Desperate to move forward! CC if you will!

Aayria

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I've had two real "shoots" in the past couple of months, and I feel like I'm hitting a big huge wall with these. I was pushing and pushing all last year to improve, and now I'm just not sure where to go!

Something positive- I have at least had to spend wayyyyy less time editing my shots. (yay!!!). Most of these were completely edited in LR only which has been a huge goal for a long while. The most recent were the pictures of the baby here...and I literally spent like five minutes TOPS on most of the edits! I used to spend nearly an hour or more on every.single.picture I edited, so I'm really happy with that at least.

But I still question if my edits are working or not...

Anyway..I'll go through and offer at least what I like/dislike about each of these, but I completely welcome any other HHCC that you can think of, and any advice you have to help get over this plateau! Do you think it could be because I"m not shooting as often? Most of the time I do semi posed/semi snap shots following my own kids around, versus the three "real shoots" per month I was doing for a while there of strangers and friends/family. So maybe I'm not getting as much solid practice like I used to?

Here's what I've been working on:


1) My brother and his beautiful wife, I took these as an anniversary gift for them, in the garden where they were married:

i-NgNzvQR-L.jpg


What I like about this shot: I was really happy with the clairty and the light in this. CC: I fumbled with posing, though..and this was a pose they came up with on their own. I'm not sure if it really works well, and I'm not sure about my color/tones in this edit. Also feeling like maybe the light was too flat for the mood I wanted. But overall, this was probably my best shot of that day. I think Heather's (my sister in law's) skin is a little bright on her arm, and maybe it's just my eyes, but they still seem a little pink to me? Also not sure about my brother's hands in his pockets.

2)

i-KxCKM4D-L.jpg


What I like: I also like the clarity and light here for the most part..and I was happy with the reflection in his sunglasses. CC: This was a shot my brother wanted for a "cool profile picture on facebook" LOL... So it doesn't scream "anniversary pictures" in that regard;) I feel like it was cropped too tightly...I still struggle with remembering to back up enough with my 50mm 1.4, and give my subjects room to breathe. I'm also not sure on the color here..he still seems pink to me, and the burning/dodging seems too obvious.


3) This was a 9 month shoot for a sweet friend's baby girl, just for fun. We went across the street from my house into a little grotto/garden for some sunset pictures. It turned out to be a very overcast day, though..so I didn't get to play with the look I'd hoped for. Anyway: Here's my favorite shot of baby Claire from that evening:

i-wn7HSBF-L.jpg


What I like: I was pretty happy with the coloring and mood of this shot, and the clairty. CC: I feel like the background is distracting, and I wish I'd left more room in the top right for her gaze...More with the needing to step back- I almost chopped her pinkee.

4)

i-kkwcvm6-L.jpg


What I like: I felt like this shot was framed a little better, and I liked the eye contact. CC: Chopped her cute little foot off!! *CRY*...and I feel like I should have moved the chair to the left so it was covering the dirt path area. It also seems to be lacking the clairty of the others, I think I may have just missed focus. (I shot this session completely wide open at 1.4, unlike my ussual 2.0 -2.2 range.) Also, more with the pink-ish skin to my eyes.

And a portrait orientation similar shot:
i-qPbCQHg-L.jpg


5)

i-kL33HrV-L.jpg


What I like: I loved her expression here, obviously =P I also made more of a conscious effort to step back and get a better composition without chopping limbs. CC: I feel like the color may be oversaturated, and she seems pink again. The dodging/burning seems a bit obvious again too.

6)

i-8s4PGmB-L.jpg


What I like: I loved the sweet happy look on mom's face, and the composition here feels better... CC: The color still seems off to me, I don't like the gate going through mom's head in the background, and I don't feel like my greens are "rich" enough if that makes sense.


If you have anything to offer thank you SO MUCH in advance!
 
I've enjoyed these actually, the composition seems quite nice... i like your use of DOF... i agree some of the composition cuts off the chair, or feet or pinky.. that's probably something to work on , or move yourself and/or the subject... don't go overboard with the burn-ins.. but your style is consistent which makes it... pleasing.
 
I think your own critiques pretty much hit the nail on the head, but I disagree with the "pink" comments for the most part - I'm not seeing it. I do think the dodging and burning could be a bit more subtle in all of these, actually, but I like the look.

So, sure, there's still room to improve, but you know where it is and how to get there, so I'd say stop being so hard on yourself. :) I'd be thrilled to end up with shots like these!
 
these are pretty decent. One suggestion would be to watch your framing. several have limbs chopped. just take a step or two back or zoom out a little if using telephoto. i like the dof. you might also try to get the shots to be a bit more candid. the baby ones with mom are okay like that but for two young lovers try to get something more real. here they look like they may be about to start laughing. try to get them to have a real loving embrace and not pose like they are having one. Alot of this is mental. You have to get them in that correct state of mind. hope that makes sense.
 
