lit with an off camera D/C powered flash unit metered so it was one stop brighter than the ambient reading. Note not only the density of the background, but also that she doesn't have those drak eye shadows so prevalent in outdoor imaging. For the second image I turned the flash unit off, metered the scene again and opened the aperture up so the scene was properly exposed for the ambient light only. Note how bright the background is. That is because it is now exposed identically to what her face metered.

Benji

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Travis Minnig

Reply #1 - May 09, 2008, 03:17:45 PM

I would just like to add that this is no different than with studio lighting. You are effectively using the overcast sunlight as a fill light, and in this case it is a background light also. The flash has become your main, and whatever difference in the metered values of the two creates your light ratio. One stop is 2:1, two stops would be 4:1 and so on.

Whoever says that they don't need studio knowledge to shoot outdoors is just lying to themselves. Everything works exactly the same. You just have this very large orb at some point in the sky that acts as one of your lights. Which one you use it as will depend on the situation and the effect you desire.

OK, back to the raccon eyes thing...

Thanks, Benji.

Travis

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Paula

Reply #2 - May 09, 2008, 05:34:27 PM

Benji: There's a Norwell in Indiana...you're not close to there are you? (ha...what are the chances?)
ANd interesting topic.
Paula
Edited; wow you're in Bluffton. Who'd have thunk it? Do you go to the Muncie or Fort Wayne camera clubs? I've been to the Muncie one a few times.

« Last Edit: May 09, 2008, 05:36:05 PM by Paula »

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Mike Hodgson

Reply #3 - May 09, 2008, 11:03:00 PM

Thanks Benji, nice work.

The ambient light could also be the Main, Travis, and the flash could become the fill. Big Grin

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Travis Minnig

Reply #4 - May 10, 2008, 09:20:16 AM

Quote

You just have this very large orb at some point in the sky that acts as one of your lights. Which one you use it as will depend on the situation and the effect you desire.

That's what I said Big Grin

Travis

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BobEdens

Reply #5 - May 10, 2008, 05:08:34 PM

Great ideas Ben!! thank you...

To Mike and Travis:
You could just wait till the train comes, hair light..

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-----------------------------------
"I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one heck of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult. "- EB White

Chattanooga Photographer www.BobEdens.com

Mike Hodgson

Reply #6 - May 10, 2008, 06:00:59 PM

hehehe yep, you did, thanks Travis Big Grin

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