C&C Some Students

[Skinnifatkid]

I posted this this morning; http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...um-photo-gallery/259768-family-portraits.html and with regards to some of the questions about am I ready for portrait photography, I am wondering if the following shots cut it?

These were taken last year this time overseas, you can guess where. The shots are of students we were instructing/mentoring.

I was using my 5 year old Canon Rebel which started to die this summer. All in Manual. I want to be better and get it right and have my pictures worthy of framing.

Thanks.
1.

[/URL] Students by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

2.

[/URL] Student by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

3.

[/URL] students by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

4.

[/URL] Student by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[tirediron]

C&C per req:

I would hesitate to call these portraits in the conventional sense, that is, they're not posed and planned, but rather I think they're a form of environmental portrait. Regardless, very interesting images. ANP?

1. A bit too tight; you've cropped off the LH subject's head, not the worst sin, but there seems no reason for it. Also, watch your background; the half-person, image right is a bit distracting. Good exposure on the skin, but the blown background is distracting as well; perhaps consider using flash to provide supplemental light and even out your exposure.

2. A nice shot; I think some of the space above his head would be better served at the bottom, but still a good shot. A slight crop off of one side to move him more off centre would be even better.

3. Interesting shot, but the exposure is problematic; a bright background, combined with the shadow cast on his face by his cap visor rather kills this one for me.

4. This one would have been another great shot had you turned the camera to capture it in portrait orientation. Avoid cropping bits of limbs such as his left elbow. If you need to do it, do it boldly and never at/near a joint or laterally. Excellent exposure.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[Skinnifatkid]

Tirediron, I hear everything you are saying. Yes, ANP, Afghan National Police. Each day was very interesting with the students we had for several reasons.

I took these last year and where they were taken...Afghanistan, the sun for the most part was directly above and feels like 10 feet off the ground, and it was the fall!!! I don't want to edit stuff and post, then get critiqued because I want to get critiqued for the original picture as I took it and correct my issues as I progress.

I hope that doesn't sound snide.

I can edit photos quite well in my own opinion, even with by todays standards of software, "Old Photoshop 7". I want to learn what it is I have done incorrectly and not do it again.

As soon as I looked at #2 and #4 today, I knew I had to much space above #2 and had cut off the elbow in #4, something I am cognizant of now as I take pictures.

Here's #1 fixed for the half person;

[/URL] Students fixed- no half person by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

#2 Couldn't fix adding to the bottom, but advice noted. I cropped it down and offset with what I could;

[/URL] Student 001 by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

and with less shadow and the barrel I didn't notice before;

#3

[/URL] Student less Shadow by Skinnifatkid, on Flickr[/IMG]

I know photo-shopping doesn't change the composition of these, but I will be thinking of the points you brought up as I progress. Thank you.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

One thing. If you grabbed the Forum Code from Flickr, you don't need IMG tags. You need them only when you grab direct links.

 

[MTVision]

One thing. If you grabbed the Forum Code from Flickr, you don't need IMG tags. You need them only when you grab direct links.

On flickr under share - you go to grab the link, but male sure you check off the bbcode since that is what you need. Then copy the bbcode and paste here. The picture will show up when you do this and not just a link!

 

[EchoingWhisper]

One thing. If you grabbed the Forum Code from Flickr, you don't need IMG tags. You need them only when you grab direct links.

On flickr under share - you go to grab the link, but male sure you check off the bbcode since that is what you need. Then copy the bbcode and paste here. The picture will show up when you do this and not just a link!

Yes, BBCodes stands for BulletinBoard Codes and this forum is definitely based on it.

 

[tirediron]

Good work on the edits!

 

[Skinnifatkid]

Thanks