Letting the background go

[erkie]

Well I am way out of my comfort zone here ! Color, Digital , High key, and portraiture, None of which I do very well. I'd appreciate feedback and comments especially in regard to Letting backgrounds blowout. Usually I have Off camera lighting to get the subject where I want it on color film or digital.

Should one sharpen these after re-sizing ? they seem softer after posted.

These are both straight from the camera Jpegs with no PP other than crop and resize. Pentax Kx with an old wore out Spirtone Tc 105/f2.5 both shots wide open.
#1 Boy discovers Girl

#2 Girl contemplates making boys life miserable

[Orio]

First one is lovely!! First romance?

There are not many alternatives in this situation: either you let the background go, or you use fill (panel or flash).
Well, you can also change point of view, if subjects are willing to wait

In any case, you can recover something on both ends if you shoot RAW.

[patrickh]

Agree about using RAW - much more latitude


patrickh

[erkie]

Thanks guys ! The Kx records raw and jpg at the same time so I will see what can be recovered . I knew the background would blow out but it's hard for me to judge when to let it go in color .

Well here is the result of fiddling with the first one.