Critique my portraits?

[stephluna97]

Hello,
I am new to this forum and found it simply because I was looking for a place to share my photos. I've been experimenting with photography for about 5 years and recently discovered that portraits are what I love shooting most. I would really appreciate some feedback on these, thank you!

 

[table1349]

You would probably get more reviews if you first read this: Beginners forum - Moderator Notice Photography Forum

Then posted them in the appropriate gallery here: Photography Forum

 

[Bryston3bsst]

I like portraiture a lot too.

In your first one, she needs to comb her hair. In many cases I actually like a little messy hair and some fly aways. But that usually in a sexier, boudoir type of shoot. That isn't the case here so it just looks unkempt. Not real crazy about the pose, her hand in particular, it just looks unnatural. I would crop this one differently as well, maybe just above her waist. Lighting is a little flat, I like a few more shadows, makes for a bit more drama.

Second one, I would bin. The pose is not working. It could be campy, but it's not and it's surely not formal. So......dump.

Third, tilt is not good, at least here. The crop makes for a little too much crotch, kind of unflattering. Background is too in focus, making it part of the picture, which it shouldn't be. She needs to be further away from it. Then shoot with a wider aperture for a shallower DOF.

Processing on these seems pretty severe. Blacks are crushed so you've lost detail. Third one the contrast is great enough that her skin has lost all texture.

Last one is better. Lighting on her face doesn't match the rest of the picture. That is her face is too bright with regard to the rest of the light in the frame. The 'North Face' logo should go as well.

Steph, please understand, photography, especially portraiture, is very subjective and this is simply my opinion. I'm a firm believer in there are no hard and fast rules. Guidelines, yes. I know what I've written here may sound harsh and that's not at all my intent. Practice, critique your work and practice more. And don't ask family and friends if they like your work cause they'll always say it's wonderful. By asking here, a group of people who have no clue who you are you'll get a better sense of where you're going. But here again, keep in mind, these are all opinions.

Carry on.

 

[KmH]

Double posting is also not allowed, so leave the photos here, and maybe a moderator will move them to the appropriate Gallery forum.

 

[Designer]

I would really appreciate some feedback on these, thank you!

#1 crop
#2 pose
#3 processing
#4 frame

 

[pixmedic]

I like the pose in #1, although I think I would crop that one up a little higher to exclude her hand and partial bare leg.
maybe crop just below her left elbow and make it a waist up shot. The catchlights are great, but ive never cared as much for the square reflections from softboxes...its the main reason I use brollys and umbrellas. I agree that a quick combing would have helped this shot.

#2 seems a tad underexposed, and everything from the chest up seems to be slightly out of focus. It also feels to me like an odd crop with both elbows being chopped off. her expression was....trying to look serious? not really sure what you were going for with this one. unfortunately, with the focus issues, this picture would have never made it past my first round of editing and been immediately marked for deletion.

#3 is a bit of a miss for me as well. it kinda gives that "upskirt shot" impression, and all the detail in her skin and outfit have been lost in the processing. Her right hand being OOF would disqualify this shot from making my final cut.
I think this shot would have worked much better shot from a higher angle, and a shallower DOF with more background separation.

#4 is a nice shot. its cropped a little too close for my taste. (I prefer leaving the whole head in the frame)
a little fill flash would have helped with the heavy shadows. I think on this shot, I would bring the highlights down just a hair and bump the shadows up a little as well as maybe just a little exposure increase.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I agree about the first one being cropped. Even if hair is curly or tousled it needs to be arranged for the photo (especially with long hair as the subject moves from one pose to another).

I wondered if there's some significance to the second one, if so maybe a different angle or trying framing it horizontally, or even think about what she could wear that might work better.

I think effects like tilt are better when used sparingly. With this if I scroll down a bit and just look at her without much background it could maybe work with a different background (with less lines that for me makes for too much lean). I noticed the kitties on her tights and thought maybe you were trying to emphasize that, but I'd think about how she's sitting and the angle - keep the shoes and the end of the bench where her feet are propped in the picture so they aren't cut off, you have more than enough space at the top.

The last feels in too close, I want to take a step back, and the hair needed to be arranged (maybe to cover the brand name of the jacket). You seem to have good ideas, you might need to keep working on the technical aspects, exposure, editing, etc. and think about how you're framing your photos; double check how the subject looks and make sure you're good to go before you release the shutter.

