CC request and do not go easy.

[harishu]

if you guys have the time please edit and post. thanks.
D800 70-200 | 1/50s @ f/3.5 iso400 70mm

 

[Braineack]

looks like a pretty decent snapshot of someone at the top of a set of stairs...

in the least it needs post work to fix some WB issues and tone down the red saturation.

in the most, it needs help compositionally and adding any sort of interest to the image.

 

[frommrstomommy]

Braineack hit the nail on the head IMO.. but I will add that even though she is standing still, I think you'd have a sharper image if you bumped your shuterspeed up.. 1/50 is SLOW and your camera can handle much higher than ISO 400 in exchange I think. Try 1/80 as a minimum for a still subject.. but I usually stick to 1/125 for adults or 1/160 - 1/200 for kids.

 

[harishu]

thank you. composition-wise how would you salvage this pic?

looks like a pretty decent snapshot of someone at the top of a set of stairs...

in the least it needs post work to fix some WB issues and tone down the red saturation.

in the most, it needs help compositionally and adding any sort of interest to the image.

 

[Gavjenks]

What's the purpose of this photo? Just walkaround artsy shot? Or is it for that lady as a portrait or something?

 

[frommrstomommy]

This is NOT my editing computer but I played anyway.. the WB still looks really off to me, but I think its moving in a better direction, at least. lol

Quick edit:

 

[astroNikon]

Looks like she's in an airport. That mercedes benz ad behind her is kinda annoying - fighting the subject, but then so is her BIG red bag.

^^^ the above crop looks alot better.

 

[harishu]

i am not sure of the meaning of your Q. do you mean to ask me if its a "just like that" shot or for money? if so, neither. i am using my missus to learn shooting portraits. your input will help me.

What's the purpose of this photo? Just walkaround artsy shot? Or is it for that lady as a portrait or something?

 

[Braineack]

thank you. composition-wise how would you salvage this pic?

looks like a pretty decent snapshot of someone at the top of a set of stairs...

in the least it needs post work to fix some WB issues and tone down the red saturation.

in the most, it needs help compositionally and adding any sort of interest to the image.

a vertical crop makes more sense:




I feel like if you want to learn to shoot portraits, you should go on location with the specific goal of shooting portraits with your model. You should be in control, not a vitcim of the moment. Otherwise, set it to f/8 and shoot from the hip.

 

[runnah]

 

[Gavjenks]

Ah okay so it's supposed to be a somewhat formal portrait of her as the main subject. In that case:
1) Car is super distracting. Backgrounds should either be just a content-less blur, or they should add relevant context to the person (like a portrait of a skier with fir trees, or a chef in her kitchen, etc.). They shouldn't be very salient, clear images of stuff that has nothing to do with the subject.
2) At the top of an escalator/stairs is an odd place to have a portrait. Again, not relevant to the subject or neutral? Don't have it there if possible. Same goes for the doors in lower left. Not pretty, not relevant.
3) Generally portraits should be in vertical (portrait) orientation, unless something important is happening off to the side (or if there's implied motion). Here, nothing important is happening off to the side, so fill the frame with your subject - her, and avoid the dead space.
4) The color white balance seems off. Too warm.
5) Her face is very under-lit. It's about as bright as the rest of the scene, but you want it to stand out, so you want it to be brighter. Standing under a convenient light in the vicinity, or a sun beam, or using a flash are ways to highlight the subject separate from the background. Since the car ad produces its own light, it is especially distracting by being brighter than your subject.
6) Looking straight at the camera with squared-off shoulders is not a very interesting nor flattering pose. Unless you're a body builder or something and want to show off bulk, you're better off tilting the shoulders at an angle to the camera (in one of hundreds of different ways) Hands sort of awkwardly hanging mid torso isn't super great either.

edit: runnah's black and white edit above is my favorite so far precisely because it makes the car almost impossible to distinguish as a car, making the background into the neutral thing that it should be. (Although if I could read arabic or whatever that is, I might still be distracted by text). Her face also looks more attention grabbing there.

 

[astroNikon]

taking portraits is first getting a handle of your technical abilities (the camera), and then lighting, and then learning posing techniques.

I'm stumbling all over the place on all of it right now trying to get those techniques aligned and understood.

I think that's what they call learning and experience !!

But you are off to a good start.

 

[harishu]

thank you. is this composition ok? or is it the outcome of a salvage operation?

View attachment 68335View attachment 68336

 

[runnah]

thank you. is this composition ok? or is it the outcome of a salvage operation?

View attachment 68335View attachment 68336

A little of both.

 

[harishu]

haha..if you are stumbling then i wonder what am i doing. sometimes i get the feeling i should i have got into this a little earlier in life. all the five senses are not what it used to be.

about posing...where we come from and the country i am in now, its not an easy thing to do other than standing straight. (in public)

i noticed that you are in MI. my son lives and works in lake orion.

thank you.

taking portraits is first getting a handle of your technical abilities (the camera), and then lighting, and then learning posing techniques.

I'm stumbling all over the place on all of it right now trying to get those techniques aligned and understood.

I think that's what they call learning and experience !!

But you are off to a good start.