I'm just a beginner around here, but I like #3 and #5. #4 looks like she's going to fall out of the seat, though. I would have liked #6 more if the DOF was different. The colors are great, but IMHO the yellow could do with being more in focus (only some of it is in focus right now) and the fence being at the level of focus it's at right now seems distracting to the eyes. That would seem to me to lean towards less DOF. Alternatively, I'd suggest tightening the shot and putting even more of the background out of focus. #1 is very stylish for an ad. Nice.
 
As a general point, these images fall into one of two categories: 1, 4, 5, and have too much empty space and 2, 3, and 4A are cropped too tightly. What I like to do for shots like this, is to compose the shot in the viewfinder, framing it exactly as I envision it, and then open up just a bit to avoid issues such as the amputated toes in #2.

Overall, these are a nice collection, showing good technical skills and nice posing. Just concentrate a little more at looking around the the whole viewfinder before you press the shutter-release and ensure that everything that should be is visible.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John
 
As a general point, these images fall into one of two categories: 1, 4, 5, and have too much empty space and 2, 3, and 4A are cropped too tightly. What I like to do for shots like this, is to compose the shot in the viewfinder, framing it exactly as I envision it, and then open up just a bit to avoid issues such as the amputated toes in #2.

She's using a prime though - so "opening up" after framing the shot would require taking several steps backwards. I have the same tendency to frame the subject too closely when using my prime, and I'm trying to learn to start farther away and move in, rather than the other way around.

Something else I'm trying to teach myself is that if I'm constantly making adjustments to keep the subject in the frame without any missing parts, then I'm probably too close. :p
 
I think you just aren't shooting enough in a position where you're pushing yourself. Aside from some chopped limbs your photos are fine. I would take it a little easier on the vignette, but other than that they are really good. Start seriously shooting more and you will start to see that improvement again.
 
Plateaus happen. It's called consolidation - lots (maybe all) of skills have periods when the external progress seems stopped. But underneath, the skills get more polished, more integrated, deeper. Then, assuming you are continuing to push yourself, comes another burst of learning and you arrive at a new plateau. It's all good.


Love how your shots look. Sure a nit here and there, but there's a definite style emerging.
 
I personnaly like them a lot. Aside from framing as mentionned your dof exposure an post process work very well for me.

I love the rich color and sharp focus !
 
I like the shots but some seem off level.
 
You've hit a plateau, IMO, because you have gotten complacent. Focus looks good in all of them. Exposure is decent, although, you pointed out the few that were over exposed in some areas. Backgrounds look average, the ones that are tilted have already been pointed out.

So, the complacent part, the posing is, like you said it, the result of just following people around. There doesn't seem to be any conscious efforts in composition or posing your subject to be portrayed in the best way possible. Probably a combination of not knowing what poses are appropriate and a lack of assertiveness to instruct your subjects(the toddler aside). Plenty of books on posing, or just flip through a magazine or type portrait into google images. Note the poses you like, why you like them, and then duplicate them. When you get comfortable instructing your subject, know what looks good, and can objectively view your subject, you can start posing them so that they are viewed in their best light.

The other complacent part is the post processing. In your original post, you almost bragged about how fast you went through and processed them. It's sloppy, and it's obvious that you didn't spend a lot of time on them. The vignettes are over the top, the color adjustments and burning show obvious halos. Basically, it's sloppy. I'm not saying you should spend an hour per photo like you were to start with, but just because you are becoming more familiar with the tools doesn't mean you should sacrifice attention to detail for the sake of speed.

Those two things, IMO, are why you have reached a plateau. You have realized you can get by with good enough and that is exactly what you are doing. It's hard to improve when your standards are 'good enough'.
 
I've enjoyed these actually, the composition seems quite nice... i like your use of DOF... i agree some of the composition cuts off the chair, or feet or pinky.. that's probably something to work on , or move yourself and/or the subject... don't go overboard with the burn-ins.. but your style is consistent which makes it... pleasing.

Thanks for your comments! This was actually the first time I've really played with dodging/burning..I used to just use layers/masks in GIMP outside of LR. So I'm still getting the hang of keeping the burning pleasing but subtle enough to not distract. I appreciate your thoughts. =)

I think your own critiques pretty much hit the nail on the head, but I disagree with the "pink" comments for the most part - I'm not seeing it. I do think the dodging and burning could be a bit more subtle in all of these, actually, but I like the look.

