C&C and advice please

Evertking · Sep 30, 2016

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Here are some of my most recent images. It's been 4 months today that I picked up my first DSLR and I been reading and shooting non stop and I love it. But how are my images and my progress. Loved ones like to sugar coat their answers

Thanks in advance.

tirediron · Sep 30, 2016

Not bad at all for being four months in! The first one looks like you may have missed focus; the face seems slightly soft, while the just visible text on the shirt-front seems fairly sharp. VERY nice work on the lighting in #2; sort of a modified clamshell by the look of it? The DoF is a bit thin for my taste; remember, just because your lens opens up to f1.4 or 1.8, you don't necessarily need to use it there! #3 is a nice shot, but I think you should have had the key light more on-axis to better illuminate the child. I would also clone out that little ball below the mother's lip; when viewed at a normal size it's visible, but not immediately apparent as to what it is. Nice job with the light on the pumpkin image. The last one however is the standout. Wonderful quality of light, and mood.

Evertking · Sep 30, 2016

Thank for the advice! Yes, I tried a clam shell set up but had to use a umbrella and a soft box both on regular straight stands..
But I'm having so much fun with this and love photography. But I'm at a point where and I know this may sound backwards but I'm more comfortable shooting indoors rather than outside. My images are just sharper.. but cooler weather is here and I plan on getting a lot of practice in.

SquarePeg · Sep 30, 2016

These are very well done, would never know you were that new to all of this. 4 months! Wow, great job. I think the dof in #2 is nice and it's my favorite of these. Agree with tirediron on #1 being soft. The outdoor one is definitely the weakest, IMO. It's just not sharp and overall a bit too dark for my taste. The last one is a gorgeous mother and child portrait that any photographer would be proud of.

tirediron · Sep 30, 2016

Sounds perfectly normal to me; until they put a rheostat on the sun, I'd always rather work in the studio.

Designer · Sep 30, 2016

I don't care for the low light position in those ones. You know the ones.

The best one is the last one, sorry, they aren't numbered, so I just said "the last one".

I understand you wanted to do clamshell lighting, but if the split was more toward the top light, then I would like them better.

The outdoor one (sorry, don't know what number it would be) is an awkward vertical line. One-two-three, all in a line. So next time, make a triangle with your main points of interest.