a teensy self portrait

Okay so considering today's photochallenge was backpack, I took the oportunity to take a couple of self portraits (anything to practise strobing). I quickly realised I need to establish a place where I can shoot stuff in the house....having realised today My dressing room, half covered with mirrors, and a dressing table painted in varnish are all recipe's for incredibly bad lighting. The mirrors send any light they pick up bouncing everywhere lighting bits, I probably didnt want lit, and the varnished furniture....well lets say in a small room where a stand and a brollie were probably not the best options simply because of the mirrors, said piece of furniture was very un-bogen-superclamp friendly (in other words I couldnt stick my flash to it). Eventually after getting some work arounds, and banging up my guitar a bit, I finally was able to get some half descent shots that I felt could make it online...although nothing thats comming into my portfolio thats for sure. I really would have loved to have had a black background, some space, and a second red gelled flash bouncind some colour onto it, and me enough distance away so that any light hitting me wouldnt affect anything in the background.....sigh rarely is photography so ideal...unless you've got a light rigged studio...



anywais for the photochallenge pic you can click here.... for the self portraits of yours truly scroll further down
also if anyone can help me....why are my pictures loosing brightness when exported from lightroom! something is up! they were MUCH brighter on Lroom.....