A small seletion of the portraits I have been doing - am I any good? Opinions please

[hellkittenn]

This is racking up a lot of vies... lol. I am really loving all your kind/helpful feedback... bring on the critiques!

 

[Granddad]

......She is nearing 40 and although she is in shape, she has had a child and... gravity happened. She is very weathered in the face. I make her look glamorous. We spend hours dressing her up, makeup, hair, fluffing.....

NEARING 40??? :shock: ale: Gosh! she's practically geriatric! :raisedbrow: Has she got her prepaid funeral plan organised yet?

My chief model is my wife: she's 62 and we have 7 grandchildren. She started a new career teaching dance when she took early retirement. She can dance most 19 year olds under the table and with a little help from me and my software she still manages to look fairly passable. No bits drop off during shoots (usually).

Here's a challenge for you; stretch your skills, find a model who IS frumpy and over 50 and make her look good. It will be an experience you will learn a lot from, I promise you.

 

[binga63]

she doesn't have to be fifty .... just make her feel good about herself... in turn you will feel good about yourself.... sometimes little lies can make a woman happy

 

[Granddad]

If you are shooting for your subject, you have to make your changes credible - As Binga63 has done.

Here's one I did of the old lady earlier this year, not frumpy but, like me, she's passed her sell by date (which doesn't matter 'cos she's not for sale):

 

[DanOstergren30 5]

I'm completely self taught as well, and have been shooting for just under 4 years now. In my opinion if you want to get better, you have to be passionate about it, become a little (or a lot) obsessed, you have to try new things and you have to have BIG dreams. Like any art form, you can teach yourself because art is about personal expression. From the looks of it, you have a lot of the technical stuff down, but just need to make improvements that will come with time and practice, NOT WITH AN OVER PRICED SCHOOL LOAN. The only thing stopping you is doubt. Just keep shooting, and focus on improving. The more you shoot, the more you will learn and the better you will become. Just don;t expect it to happen overnight. Like anything worthwhile it takes time and effort.