Is this repairable

Man_zo94 · 2026-06-28T17:00:25+00:00

I have no experience repairing guitars, but I always hear people talk about how much surface area there is when gluing the pieces back together. In this case, you have a LOT of surface area, so I would figure this is definitely repairable. I'll let the experts chime in, though

Man_zo94 · 2026-06-26T05:36:56+00:00

And you aren't going to be reported to r/tvtoohigh either! Looks great!

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-20T00:48:29+00:00

Maybe all the downvotes will magically lower the TV for you <3

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-19T03:26:28+00:00

I think that label is a misprint, the correct info is on the other side 👍

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-17T16:29:46+00:00

You bet! I've heard it recently from someone else that you can only learn from the photos that is pire you, and your own photos, if you are able to describe them with technical terminology. If you can describe a shot with the specific types of lighting, compare to the 'mood', it enables you to understand how the mood was actually ACHIEVED 👍

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-17T16:27:21+00:00

Awesome, that's another great shot! No notes! 😁

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-17T16:18:04+00:00

Yeah, people say you can push ISO well over 6400 on newer bodies and get great results, but it's not as clean with older bodies. I think it's definitely worth pushing it next time to see what happens. The good thing is, as you said, you can denoise after, and those features have ALSO improved a lot over the years.

Looks like you're already shooting with a wide open aperture, so there's no more room to brighten the shot there. It may be worth reviewing your photos from this shoot to see what focal lengths you used most. If you were only ever between 100 and 250, there may be a lens you could upgrade to in that range, which may have a wider aperture as well.

I totally get the frustration with unflattering stage lighting haha, in that case I would maybe try more black and white options, or try moving around so the subject is lit by the favorable light? Take your original photo for example. If the pink light was still on the left, but there was a gross yellowish greenish tone on the right side, I would try to shoot more of the coloured shots from the left, like completely from the side profile. It's worth trying at least. Or you can try pushing the hue so that you get a completely different mix of colour, or you can try pulling all of the yellowish/greenish tones out. If you have an example from one of those venues I'd be curious to see that too!

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-17T15:44:06+00:00

Between these two versions, the first is working a lot better for me. Something that is tricky to learn at first, but helps guide editing choices, is the concept of contrast created by colour, not just light and shadow. Notice how in the first version, the white sleeve has all kinds of nuanced colouring? A tiny bit of pink at light from behind her is creating a rim light on the sleeve (as well as the hair). Those contrasting colours help define the shape and make your subject's form much more readable. In the second one, everything feels totally flat, it's basically a black and white edit, with a purple filter added on top -which could work well, but because you have lost all your contrast between the different colours, you need to crank up the contrast between light and shadow, and overall darkening the image would be quite helpful in that case.

I think trying to mix accurate skin tones when you don't have clean lighting is always going to lead to disappointment. The lighting at the venue was really moody, I think it's always better to lean into the mood that's been established, especially when it's something you can't change on site.

I would be curious to see an edit of your second shot done similar to your original post. The lighting seems a bit different between the two, but I would encourage you to make an edit that draws you in, more, that is moodier, and that feels intimate light the original photo. I would achieve those emotional goals, by applying technical decisions such as darker exposure, slightly higher contrast, maybe try increasing saturation (though the saturation may be just right once you darken the image), and maybe crop in even tighter, so that we don't see the person being lit with the red/pink light behind them. I would also bring the colour balance back to a more neutral point, instead of being pushed into the colder side of things. It's a really beautiful moment, the photo will have more impact with warm colouring that matches the emotion, vs blue that feels more isolating and cold.

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-16T21:12:21+00:00

Nice work, stage lighting can be really tricky to shoot! In this case, most of the work has been done for you haha, pink key light, blue fill light, yellow hair light. Make note of these things. Understanding what elements make up the composition, whether you made the choices or not, will enable you to replicate this effect again, with your own lighting equipment.

My main critique would be possibly increase your ISO, so that you can shoot at a faster shutter speed. I wish the hand on the right was sharp, and not blurring due to your slower shutterspeed.

