Critique These Head Shots

[vipgraphx]

I would like critique on these head shots.

I have a relative who is have a big 15th birthday party for their daughter. Its a spanish/hispanic tradition called a quinceñera. I was offered a paid job to shoot the party but, I never have shot weddings or big events like this and honestly do not like to mix business and family. So I turned it down.

I was then asked to be paid to take a few head shots at least. These will be placed on the each table. I decided to do this but, I offered my services for free as my gift to them.

I used the D700 with the 50mm 1.8 lens and the SB-700 flash.

I took multiple shots but I wanted to post these three fro C and C


11a by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


3a by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


7a by VIPGraphX, on Flickr

 

[Trever1t]

They're fine but no need for a flash with these and results would most likely be better. Why a 50mm? Do you have anything in the 70-200 range?

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Nice pics. I may have kept the f stop the same for that proper flash exposure, but increased the shutter speed a bit to knock back a little of the ambient background light. Or used a longer lens and blurred the background a tad bit.

 

[Derrel]

I think the second photo is the most pleasing of the three, although it's close between 3 and 2. That board running horizontally behind her head kind of detracts a bit from her. FABULOUS color on her shirt, and her hair and skin color both look excellent. Really lovely, natural color. I didn't know your camera could shoot natural color...I thought it was one a' them HDR-ONLY models...

 

[vipgraphx]

They're fine but no need for a flash with these and results would most likely be better. Why a 50mm? Do you have anything in the 70-200 range?

It was an overcast day so I thought having the flash was a good idea. I should have tried without to see how it looked. I read a while back you should always use a flash outside.

As far as why I shot 50mm, was I recently sold my 70-200 as I was not using it much.

I didn't know your camera could shoot natural color...I thought it was one a' them HDR-ONLY models...

hahahahaa..yeah I had to upgrade the software to allow to take non HDR shots.

Thanks!!

 

[Trever1t]

Not that I am all knowing, far from it but pretty much all my images are without flash, outdoors. You can warm the image with a WB bump

 

[tirediron]

I think if you'd taken the extra minute to find a better background these would have been really good shots, but the red-painted boards and bricks just provide to many visual distractions for my taste.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

These pics make excellent candidates for this thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photo-themes/255827-obligatory-brick-wall-shot-share-yours.html

 

[rexbobcat]

Post through the head is the biggest issue for me. The lighting is nice and even, though, and your model is pretty.

 

[vipgraphx]

I think if you'd taken the extra minute to find a better background these would have been really good shots, but the red-painted boards and bricks just provide to many visual distractions for my taste.

Yeah I wanted to take them to the park but they insisted on this location and the girl was just at the right height to have the window framing right at her head.
Thanks for commenting.

Post through the head is the biggest issue for me. The lighting is nice and even, though, and your model is pretty.

Thanks.

These pics make excellent candidates for this thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photo-themes/255827-obligatory-brick-wall-shot-share-yours.html

Oh hey good catch, thanks!

 

[vipgraphx]

Here is full body shot, besides the framing crossing through her head anything else to improve on?


12 by VIPGraphX, on Flickr

 

[pixmedic1 1]

as far as head shots go..im not impressed..I don't see any entrance or exit wounds, so im guessing they survived. definitely the opposite of what you want in a head shot.

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

I think if you'd taken the extra minute to find a better background these would have been really good shots, but the red-painted boards and bricks just provide to many visual distractions for my taste.

I concur. If you had more separation/distance from subject to background, the shots would be better. You'd have isolated your subject better, and controlled possible distractions as previously mentioned. Not bad, but could be better! It's fun to work to do lens work with people shots!

 

[skieur]

The clothing distracts from the face of the model. Pros choose what the model wears and ensure that everything visually in the scene works together photographically.

skieur