My Shoot so far as a learner

[okwori12]

Here are two shoot I took using an energy bulb contunues lighting with a silver reflective umbrella and a shoot through umbrella.

 

[Derrel]

Decent lighting. With better posing, these would be very good. Keep up the progress!

 

[tirediron]

I think if you bring the lights in closer you could eliminate some of the excess specularity on the skin, and moving the background farther back (and using a larger aperture) will render it less sharply focused the make the wrinkles less noticeable. Given your equipment however, very good!

 

[photo1x1.com]

You make good progress, man! I´m with Derrel and tirediron. The only thing I disagree is the specularity on the skin. I like the soft light and getting the lights further away from the model will make it harder. In some images, I think it also adds some life to the people. But if you don´t want that, you could use special makeup powder to reduce it.
The images look a little overdone in post production though, especially the arms in the first one.

 

[okwori12]

Decent lighting. With better posing, these would be very good. Keep up the progress!

Thannks so muchfor your encouragement. I am grateful.

 

[okwori12]

I think if you bring the lights in closer you could eliminate some of the excess specularity on the skin, and moving the background farther back (and using a larger aperture) will render it less sharply focused the make the wrinkles less noticeable. Given your equipment however, very good!

Thanks too. I actually allowed some of the wrinkle on purpose. But i will try that next

 

[okwori12]

You make good progress, man! I´m with Derrel and tirediron. The only thing I disagree is the specularity on the skin. I like the soft light and getting the lights further away from the model will make it harder. In some images, I think it also adds some life to the people. But if you don´t want that, you could use special makeup powder to reduce it.
The images look a little overdone in post production though, especially the arms in the first one.

I didnt do much in post production. I only use portraiture plugin in Photoshop to soften it a little. Is even less than normal but i can see what you are pointing at. I Will take not of it. Thanks

 

[photo1x1.com]

You make good progress, man! I´m with Derrel and tirediron. The only thing I disagree is the specularity on the skin. I like the soft light and getting the lights further away from the model will make it harder. In some images, I think it also adds some life to the people. But if you don´t want that, you could use special makeup powder to reduce it.
The images look a little overdone in post production though, especially the arms in the first one.

I didnt do much in post production. I only use portraiture plugin in Photoshop to soften it a little. Is even less than normal but i can see what you are pointing at. I Will take not of it. Thanks

Is that portraitPro? Sometimes this plugin does soften the skin a little too much - of course, that is a question of your taste, but the images of the better-known professionals usually don´t look that soft.
If you want to dial the effect back a little, here´s a small tip:

1. before you use portraitPro, duplicate your layer and use the plugin on that duplicate
2. Once you are finished the plugin, you can create a mask for that portraitPro layer.
3. Now you can paint away the effect of the plugin with a black brush where you feel the effect is too strong
4. If you use the brush with 100% opacity, the complete effect is removed. If you paint with a lower opacity, the effect will only be removed partially.

 

[okwori12]

Ojk

You make good progress, man! I´m with Derrel and tirediron. The only thing I disagree is the specularity on the skin. I like the soft light and getting the lights further away from the model will make it harder. In some images, I think it also adds some life to the people. But if you don´t want that, you could use special makeup powder to reduce it.
The images look a little overdone in post production though, especially the arms in the first one.

I didnt do much in post production. I only use portraiture plugin in Photoshop to soften it a little. Is even less than normal but i can see what you are pointing at. I Will take not of it. Thanks

Is that portraitPro? Sometimes this plugin does soften the skin a little too much - of course, that is a question of your taste, but the images of the better-known professionals usually don´t look that soft.
If you want to dial the effect back a little, here´s a small tip:

1. before you use portraitPro, duplicate your layer and use the plugin on that duplicate
2. Once you are finished the plugin, you can create a mask for that portraitPro layer.
3. Now you can paint away the effect of the plugin with a black brush where you feel the effect is too strong
4. If you use the brush with 100% opacity, the complete effect is removed. If you paint with a lower opacity, the effect will only be removed partially.

Okay. Thanks so much for the tips. Am Grateful

 

[okwori12]

I just took this one

 

[photo1x1.com]

Nice, but since you are asking for critic, I want to be honest: photographing people with glasses can be a challenge. Try to remove the reflections in the glass by having the person turn his head, and look slightly up or down. Of course, that doesn´t give you all the freedom you´d love in regard to posing. Discuss that with your model so that they know what to expect. Either perfect posing, or reflections in the glass.
It also looks at if there is some motion blur due to either camera shake or the model moving.

 

[Tomasko]

In all your shots I can see the detail in the background. In my opinion you should edit it out, as it can be a little distracting.
The posing could of course be improved, but what bothers me probably the most is the way you compose your portraits. You leave too much space above person's head. For me personally tighter crops work better.

 

[okwori12]

In all your shots I can see the detail in the background. In my opinion you should edit it out, as it can be a little distracting.
The posing could of course be improved, but what bothers me probably the most is the way you compose your portraits. You leave too much space above person's head. For me personally tighter crops work better.

Waoh... Thanks for the info.

 

[okwori12]

In all your shots I can see the detail in the background. In my opinion you should edit it out, as it can be a little distracting.
The posing could of course be improved, but what bothers me probably the most is the way you compose your portraits. You leave too much space above person's head. For me personally tighter crops work better.

Thanks... Am test running my mini studio. I've not done any paid job yet. For the wrinkles on the background, i will attend to it. What i need to know is what to add or subtract from my shooting and evenone has done Justice to it.

 

[zombiesniper]

There are excellent posts above that have you covered on all but one topic.
The reflection of the glasses has been mentioned and a solution has been given but I'll give you one that will allow you to pose the model any way you like.

Lighting position. This is what makes or breaks a glasses portrait.
In a normal portrait with the face looking directly at the camera a 45 deg or better lighting placement will allow you to get excellent lighting without reflections.
Just like the image below.
If you draw a straight line from the lights to the subject you will see the reflection will not travel to the camera but instead awards the other light.

In your your second image you have the face looking more to camera left.
This would cause a reflection issue with the above lighting set up.
Below you can see the modified lighting placement in order to light the subject and not have a reflection problem.

A little experimentation is all that is required.

Great first efforts. Keep them coming.