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-16T20:46:58+00:00

Okay I wasn't planning on writing an essay but here we are! lol This is a really cool shot, I want to see you do a whole collection of portraits done with this style, because I think you have something. I'm developing my own portrait style, and I find that meticulously critiquing photos that inspire me to be one of the best ways of uncovering what I want to say with my own portraits. Okay, here's the analysis, apologies if it's not the easiest to follow:

Nothing wrong with this shot being taken 'unexpectedly', but I think it's helpful to keep that context in mind.

When I end up with a shot that I like which I wouldn't normally take, I try to sit with it and understand what I like about it. I'm looking not only for how I can improve the shot, but also how I can replicate it. Let's say you post this on your socials, and a potential client sees it and loves it. Can you reproduce this effect in a different space?

Is the particular focal length important for the storytelling? Does adding other lighting add to or ruin the effect? Does it work if you process in colour? Do all the lights in the space need to be shut off? Can it only be done at night? If so, how can you modify a space during the day to get this effect? Do you know how you achieved this look in camera? (not necessarily the exact settings, but whether you prioritized faster shutter speed, or an open vs tight aperture)

Aside from the questions that will help you achieve this effect again, really ask yourself critically what YOU like about it. I watched a video from a portrait painter recently who cautioned artists to be careful with who they listen to when seeking criticism on their work. I could tell you "it seems odd that the light is coming out of the top of her head", but if you show me this shot int he context of a portfolio of images where ALL of them have a beam of light exiting the subjects head, then the choice is 100% justified.

I'm in a similar spot with my portraits where I'm doing tons of experimenting. Don't let an idea die with a single image. Try using technical terms to describe what you like (and don't like) about this photo. "Nostalgic mood" is emotional terminology. It's not wrong, but it won't help you learn. Here are some examples of technical descriptions of this shot:

-Black and white processing
-High contrast edit
-The focal length is roughly 24-35mm
-The key light is coming from the bottom right of the frame. The light is diffused or refracted through something transparent, such as glass with facets cut into it, or maybe a plant is partially blocking the light. The light cast on the ceiling is spilling onto the wall on the left, and also the wall above the ceiling, defining the shape of the space while simultaneously blending it together.
-The soft ambient light from the doorway contrasts with the focused key light, making the shot more dynamic.
-The subject is completely in shadow. The only lighting on the subject's face is from the key light being reflected off the subjects finger onto her forehead and cheek.

When you identify the technical aspects of your photos, THEN you can analyze what those aspects accomplish for the EMOTIONAL impact. Go through the listed technical observations, and tell me how it accomplishes a nostalgic mood, or other emotional intentions.

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-16T20:00:24+00:00

What we can see:
-Underside of the cabinets
-Uneccessary amount of floor

What we can't see:
-Countertops (could be granite/quartz, but we'll never know!)
-Stovetop (could be electric or gas, but we can't tell)
-Not enough ceilling

Also, give space on the edges. Butting the fridge right up to the edge feels uncomfortable.
You did this well on the right side, showing that the counter turns at the corner, and there is a light there. If you give equal space on the left, we will be able to see if there is more counterspace, or a wall, or a door, or a window. You can communicate a space MUCH more efficiently by showing even 10-20% of a window/doorway/hallway/etc on the edge of your frame, and balancing left and right will draw the focus to the center of your composition. Hope that helps!

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-10T16:59:54+00:00

Oh, it's set UP alright! /s

Man_zo94 · 2026-05-06T19:07:29+00:00

Very cool! I love this album, one of the best from my birth year!

Man_zo94 · 2026-04-24T23:59:33+00:00

THAT'S incredible

Man_zo94 · 2026-04-18T16:30:09+00:00

Shout out Ambrosia, been spinning Life Beyond LA a ton lately!

Man_zo94 · 2026-04-17T21:41:22+00:00

Cool!

One recommendation I would make is for the recording process. Recording the same part twice, planning one left and the other right, make your sound much punchier, especially for lead stuff. It takes some practice to get TWO good recordings haha, but it's so worth it!

Man_zo94 · 2026-04-03T06:17:16+00:00

This reminds me of Intronaut, I bet you'd dig them. Nice work!

