Some of My First Portraits Ever

[JackRabbit]

Set-Up: Canon EOS Rebel T1i
18-55mm
55-250mm Telephoto
Pop-up flash fired on the two photos with the red sweatshirt.

Brand new to photography; just got my first DSLR two weeks ago. Since then I've been shooting like crazy. I REALLY need critiques so give me your worst! Tear me apart, I won't be offended ahah.

1
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(By the way, that isn't noise on the print on the model's shirt, the print is just a little bit worn.)

2
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3
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[JackRabbit]

Gahhh so many views but still no critiques! I'll take anything you got people. I'm dying to hear what you have to say.

 

[White99z]

I like them all a lot. I'm not the world's best critic.. actually, I just ordered my first DSLR tonight. The first is my favorite. My only wish... I wish you could see the dripping water on the fountain, although I don't know what to change to capture it.

 

[JackRabbit]

Personally I think that that would take away from the overall focal point of the image. I could be wrong. I'm pretty new to this also. But the focal point is the person, so I think that if you could see the water more clearly, it would take away from the overall image.

 

[JackRabbit]

-_____-

That's me.. ahahaha.

Like I said, I just got into photography like two weeks ago so I haven't had time to do any real photo shoots with other people because of finals and whatnot

 

[chip]

your pictures are actually great for a beginner! When taking portraits, we usually do a head shot (shoulder up), half shot (waist up) or full shot (whole body). Try to stick to one of these three shots would be nice. The pop up flash did a good job filling in.

 

[jnm]

so for two weeks, not bad!

the first one it looks like you found the one place to sit in the shade. you are on the dark side while the background is either properly exposed or blown out. you also have a lot more light on certain parts of the body like arm than the important parts like the face. basically there's too wide a range of light. find more even lighting.

 

[IgsEMT]

MUCH BETTER.
love #1 - colors, composition, you didn't get sun light in your face - GOOD JOB!
#2 - add soft filter . Now look at your hat in the hand and background - practically indistinguishable keep in mind to isolate your subject from background using lighting/dof/color manipulation, etc
#3: you look jaundiced

keep shooting and PPing

 

[JackRabbit]

MUCH BETTER.
love #1 - colors, composition, you didn't get sun light in your face - GOOD JOB!
#2 - add soft filter . Now look at your hat in the hand and background - practically indistinguishable keep in mind to isolate your subject from background using lighting/dof/color manipulation, etc
#3: you look jaundiced

keep shooting and PPing

1. Why thank you sir

2. How do you add a soft filter? I use Photoshop CS4 and I have a decently extensive background in graphics designing so can you just give me a path to find it? (e.g. file >> save)

3. Hmm thats weird. It looks like a nice even tan on my end. I'll fix the white balance in a little bit though if you really think I look like that

 

[IgsEMT]

MUCH BETTER.
love #1 - colors, composition, you didn't get sun light in your face - GOOD JOB!
#2 - add soft filter . Now look at your hat in the hand and background - practically indistinguishable keep in mind to isolate your subject from background using lighting/dof/color manipulation, etc
#3: you look jaundiced

keep shooting and PPing

1. Why thank you sir

2. How do you add a soft filter? I use Photoshop CS4 and I have a decently extensive background in graphics designing so can you just give me a path to find it? (e.g. file >> save)

3. Hmm thats weird. It looks like a nice even tan on my end. I'll fix the white balance in a little bit though if you really think I look like that

LOL
Soft Filter: you can google some actions for CS4 that will do that. I use Nik Software - Love their filters. You can also add a little amount of blur just to soften it up. It's just my flavor, doesn't have to be that way, but I think the image is asking for it.
3: could be my monitor then. Need to check and readjust it yet again

 

[JackRabbit]

I just made myself sound silly didn't I?

 

[IgsEMT]

I just made myself sound silly didn't I?

No you didn't. My view is that if one person is asking the Q it means 10ppl are thinking about it but afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to ask Qs, that is how you improve. My Nikon mentor passed away few months ago. He was the guy I worked for/with for nearly 10yrs and he was goto guy on Nikon gear. After few yrs of using this brand, only last week I learned the difference b/n TTL and Auto on the flashes. Up until then, it was mostly manual (b/c I know that) and ttl if didn't have time to think or just didn't feel like metering.
Point is, if you don't ask - you don't learn, you don't improve.
:thumbup:

 

[JackRabbit]

Wow, thank you so much for being so helpful! I really appreciate the help. And when I do a google search for soft filter, I get a whole bunch of shopping results for actual lens filters, not a post process technique. Do you think that when you have a bit of free time you could do it on my image or give me an example in another image of what you are talking about? If I can see it, I can most likely duplicate it pretty well.

 

[IgsEMT]

Wow, thank you so much for being so helpful! I really appreciate the help. And when I do a google search for soft filter, I get a whole bunch of shopping results for actual lens filters, not a post process technique. Do you think that when you have a bit of free time you could do it on my image or give me an example in another image of what you are talking about? If I can see it, I can most likely duplicate it pretty well.

check your PM