Couple Photoshoot Today--Comments and Critiques Please!!

[D-B-J]

I've decided to start to try and build my portfolio. I need experience, and I need a portfolio. So I've started to do photoshoots, charging just enough to cover my expenses, and today was my first real one.

What do you think of the results? What can I do to improve? What needs to be fixed? What did I do well?







Regards,
Jake

 

[Parker219]

The very first thing that I noticed was the tree growing out of the top of her head. Other than that, I really like the fall colors.

 

[D-B-J]

The very first thing that I noticed was the tree growing out of the top of her head. Other than that, I really like the fall colors.

I hadn't even noticed that!

Regards,
Jake

 

[mmaria]

ok... so ... IMHO
I don't like the crop, looser would be better, to much space above the head, chopped off fingers and don't like how you place them in relation to the background.
They could sit on the ground without the sky in the background so you could get the fall colors without the blue.
But I really like their genuine smile and that's the only thing about this photo they would probably notice

 

[D-B-J]

ok... so ... IMHO
I don't like the crop, looser would be better, to much space above the head, chopped off fingers and don't like how you place them in relation to the background.
They could sit on the ground without the sky in the background so you could get the fall colors without the blue.
But I really like their genuine smile and that's the only thing about this photo they would probably notice

But thanks! I need this kind of nit-picky input, as I want to get better in every way possible. I need to learn how to pose, frame, crop, etc.

Regards,
Jake

 

[tirediron]

Her skin has a strong blue cast and given the position of her hand, the crop is a bit awkward. Avoid this pose whenever possible; notice how much it's wrinkled his shirt (WHO wears a t-shirt to a photo shoot????) whereas if you'd had him place the hand in the small of her back, they could have been close, but looked a little tidier. Also, either have the heads together, or upright. Avoid 'bobble-head mode'!

 

[D-B-J]

Her skin has a strong blue cast and given the position of her hand, the crop is a bit awkward. Avoid this pose whenever possible; notice how much it's wrinkled his shirt (WHO wears a t-shirt to a photo shoot????) whereas if you'd had him place the hand in the small of her back, they could have been close, but looked a little tidier. Also, either have the heads together, or upright. Avoid 'bobble-head mode'!

Thanks! Man... there's a lot of things to remember when shooting. I'm going to need a lot of practice!

Regards,
Jake

 

[KmH]

The first things I noticed is the magenta color cast and his yellow teeth.

Other wise, I think it turned out OK.

I would have used a bit of second or reflected light from camera left and to soften the shadow edged more, a bigger apparent light source from camera right.

 

[D-B-J]

The first things I noticed is the magenta color cast and his yellow teeth.

Other wise, I think it turned out OK.

I would have use a bit of second or reflected light from camera left and to soften the shadow edged more, a bigger apparent light source from camera right.

And that's where my second thread came in. I had to use both of my SB600's in one umbrella, and since I only have 2, I didn't have a third or reflector for camera left. I'm thinking of grabbing a third, so I can have 2 in one umbrella and 1 in the other. I realized the shadows on the camera-left are rather harsh.

Thanks for the input!

Regards,
Jake

 

[KmH]

How big is the umbrella?

 

[frommrstomommy]

Not bad! Wb issues, the chopped hand. .. A little too much over head space. It's a beautiful location, I'd like to see more!

 

[D-B-J]

How big is the umbrella?

Just a cheap umbrella from adorama. I think it's a 32" shoot through.

I was looking at upgrading to an elinchrom dedicated shoot through, 33". The adorama one is a shoot through with removable cover.
Should I be looking at a larger one? Like 40"?

 

[kathyt]

It looks rather candid with the pose. The WB is too cool, and the sky looks a bit over saturated.

 

[KmH]

You need a variety of sizes, and a variety of shapes. The more of a person, or the more people, there is in the frame, the bigger the modifier needs to be.

At some point a strip type soft box works better than an umbrella. But you can rig an umbrella with only part of it being used to mimic a strip box.

For 2 people, head and shoulders, I would want at least 45".

For that shot I likely would have used a 60" umbrella.

 

[D-B-J]

You need a variety of sizes, and a variety of shapes. The more of a person, or the more people, there is in the frame, the bigger the modifier needs to be.

At some point a strip type soft box works better than an umbrella. But you can rig an umbrella with only part of it being used to mimic a strip box.

For 2 people, head and shoulders, I would want at least 45".

For that shot I likely would have used a 60" umbrella.

Adorama U60T 60 Translucent Interior Umbrella 16 Rib U60T

Something of this variety??

Regards,
Jake