Need some suggestion

[vivdub]

Hi,

I am uploading an image below. (full body)
I want your suggestions on how I can improve that further in same location (it can't be changed).
Then there is another image ( a portrait, head shot), its taken using single light at same location, which is mostly dark.
You will see some dark portions on the face, next time I am planning to use a reflector, will that be enough ?
Any other feedback's are welcome.

Thanks

 

[Donde]

There are a lot of pros here who can give you good technical advice but I think the first image is very appealing. The second image, the super closeup doesn't flatter the model. Maybe a bit of a turn of the head would be better.

 

[vivdub]

There are a lot of pros here who can give you good technical advice but I think the first image is very appealing. The second image, the super closeup doesn't flatter the model. Maybe a bit of a turn of the head would be better.

Thanks for the input.

 

[astroNikon]

Learn about posing. Try to not have a female's arm straight. Normally you want to try and have female body posing to show the angles of each joint. Shoot at shoulder height to minimize the "shooting from above" type angles of someone just standing up taking a shot.

Also learn about Perspective Distortion. In your closeup you'll see that her eye and nose is enlarged, where as the mouth is more normal. This is part of distortions of the closest part to be distorted is size with upclose wide angle shots, and further objects not as distorted. Some may not see this but this can either convey something that you want to emphasize or may not.

 

[adamhiram]

I like the first shot, but it could benefit from some subtle background separation. Probably the simplest way to do this with a 1-light setup is to lower your flash power to balance better with the ambient light and adjust other settings accordingly. Try exposing for that nice sky behind her, then fill in with flash. The 2nd one looks to be too wide of a focal length - try a longer focal length from a further distance for a more flattering look with the same framing.

 

[vivdub]

Learn about posing. Try to not have a female's arm straight. Normally you want to try and have female body posing to show the angles of each joint. Shoot at shoulder height to minimize the "shooting from above" type angles of someone just standing up taking a shot.

Also learn about Perspective Distortion. In your closeup you'll see that her eye and nose is enlarged, where as the mouth is more normal. This is part of distortions of the closest part to be distorted is size with upclose wide angle shots, and further objects not as distorted. Some may not see this but this can either convey something that you want to emphasize or may not.

You made some valuable points.
I was aware of that straight arm, and that it had to be a triangular.
I didn't shot this from above as far as I can remember, I did bent my knees to come to her height.
Regarding perspective, I am not able to notice that myself, I will check at what focal length I shot it.
Thanks

 

[vivdub]

I like the first shot, but it could benefit from some subtle background separation. Probably the simplest way to do this with a 1-light setup is to lower your flash power to balance better with the ambient light and adjust other settings accordingly. Try exposing for that nice sky behind her, then fill in with flash. The 2nd one looks to be too wide of a focal length - try a longer focal length from a further distance for a more flattering look with the same framing.

Hi,
Balancing for the sky would not have been possible, due to time of the day this was taken at, it was dark enough.
For 2nd one , I only have 14-42 lens on micro 4/3 camera, I will verify if I shot it at 42 or not.
Any other ideas for 1st one ?

 

[astroNikon]

Learn about posing. Try to not have a female's arm straight. Normally you want to try and have female body posing to show the angles of each joint. Shoot at shoulder height to minimize the "shooting from above" type angles of someone just standing up taking a shot.

Also learn about Perspective Distortion. In your closeup you'll see that her eye and nose is enlarged, where as the mouth is more normal. This is part of distortions of the closest part to be distorted is size with upclose wide angle shots, and further objects not as distorted. Some may not see this but this can either convey something that you want to emphasize or may not.

You made some valuable points.
I was aware of that straight arm, and that it had to be a triangular.
I didn't shot this from above as far as I can remember, I did bent my knees to come to her height.
Regarding perspective, I am not able to notice that myself, I will check at what focal length I shot it.
Thanks

here's a quick article to read up on for perspective distortion
http://gizmodo.com/5857279/this-is-how-lenses-beautify-or-uglify-your-pretty-face

I've gotten to the point that when I do portraiture that I use 85, 100-135mm for the most part to eliminate the perspective distortion on a FullFrame sensor.

 

[vivdub]

Also learn about Perspective Distortion. In your closeup you'll see that her eye and nose is enlarged, where as the mouth is more normal. This is part of distortions of the closest part to be distorted is size with upclose wide angle shots, and further objects not as distorted. Some may not see this but this can either convey something that you want to emphasize or may not.

Yeah I got it.
I also checked the details of image, I took this at 14mm, which is very bad as it gives a fish eye type of effect (I did tested this previously), but since the space wasn't enough and its m 4/3 I just reduced it to this, without thinking of this point.
Next time I will take this in consideration.
Basically I am using a wrong lens, as this is mostly for landscape and street, unless shooting at 42 mm, but for now I dont have other lens, so will try to shoot at 42 next time.

 

[BrentC]

If you are going to do a lot of portraits you will want to get the Olympus 45 f/1.8 and 75 f/1.8. The 75 is probably one of Olys best lens. Olympus has a portrait package with both lens and you can save some money.

 

[vivdub]

If you are going to do a lot of portraits you will want to get the Olympus 45 f/1.8 and 75 f/1.8. The 75 is probably one of Olys best lens. Olympus has a portrait package with both lens and you can save some money.

That's useful info for me, but for now, I don't have budget for it, nor paid jobs
One question, if one buys 75mm for portrait why 45mm will be required ?

 

[BrentC]

If you are going to do a lot of portraits you will want to get the Olympus 45 f/1.8 and 75 f/1.8. The 75 is probably one of Olys best lens. Olympus has a portrait package with both lens and you can save some money.

That's useful info for me, but for now, I don't have budget for it, nor paid jobs
One question, if one buys 75mm for portrait why 45mm will be required ?

I'll let someone more experienced explain why you would want to use different FL's. I'm not a portrait person but do know those are the two go to portrait lens for Olympus. The 45 is the equivalent to the popular 80-85mm fl used in FF for portraits.

 

[astroNikon]

If you are going to do a lot of portraits you will want to get the Olympus 45 f/1.8 and 75 f/1.8. The 75 is probably one of Olys best lens. Olympus has a portrait package with both lens and you can save some money.

That's useful info for me, but for now, I don't have budget for it, nor paid jobs
One question, if one buys 75mm for portrait why 45mm will be required ?

a little more detail.
The sensor size dictates the "Field Of View" ( FOV ) of the lens.
A Full Frame sensor is a "1 - to - 1" math calculation of the lens' focal length (whether prime or zoom).
A smaller sensor becomes a multiple, say 1.5x to the focal length, say 50mm would make it a 75mm FOV.
People will state that a 50mm is a 50mm lens, but it's the sensor size and FOV that is needed to understand.
This post reviews that calculation ==> DX Lens Focal Lengths

 

[vivdub]

[
The sensor size dictates the "Field Of View" ( FOV ) of the lens.
A Full Frame sensor is a "1 - to - 1" math calculation of the lens' focal length (whether prime or zoom).
A smaller sensor becomes a multiple, say 1.5x to the focal length, say 50mm would make it a 75mm FOV.
People will state that a 50mm is a 50mm lens, but it's the sensor size and FOV that is needed to understand.
This post reviews that calculation ==> DX Lens Focal Lengths...........

That's fine, I got this point.
Thanks