First foray into digital....do I suck?

Efergoh · Nov 15, 2006

Shot with a borrowed Sony Alpha100.

LaFoto · Nov 15, 2006

No.
I wouldn't say so.
You did not "suck"!

This is a nice concept for your portrait photography and I best like the last (in which it seems like the candle light really was your only light source!?!?). I like the last best for other reasons, too, such as composition (you really balanced your frame well in that one, I think, and fill it with model and candle as lightsource and prop), position of model and facial expression. I now see that there must have been another light shining from the left to illuminate her blouse and soles of her one foot (the candle alone would only have lit her front) ... but that source is nicely subtle. Yes, I sure like that one best.

The first two don't do as much for me, since she did not keep as still as she should have given the necessary long exposure in 1, and I personally am not too happy about her open blouse in the second. Matter of tastes, I presume...

Efergoh · Nov 15, 2006

The first two appealed to me because I really like the negative space on top. I don't know why...but a lot of my portraits tend to have that type of neg space.

As for the 3rd, you are spot on with the second light source. I placed a second candle just off frame to gnetly light the other side of her body.

Digital Matt · Nov 15, 2006

I would isolate the subject from the background with the lighting, and also, get a good white balance. These are very yellow/red.

Alex_B · Nov 15, 2006

Digital Matt said:
I would isolate the subject from the background with the lighting, and also, get a good white balance. These are very yellow/red.

I wouldn't overdo the white balance thing here. I agree they are a bit too yellow/red, but a perfect white balance (as in getting the true object's colours) on the last one would ruin the mood of the image. Faces get that red-ish colour when in the light of a candle. Especially the last one, with the candle in the image that prominently, that colour makes sense to me.

however, i would maybe damp the effect a wee bit.