Another senior portrait shoot.

[Cyotheking]

Critique welcome. Took some tips from the last thread and I'm hoping they improved these ones.

 

[90foxbox]

I like em.

Number one's color seems to be a good bit duller than the rest though (maybe intentional?).

 

[PhotoWrangler]

My one nit pick is this: things that are closer to the camera appear larger.

Aside from the second and third image, you are shooting from below her, which automatically puts her feet, legs, and lower body closer to the camera making them appear larger.

For instance, for the image on the steps, you could have photographed her from above with her looking up towards the camera. This would put more focus on her eyes and face, and would flatter her body more, while still telling the story that she is sitting on steps.

When it comes to women and girls, I always try to minimize the parts that they typically worry about, and maximize the parts that they are typically fond of.

 

[tirediron]

Excellent points! ^^ In addition I'll add my $00.02. One of the goals of this genre is to show the different facets of the subject. What I get from this set is that she's someone who does nothing but sit around. What are her hobbies? Her interests? Let's see some images that show her doing things!

 

[Derrel]

My one nit pick is this: things that are closer to the camera appear larger.

Aside from the second and third image, you are shooting from below her, which automatically puts her feet, legs, and lower body closer to the camera making them appear larger.

For instance, for the image on the steps, you could have photographed her from above with her looking up towards the camera. This would put more focus on her eyes and face, and would flatter her body more, while still telling the story that she is sitting on steps.

When it comes to women and girls, I always try to minimize the parts that they typically worry about, and maximize the parts that they are typically fond of.

Yes. The above is true. I thought the first shot, the seated pose with leg extended, was not too bad, except for the tree on the right of the frame behind her...a very distracting element, that. It's not too bad because you have one knee up, and the arms are angled, and there is at least some implied movement in the pose--we have all seen this pose done much,much worse! The tummy poses on the ground were not good; too much empty space, and just an unflattering look at her. As Tirediron said, these are "inactive" poses...she is literally SHOWN anchored, in one spot, without any implied sense of "movement" to her body. Having her standing, with some weight on her back hip, could add a bit of shoulder slope, which would imply "movement". Having her at angles, leaning over forward, leaning sideways on a any type of structure, tree, or having her "doing" anything, would create some implied (or actual) movement.

With more full-figured women, a higher-than-normal camera position can often be used to not show certain traits or body features, and to emphasize the bustline. When the camera is positioned low or lower than normal, it makes the subject appear to loom larger than in life. This all can seem tricky, but I think the main way this set goes astray is that it's made using too short a focal length, too wide a view, on these shots. Narrowing down the view and focusing on some of her best features would have been a good strategy; focus on her nice hair, good teeth, ample bosom, good complexion, and the nice coordination of her skin tone and the regal, purple blouse color. For the full-lengths, have her doing something, standing, or seated on the EDGE, the front edge, of "something", with her legs angled forward and just barely touching the ground.NOT with her butt and legs and feet all on the ground at the same level. Again, seated on the front edge of something, with legs angled--why? ANgles imply movement,m dynamism, and break things up, and show the bend of the knees.

 

[Cyotheking]

Excellent points! ^^ In addition I'll add my $00.02. One of the goals of this genre is to show the different facets of the subject. What I get from this set is that she's someone who does nothing but sit around. What are her hobbies? Her interests? Let's see some images that show her doing things!

I actually talked to her beforehand and she said she doesn't have any hobbies that she would want included in the shoot...
made it quite a bit more difficult to think of ideas for this one.

My one nit pick is this: things that are closer to the camera appear larger.

Aside from the second and third image, you are shooting from below her, which automatically puts her feet, legs, and lower body closer to the camera making them appear larger.

For instance, for the image on the steps, you could have photographed her from above with her looking up towards the camera. This would put more focus on her eyes and face, and would flatter her body more, while still telling the story that she is sitting on steps.

When it comes to women and girls, I always try to minimize the parts that they typically worry about, and maximize the parts that they are typically fond of.

Yes. The above is true. I thought the first shot, the seated pose with leg extended, was not too bad, except for the tree on the right of the frame behind her...a very distracting element, that. It's not too bad because you have one knee up, and the arms are angled, and there is at least some implied movement in the pose--we have all seen this pose done much,much worse! The tummy poses on the ground were not good; too much empty space, and just an unflattering look at her. As Tirediron said, these are "inactive" poses...she is literally SHOWN anchored, in one spot, without any implied sense of "movement" to her body. Having her standing, with some weight on her back hip, could add a bit of shoulder slope, which would imply "movement". Having her at angles, leaning over forward, leaning sideways on a any type of structure, tree, or having her "doing" anything, would create some implied (or actual) movement.

With more full-figured women, a higher-than-normal camera position can often be used to not show certain traits or body features, and to emphasize the bustline. When the camera is positioned low or lower than normal, it makes the subject appear to loom larger than in life. This all can seem tricky, but I think the main way this set goes astray is that it's made using too short a focal length, too wide a view, on these shots. Narrowing down the view and focusing on some of her best features would have been a good strategy; focus on her nice hair, good teeth, ample bosom, good complexion, and the nice coordination of her skin tone and the regal, purple blouse color. For the full-lengths, have her doing something, standing, or seated on the EDGE, the front edge, of "something", with her legs angled forward and just barely touching the ground.NOT with her butt and legs and feet all on the ground at the same level. Again, seated on the front edge of something, with legs angled--why? ANgles imply movement,m dynamism, and break things up, and show the bend of the knees.

Hmm...learning about this whole "implied movement" thing is very frustrating. I'm having a very hard time completely understanding it and applying it.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Hmm...learning about this whole "implied movement" thing is very frustrating. I'm having a very hard time completely understanding it and applying it.

It is exactly what it means. Jumping, turning, leaning - a foot in the air, a hop, a skip, a jump - laughing, talking, yelling... etc.

This is my friend Kim's work. She's a senior photographer here in Houston. See how the implied movement in this shot is that the girl just turned and looked at the camera?

View attachment 56855


This is Kim's pinterest page. Take a look at her work and see Senior-ography: My work