 

[FITBMX]

Lot's of great C&C here!​

welcome to TPF!!!
​

 

[soufiej]

View attachment 104192 View attachment 104193 View attachment 104194 View attachment 104195 Hello,
I am new to this forum and found it simply because I was looking for a place to share my photos. I've been experimenting with photography for about 5 years and recently discovered that portraits are what I love shooting most. I would really appreciate some feedback on these, thank you!

Pretty much in agreement with what's been said. IMO, your cropping is poor. You cut off parts we'd prefer left intact and you show us parts that aren't what we need to see.

What are you trying to do with lighting? Every shot has essentially the same look. IMO the "look" isn't flattering. It's flat and lacks dimension. Nothing to make a subject stand out from the very plain backgrounds. Nothing to sculpt a face. Once you've shown us the same style in several photos, unless you begin to break up the pattern, we aren't expecting anything new so we stop looking for anything new. Then we eventually stop looking period. And while your models aren't unattractive, the neutral poses you've used are just blah. If you're not working with a model who can insert some personality into the shot, it's up to you as the director of the scene to give the model a thought, an action, an intent to go for. Something other than, "I'm posing now". Your second shot misses the mark in that regard.

The fence and the semi-dead leaves in your third shot have more dimension than your subject's face. Black clothing is generally a bad idea for portraiture, as is white. Look at what's in your viewfinder before you release the shutter. Are you using the histogram your camera likely provides?

Available light photography is fine, you simply need to learn how to make the available light work for you and not against you. If you are using additional light, make it too work for you. Artificial light is meant to add some "POP!" to the image. Or, at the very least, to reduce the overall flatness and sameness of just having light.

First, work on posing your models in an interesting manner. I would argue the "recommended" posing styles for women should be put in the trash bin/shredder. They are mostly too cheese-cakey, meant for men to see types of poses. Forget them. Most females will find nothing of interest in a shot of some woman looking provocative.

Sort of like most women likely cringe when those gals selling ED remedies come on TV. Geezobeezo! Makes me want to gag! Flowing skirts and wind blown hair. Soft lighting, soft focus, whispery voices and airy background music. Who directs that crap! Get them off the bed, standing up straight in a suit and talking about how this stuff can give you a ... "problem" that lasts for four hours before you finally wise up and head to the ER to 'splain what happened. About how your frickin' heart can explode! Now! You still want this stuff?!

Pick poses that show a woman in a flattering manner but not a provocative display. Concentrate on what women see and you'll be fine. When Jenner made the cover of Vanity Fair, one talking head's daughter said, "She's been a woman for three hours and already she's covering up her arms." My reaction to Jenner was, "Great! why the cheesy boudoir shot?" She is 65 after all. Time for a nice print house coat and some slippers. And a box of Thin Mints on the table.

There are "girl" poses and there are "guy" poses. Each meant to show off the best of the human figure without making one set just a bunch of girls posing for guys shots. Put a woman on an equal footing with a man and you'll win most women's approval.

Forget "flirty", it's sooooooo Mitt Romney for President.

Your shots are all so "posed". Loosen up your subject's look. Try some more un-posed shots and some candid work. Let your models move.

Your first shot is the only one of the group with any catch lights in the subject's eyes. Adding such small details - not just catch lights but the whole gamut of details which go into an attractive image - will make your photos more appealing and more memorable. Little things such as tilting the model's forehead forward just a bit add to the power of the image. All in all, it appears you may enjoy portraiture but it doesn't really appear you've bothered to study the artistic or the technical side of the style.

Portrait Photography s Power Posing Part I The Components - Digital Photography School

Where is Your Subject Looking and Why Does it Matter - Digital Photography School

The Human Side of Photography - 4 Tips for Natural Looking Portraits - Digital Photography School

Understanding Light for Better Portrait Photography

Butterfly

Constructive Photography Critique How to Give and Receive with Grace

 

[chuasam]

I love the stark Scandinavian cinema type lighting in image #2.
I don't like the hand on chin for #1
#3 weird tilt and awkward face and horrible colour tone
#4 healing brush too evident on chin. expression a bit blank.