A model for the day

[lalalala<3life]

I was experimenting with people photography. This is my second shoot with my friend, but first with a dslr. Please let me know what you think and c&c welcome! :lmao:

#1

#2

#3

#4

 

[musicaleCA]

The first is too wide for comfort. Backup, and shoot from a longer focal length. The foreshortening has made her nose look elongated, and the proportions of her face feel off. The background is blown-out; that can be brought back with judicious use of fill flash.

In the second, the pose looks very awkward, having her arms cross and being held seemingly as long as possible. The fingers of the left hand are cut off as well. The skin tones under the left eye look...patchy. It's really weird; I can't figure-out how that happened, but there's a patch of light, pale colour and the rest is red. My best guess is that the bags under her eyes are brought-out by the direction of the light on that side of the face, and they are much more at an angle to her cheekbones than they appear to be in the first.

The third lacks contrast, and this is from shooting into a bright light source and having it flare into the lens. Again, the background is blown, and this can be fixed by judicious use of fill flash.

The fourth again appears to be shot pretty wide. Back-up, give your subject some space, and shoot at a longer focal length. Finagling a wide-angle shot of a person so that it doesn't look totally wack is difficult at best. The telephoto range is safer and preserves the proportions of their facial features.

 

[choudhrysaab]

i really like the forth picture ... shows emotions in it. i kinda dislike model shots that don't show any emotion and the model is just standing/sitting there getting their picture taken.
#3 is good as well ... 2nd shot i think is a bit over exposed.

plz keep in mind i'm not an expert =)

 

[UUilliam]

My only critique is you constantly over expose the highlights / background

Try metering for the highlight then use an off camera flash to light your subject

 

[NateS]

These aren't bad. I agree with UUillium about the lighting though. Also you have a horrible green cast on the first photo that you may want to adjust the levels to fix.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

My only critique is you constantly over expose the highlights / background

Try metering for the highlight then use an off camera flash to light your subject

I do have to agree with that.

#1 also needs to back off on the green.

#2 too bad you cut off her hand and it looks like she was kneeling on something just before you shot this photo. Those marks should be edited.

#3 she is too centered. Should have moved her to the right some. Could also have her looking over your left shoulder so that she's not always looking straight at you.

#4 finally a different expression.

Very beautiful girl. And since she's a friend of yours that means you'll probably get to work with her some more. Lucky you. Good way to learn about fill flash and model directing.

 

[Samanax]

The first shot has a white balance problem. When shooting people you have to get the white balance correct to be sure the skin color is right.

Introduction To White Balance

Understanding White Balance

White Balance: What Is It? And Why Does It Matter?

Tutorials: White Balance

WhiBal Certified Neutral Gray Card for White Balance

And the exposure is off on some of these.

Exposure Metering

Using Flash Outdoors

To help you get correct exposures you may want to get a hand-held light meter.

Guide To Using A Hand Held Meter

Basics Of Using A Light Meter

 

[JerryPH]

I'm kinda struggling to explain what I feel here, bear with me.

There is something about the character of the portraits that I am just not linking to... I thought about it until it almost came to me.

For me, the feeling is like that of someone try to use a hammer when you really needed a saw. It's tough for me to to put into words, but the best thought I am coming up with is that I am feeling a level of "harshness" in the shots. This is a picture of a woman... a woman needs to portray softness, and I am not getting that feeling, not becuase her face, looks or emotions are not there, but from the character of the shot and final results.

Technically it feels like over-sharpening, then pulling back... the colour tones and lighting are not pleasing to me, they look flat.

Does that make sense?

When shooting people you have to get the white balance correct to be sure the skin color is right.

Don't get all caught up in "correct white balance", "right skin colour" and the word "must". I play a LOT with the white balance... first by throwing it completely out of whack by placing gels on my flashes, then by correcting for it in the camera white balance...only to purposefully toss it out of whack in another direction in post process.

If the WB is off by mistake, that's one thing, however to make an artistic statement by modifying the WB, done right, it can add much to a photo.

I also noticed the blown highlights. There is not much you can do if you are a "victim" of light instead of controlling light. I think most of the shots are taken in shadowed areas and that contributes to both the flatness of the lighting and the blown highlights.

Another thing that has to be VERY precise is the focus. In #1, it seems more tha the nose is the main focus rather than the eyes. The eyes are a touch soft.

 

[lalalala<3life]

Thanks to all for the c&c, it def. helps me think about these things. I want to get better and better and learn as much as I can about photography. I am hoping to take some photography classes when college starts or the semester after. Then I can really get a hands on experience with light, aperture, exposure and everything else there is to know =D

I'm not sure if this edit helped at all? I dont know much about editing either?

 

[lalalala<3life]

JerryPH, yes I do kinda understand what your saying about the photos. There is just something wheither it be the sets I chose, the way the clothes match the background (green, green??? too much green) not sure exactly, but I totally understand that sometimes photos just dont do something for some ppl! And yes she does kinda have a angry/annoyed almost expression sometimes LOL
When I rent the camera again I am going to make sure I read up on all the important subjects so I can get some better shots. I am also going to experiment with different color/style clothing and backdrops!

 

[Samanax]

TI'm not sure if this edit helped at all? I dont know much about editing either?

It's better than the original...she doesn't look so green now...but that blown area on the upper right is still distracting.

 

[JerryPH]

... and concentrate on placing the main focus point on the eyes. You can have tons of green or any other colour and still get away with it, it hs how the shot is composed that will decide it's level of success.

It's not so much about the clothes or colour combinations (women are way better at this than us men... lol), at least not in this case, it was just maybe the fact that you chose areas of flat lighting, then let conditions control you instead of the other way around.

 

[lalalala<3life]

It's better than the original...she doesn't look so green now...but that blown area on the upper right is still distracting.

How would I got about editing the blown spot?

you chose areas of flat lighting, then let conditions control you instead of the other way around.

I believe I chose shady areas because when I was in the more direct sunlight the photos got VERY BRIGHT! And they didn't look so good, but I think that was just because I didn't have the f# set right and the exposer and probably various other things lol

 

[Samanax]

How would I got about editing the blown spot?

You really can't do much with blown areas since there is nothing in them...no detail, nothing. You could crop it out or if you know someone with mad photoshop skills they can remove the subject from this environment and drop her into a better background.

But it's all about learning and getting better. Keep pushing yourself and you'll keep getting better.

 

[musicaleCA]

Jerry...Ol' tungsten WB to make the sky blue, right? I'm guessing a flash behind them facing the camera gelled CTO and perhaps another coming from or near the camera, also gelled CTO.

Personally I love seeing shots with that kind of colour key shift, but with the flash gelled with an extra CTO to give the light some warmth. But that's just me.