Critique: Help Me!!

[W.Y.Photo]

So I hate all of these.. but I need to choose two to include in my portfolio to show that I can properly use a studio. Could you all tell me what you think about these and also help me decide which two are the best?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Gray for the Background is intentional.. Does it look intentional? Should I just make it white?

 

[qleak]

So I hate all of these.. but I need to choose two to include in my portfolio to show that I can properly use a studio.

From these photos I find 4 & 6 to be okay.

Gray for the Background is intentional.. Does it look intentional? Should I just make it white?

Gray background is fine. IMHO I wouldn't change it in post if you're trying to demonstrate your studio knowledge and skills. If you can reshoot, why not try to get a few you like?

 

[W.Y.Photo]

These were shot about 4 months ago and I hadn't really taken a peek till now.. I would love to do a reshoot but I haven't had the time nor do I have free access to a studio like I used to. I will attempt to do a reshoot in the future but since I need to include some studio work in my portfolio now I've basically gotta go with what I have.

 

[Light Guru]

So I hate all of these.. but I need to choose two to include in my portfolio to show that I can properly use a studio.

If you hate them then DONT put them in your portfolio.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

I would normally agree with you Guru but they are the only studio work I have on hand as I've lost a harddrive that contained most of my studio portraiture, they are necessary to my portfolio in certain situations even though they arn't my favorite images.

Also, when I say hate I don't mean despise, I just mean I know I can do better and hate the idea of not having exceptional quality work in my portfolio.

I plan on shooting better stuff soon but at the moment I need something as a placeholder until I create better work.

 

[tirediron]

1. Decent lighting, but you look like you've just sneezed and you've cropped your arm along the length.

2. Looks about 1/3 stop over to me; a nice enough split light, but again, the arm.

3. Probably the best overall, however exposure needs to come down 1/3 - 1/2 stop at least.

4. Not a fan; WHY are you pointing at me?

5. Up the nose shots are NEVER appropriate.

6. I like the lighting in this one, and the exposure looks good, but WHY the awkward pose & crop? Square to the camera isn't usually the best pose.

7. Over-exposed.

Overall I would say that none of these are really portfolio-worthy, especially if you're not happy with them. IMO, the lighting isn't so much the issue as the posing/cropping. "Studio portraiture" covers a fairly broad expanse of photography; is there a specific area you're trying to work on?

 

[Light Guru]

I would normally agree with you Guru but they are the only studio work I have on hand as I've lost a harddrive that contained most of my studio portraiture, they are necessary to my portfolio in certain situations even though they arn't my favorite images.

Also, when I say hate I don't mean despise, I just mean I know I can do better and hate the idea of not having exceptional quality work in my portfolio.

I plan on shooting better stuff soon but at the moment I need something as a placeholder until I create better work.

It's better to have no examples in a category of work then bad examples

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Thanks for the input guys.

I'm normally of similar opinion with you Light Guru, and though I would prefer to have better examples I need to show some studio portraiture now so I'm basically wondering if you think any of these are of acceptable quality. I'm normally much harder on my work than others are (though, admittedly not always..) so I find it hard to tell if they are even close to good once I notice even a little problem with them. That's why I'm asking.

 

[Derrel]

Maybe 3 and 6? I dunno...these are just...not good work. No way around that; all of these have serious issues. Maybe you could try a classic bowl of fruit and bottle of wine shot, lighted by a single flash bounced off of a wall as a "studio flash shot"...maybe do a few table-top shots using classic studio lighting with one BIG light source and a reflector on the opposite side.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I don't know why you feel like you have to include studio work, but if these are to show you know how to do studio work... this seems to not be helping yourself a whole lot, seems like you might find something usable but not great. Besides the arm in at least a couple the fingertips aren't completely in the frame - I think the framing is a concern as much as anything. And was his shirt lavender?? looks it but I wasn't sure about the color.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Yeah its Lavander. Does the color balance seem off? on my monitor its fine but
I never know because my laptop is uncalibrated.

Thanks Everybody. I'll definitely leave them out if everyone thinks that's whats best.