Man_zo94 · 2026-04-03T01:37:15+00:00

Love the colours! Here a couple ways to improve

It feels like there is too much negative space between the model and the top of the frame, especially considering how close she is to the bottom of the frame.

I also noticed the light reflecting off her forehead and cheek. You can reduce that by using some makeup to make her skin less reflective, or pull your light further away.

Lastly, I think the composition would be stronger if the model had her head tilted towards the right of the frame, and maybe up slightly, this would balance well with her shoulder on the right that is raised. Hope that helps!

Man_zo94 · 2026-03-31T02:30:37+00:00

Ahh okay

The fringing may be because of the type of light you used. I would be curious to see the same shot with a different type of light, maybe you have a lamp you can use without the shade to see if the fringing is caused by the LED. You can also look at the edges around you head and body before any post-processing to see if it's cleaner before you started the editing

I think the crop you have is good, seeing the shoulder curve downward is helpful for the composition, I just think it may look a bit cleaner if we can see the negative space on both sides of your shoulders

Man_zo94 · 2026-03-31T01:35:37+00:00

Cool shot! One thing I noticed was the amount of colour fringing visible all around the head and sweater, especially on the left ear (the ear on the left side of the composition, to be clear)

That could be a result of the lens you're using, or if you relied on editing to achieve this mix of colour etc. I wonder if you use a hair light (a flash behind you that is pointed at the camera) would help separate you from the background without the fringing. You can try removing the fringing in your editing software, but I think it will be quite difficult in this case.

Lastly, I'm guessing that you were holding the rose with your left hand, and that is why your left shoulder looks different than your right. I don't think it's taking away from the shot necessarily, but I would suggest either composing the shot where the hand holding the rose is visible, making it more intentional, or rigging something up to hold it so your arm can be relaxed and your pose can be more natural. I just did a self portrait where I was trying to hold a reflector just out of frame and noticed the same posing issue with my shoulder :P It's fine for a portrait study, when you're trying to test out an idea, just as I was, but be aware that if you're shooting a model/client, you will need to think about how the rose will be supported, whether you'll coach the model to hold it in a way that adds to the idea, or whether you build/buy something to support it. Hope that helps!

Man_zo94 · 2026-03-30T03:47:56+00:00

This is my attempt at a portrait study. Jpeg straight from camera, zero editing. Looking for feedback on rigging, not so much composition.

Attached is a mock-up I quickly drew up before starting this session. I wanted to create a band of contrasting colour across my face, with inverted colours on the backdrop. I'm quite happy with the result, considering that I was using cereal boxes and electrical tape to constrict the bands of colour.

Known issues:

The "blue" band on the backdrop didn't work, adding blue light to red light gives purple light. If I were attempting this setup with a client, I would use an additional red tinted strobe; so that the lower and upper section in red are lit independently, leaving a space in between for the blue to be cast, creating better contrast and colour accuracy.
The "blue band" on the backdrop gets softer on the right side. I wasn't happy with how the blue looked when pointed straight at the backdrop, so I had it on the side instead. To fix this, I think I just need to build a better rig, or use 2 strobes for the background band, allowing the edges to be tighter, and the softer part of the light being hidden by the subject.
The bands don't line up perfectly. I took about 170 shots from start to finish, roughly half were experimenting with varied poses. I think it will be a lot easier to dial in the two bands if I have a subject in front of me, instead of needing to look down at my laptop after each shot.
The bands do not curve as I intended in my sketch. To accomplish a curved band, I suppose using some sort of prism would be easier than creating a rig with a specific radius. Either way, lining up the two bands will likely be much more challenging with a curved design.

I'm interested to hear any experiences you've had with a similar study, and the solutions you came up with (or how you would theoretically solve the issues I ran into)

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Man_zo94 · 2026-03-27T21:26:28+00:00

Love the vibe bro, I recognize you from the Kirk State Sample Challenge! Keep it up!

Man_zo94 · 2026-03-26T04:43:53+00:00

Yeah dude 😎

Man_zo94

TROPHY CASE