Critique needed

[Lunatick]

I'm an aspiring photographer and would like to become a professional, with that in mind I had my first photoshoot with a model yesterday and here is one of the photos.

Please be as critical as possible! The only thing I can think of is to blur the background a little more to give the photo a little more focus on the model, I am unaware of how to do this in photoshop elements.

 

[Philip Weir]

Hi "lunatick" Shots not too bad, particularly the matching of colours. don't look upon Photoshop as a way to correct or change all your shots [e.g. blur background] Have you model stand further away from the background, use a longer lens and shoot at a wider aperture.

 

[ShelleySnapz]

also...
crop more off the top, the focus should be the model not the leaves, we can still see she is by the tree with a tighter crop

 

[Remi M.]

I too would crop a bit of the top. Enough so her eyes are about a 3rd of the way from the top. I'm a total amateur when it comes to portrait shots. But my instincts tell me that she should have been posed a little differently. She looks a little hunched over in this photo. Also the sun shining of the back of her head is a little distracting.

 

[mysteryscribe]

My critique is simple and covers most of what everyone has already said. Way to much empty space in the shot. You can usually ask yourself this and solve must of your crop problems, "What is this shot about?"

Answer should be the model, then she should be the only significant thing in the shot. That might sound overly simplistic, but it's what I was taught back when you didnt pay extra for the shutter click.

 

[JamesD]

I mostly agree, but I'll add...

If you were to shoot this again, I'd suggest trying to get closer to the model, making her larger and throwing the background further out of focus (no additional lens necessary!). I'd also suggest placing her on the left side, so the sunlight will be shining on her face--and perhaps a reflector behind her to shed some light on her back as well. Finally, I'd suggest shooting from a somewhat lower angle, which will appear to increase her stature and make her more impressive, while also allowing you to include those lovely leaves! I agree, however, that no matter how lovely the leaves may be, the model is the subject, and her beauty would be best utilized by filling the frame with it.

Also, you might try lightening the subject with a couple of reflectors, and reducing exposure a stop, so that she'll be more evenly illuminated and the highlights will be just a bit more subdued.

Keep at it! Learning is the fun part!

PS: I'm down by Dothan. It's nice to see another Alabama photographer on here!

 

[xfloggingkylex]

A wider aperture would really help, that maple (japanese?) is amazing looking and IMO battles the model for subject. Post shot you can crop the top off to remove the distraction, or you could try to blur it, or even darken it in PS.

 

[Lunatick]

Yeah I could have fairly easily took a few steps further back and zoomed in a bit more to get the maple a little more out of focus, you can't see it in the photo but there was only one place to sit so her sitting further away wasn't really an option, I just wasn't thinking!

My experience comes from almost entirely nature photography, it kills me to crop out beautiful scenery! You all are right though, it definitally needed a little off the top.

Always nice seeing someone else from alabama! and yes, it is a japanese maple, very good eye!