First portraits with the lady, need your opinions please!

[Restomage]

Just picked my new D90 so I decided to go take some portraits, but I need a lot of feedback and C&Cing. I took these all with a 18-200mm VR with natural light, and I had a friend use a white posterboard as a reflector to soften up some of the shadows. The real challenge I had here was the lighting, it was a very bright and hot day and the sun was pretty much directly over our heads because it was 1pm. I'm trying to get better with lighting and just portraits in general so I need as many opinions and tips as possible! Thanks in advance.

 

[03civicdx]

I'm far from experienced but a lil fill flash may have helped? anytime I take pics of a person even in the day time I all ways use flash.

 

[Restomage]

I'm far from experienced but a lil fill flash may have helped? anytime I take pics of a person even in the day time I all ways use flash.

I thought about using fill-flash however I was going for the more natural look instead of using the flash.

 

[kundalini]

I thought about using fill-flash however I was going for the more natural look instead of using the flash.

Why? This is obviously a time TO USE flash with such harsh shadows.


#1 - Not a compelling pose. She is looking left, but you have that as the short side of the composition. Loose the arm jewelry unless your doing a product shot.

#2 - The power transformers and tree in camera left and the shrubs extending out of her left shoulder are distracting. If you're not able to reposition your PoV, then open up your apeture to create more separation. Shadows on her face are distracting. Nice use of the RoT's.

#3 - Nice expression but you have A) cut off her hand, B) have her hair blending in with the background without separation and C) have unpleasing shadows on her face.

.... I think you know where I'm heading. Not a bad go at it, but if you have a flash in your bag, use it to your benefit. Be mindful of cutting off limbs and distracting backgrounds. Search for books, websites about posing your model and apparel. The huge belt is not flattering IMO.

Just my 2¢.

 

[Sherman Banks]

If it's this bright out, a reflector would do a lot of help to bring down the shadows on her face. The focus looks a touch soft on most of these too, but they're heading in the right direction.

 

[NateS]

1. Need fill flash

2. Need to work on your focus...all of these seem soft

3. Your white balance is off....images are way too cool.

 

[noob873]

To work with the natural light you should have had someone hold up a diffuser between her and the sun to get rid of the harsh shadows, then the reflector like you did as the fill light. I know where you're coming from wanting to go with a more natural look. I use some sort of flash a lot, but manipulating the natural light correctly always looks nice in a different way.

 

[AverageJoe]

Very cool setting/locations, but wrong time. Either go later in the day or earlier in the morning, but you know that. Use the long end of that 200mm and as wide open of an aperture as possible. Deserves a re-shoot.

 

[Peanuts]

As some mentioned, you pointed out the worst problem with teh photos. The time they were taken. If you have an option as to when to shoot as Mr. AverageJoe mentioned, shoot early in the day or late (like.. hour before sunset). It looks like a great location with great lighting.

If all else fails and you have to shoot at this time, fill flash, reflector or shooting with their back to the light is the best. I don't know how much this helps but several of my shots from a recent wedding were done mid-day (only time we could do most of the shots) and I used those techniques.. that or find shade

 

[Restomage]

I think what I'll do next time is first obviously go during a different time of the day. I was anxious to use my new D90 so I just wanted to get out and start shooting. I'm planning on picking up a Sb-600 soon so I think what I'll do is place it off-camera to her side where the shadows are the most harsh. If needed, i'll then use a reflector on the other side of the model and bounce the light from the flash in the remaining areas. Sound like a good idea?

Also Nates you mentioned my White Balance was off. Should I shoot at a higher Kelvin?

 

[AverageJoe]

Shoot in raw and adjust the wb after the shoot, and I'd trade a flash for a 50mm prime any day.

 

[2003protege]

I'd trade a flash for a 50mm prime any day.

+1 :thumbup:

 

[NateS]

I think what I'll do next time is first obviously go during a different time of the day. I was anxious to use my new D90 so I just wanted to get out and start shooting. I'm planning on picking up a Sb-600 soon so I think what I'll do is place it off-camera to her side where the shadows are the most harsh. If needed, i'll then use a reflector on the other side of the model and bounce the light from the flash in the remaining areas. Sound like a good idea?

Also Nates you mentioned my White Balance was off. Should I shoot at a higher Kelvin?

I'm not sure on that, I can just tell that they are way too cool....looks like too much blue tones to my eye. It can easily be adjusted in post if you shot in raw.

 

[Restomage]

I think what I'll do next time is first obviously go during a different time of the day. I was anxious to use my new D90 so I just wanted to get out and start shooting. I'm planning on picking up a Sb-600 soon so I think what I'll do is place it off-camera to her side where the shadows are the most harsh. If needed, i'll then use a reflector on the other side of the model and bounce the light from the flash in the remaining areas. Sound like a good idea?

Also Nates you mentioned my White Balance was off. Should I shoot at a higher Kelvin?

I'm not sure on that, I can just tell that they are way too cool....looks like too much blue tones to my eye. It can easily be adjusted in post if you shot in raw.

I actually did shoot in RAW and here is the white balance adjustment I made:

Before:

After:

 

[NateS]

Much better. Do that to all of them and it will help.....though you still obviously need to heed all of the other advice.