A couple more portraits for C&C

InTheShoot · Jun 19, 2009

I bumped up the contrast in camera just a little as I want to try and get better detail and punchy colour... I am quite happy with these but would love some C&C.

#1.

#2.

#3.

This photographer has the exact style I want and the quality I aspire to - I know my pics are way off that but that's where I hope to be:
http://www.stephaniefayblog.com/

brettmc · Jun 19, 2009

Oh very nice exposure on the first 2, the 2nd one though kind of confuses me with it being on an angle and the boards coming through on a diff angle. The 3rd I would really love but her face just seems too shadowed, makes it difficult to see her eyes and her hand is slightly blown out. Overall though the composition on all 3 are GREAT. I think the first one is my fav, great light catch in the eye! Thanks for sharing, I look forward to seeing more pics from you

paulk_68 · Jun 19, 2009

You should be happy, these are good. #2 has too much tilt and #3 has the hot spot on her hand, but it is such a great shot that it doesn't bother me too much.

InTheShoot · Jun 20, 2009

Thanks... Hot spots seem to be one of my main problems, both times I have posted for C&C this has come up, so it's something I need to really be consciously aware of during a shoot!

c0ps · Jun 20, 2009

If you look at your histogram you should see the whites being blowed up. Try spot metering on the brightest part and using a defused fill flash if handy.

inTempus · Jun 20, 2009

1. Great composition and creative angle.
2. You're getting a little crazy with the angle. It distracts from the image, the first thing I thought when I saw it was "wow, the angle is too much".
3. Cute pic, but I would have used a flash on this one. The face and eyes are a little dark with the sun beating down on the top of her head. A flash would have leveled things out and really brought out the features of her face. Truth be told, I would have used a defuser to block some of those harsh rays, or I would have taken the shot in a shaded area.

Great pics though, the composition on all of them is good.

As for the hot spots, you really need to avoid mid-day sun or use a defuser to block the sun from your subjects. Also, flash helps a lot in evening out the harsh lighting of the mid-day sun.

Example:

This pic was shot without a flash to show how dark my sons features were even in bright summer sun without a cloud in the sky.

Here's another shot from the same day using a flash to level things out.

You can still see the sun over powering my flash on top of his head (and I should have moved him up a little more in frame, but he was swinging), but this is much better than the shot above where his blue eyes look brown.