PHOTO: sauna lighting issues

I got this one as a "can resubmit"
http://www.istimages.com/images/istock-critique-requests/_IST0840_cr.jpg

Rejection reason(s)
-Flat/dull colors
-Direct on-camera flash and/or flash fall-off (bright subject, dark background)
-Harsh lighting with blown-out highlights that lack details and/or distracting shadows
- Distracting lens flares
-Incorrect white balance

I got this in Raw format so I can play around quite a bit with the settings. My questions to you guys is what do you reckon is the best way to go about this.

The photo is taken in a sauna where usually the only light source is a single tungsten light so I was trying to replicate it with a single tungsten studio light (umbrella pushed out all the way to soften shadows). I've also applied vignetting in post process. This image is deliberatly a bit low key.

Look forward to hear your opinions and advices.

Cheers,
Isti

(Edited on 2013-01-08 02:27:56 by Istimages)

Its under exposed.

The white towels would look cleaner if shot in white light.

Trying to replicate a single tungsten light may not be the most flattering for your subject, even if that reflects the real word.

Yep. White balance looks bad, and looks like it was hit with a single off camera flash.

your image





is pretty flat. Low contrast makes it appear underexposed.


iStock likes it better like this

Hey guys, fair comments. thanks for all your input. Slobo, by adding your version next to mine gives a good idea what to do with it. Well, as they say a picture tells a thousand words...  Now I'll head back to post processing and we'll see what happens.


Cheers,


Isti