So, sure, there's still room to improve, but you know where it is and how to get there, so I'd say stop being so hard on yourself. :) I'd be thrilled to end up with shots like these!

Thanks for commenting! The red I'm seeing is likely from adding too much red in the shadows. You can see it the most in the shot of my brother with the sunglasses. If you're on a calibrated monitor especially (which maybe you are?), it really stands out. It shouldn't be too hard to tweak in general white balance, though.

these are pretty decent. One suggestion would be to watch your framing. several have limbs chopped. just take a step or two back or zoom out a little if using telephoto. i like the dof. you might also try to get the shots to be a bit more candid. the baby ones with mom are okay like that but for two young lovers try to get something more real. here they look like they may be about to start laughing. try to get them to have a real loving embrace and not pose like they are having one. Alot of this is mental. You have to get them in that correct state of mind. hope that makes sense.

Thanks, for your thoughts! I also prefer more candid shots...If you stop by my website at all, you'll see most of my portfolio is more candid, with a bit of posing particularly on the senior shots. But maybe that is what's bugging me most about this more than editing or the technical aspect. They don't feel like me...They feel a bit forced and almost cold. I know I can get the tecnical side down if I really push, but I think the emotion is lacking.

I'm just a beginner around here, but I like #3 and #5. #4 looks like she's going to fall out of the seat, though. I would have liked #6 more if the DOF was different. The colors are great, but IMHO the yellow could do with being more in focus (only some of it is in focus right now) and the fence being at the level of focus it's at right now seems distracting to the eyes. That would seem to me to lean towards less DOF. Alternatively, I'd suggest tightening the shot and putting even more of the background out of focus. #1 is very stylish for an ad. Nice.

I think you're right on 4....I ussually levell out my pictures in cropping, but if I didn't back up enough to give my subject room in the original, then cropping only chops off more limbs. Definitely something to keep watching for. I also think the fence is very distracting in 6.



As a general point, these images fall into one of two categories: 1, 4, 5, and have too much empty space and 2, 3, and 4A are cropped too tightly. What I like to do for shots like this, is to compose the shot in the viewfinder, framing it exactly as I envision it, and then open up just a bit to avoid issues such as the amputated toes in #2.

Overall, these are a nice collection, showing good technical skills and nice posing. Just concentrate a little more at looking around the the whole viewfinder before you press the shutter-release and ensure that everything that should be is visible.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

Thank you for your thoughts, and I completely agree! I need to step back and take some time to view the scene before I snap away.

As a general point, these images fall into one of two categories: 1, 4, 5, and have too much empty space and 2, 3, and 4A are cropped too tightly. What I like to do for shots like this, is to compose the shot in the viewfinder, framing it exactly as I envision it, and then open up just a bit to avoid issues such as the amputated toes in #2.

She's using a prime though - so "opening up" after framing the shot would require taking several steps backwards. I have the same tendency to frame the subject too closely when using my prime, and I'm trying to learn to start farther away and move in, rather than the other way around.

Something else I'm trying to teach myself is that if I'm constantly making adjustments to keep the subject in the frame without any missing parts, then I'm probably too close. :p

Yep!

..."opening up" after framing the shot would require taking several steps backwards...
:thumbup:

And there we have it ladies and gentlemen, the world's first zoom lens!

Now with more zoom!

I think you just aren't shooting enough in a position where you're pushing yourself. Aside from some chopped limbs your photos are fine. I would take it a little easier on the vignette, but other than that they are really good. Start seriously shooting more and you will start to see that improvement again.

Thanks for your thoughts..and I think you're right. I am seriously missing the frequency of shoots I used to have.

Plateaus happen. It's called consolidation - lots (maybe all) of skills have periods when the external progress seems stopped. But underneath, the skills get more polished, more integrated, deeper. Then, assuming you are continuing to push yourself, comes another burst of learning and you arrive at a new plateau. It's all good.


Love how your shots look. Sure a nit here and there, but there's a definite style emerging.

Thanks for the kind words! =) I do feel like the technical aspects of my shots are getting better...Which is why I was so thrilled that editing doesn't take as long. I'm learning to use light and other aspects so that my shots SOOC are as close to right as I can get them without needing to "fix' things in post processing. That at least feels great..but I am loosing some of my style in the process if that makes sense.

I personnaly like them a lot. Aside from framing as mentionned your dof exposure an post process work very well for me.

I love the rich color and sharp focus !

Thanks for commenting! I was really happy to have most of these turn out so sharp..Especially the baby shots (aside from number 4 which is a bit soft) because I was trying to shoot more and more wide open.

I like the shots but some seem off level.

You've hit a plateau, IMO, because you have gotten complacent. Focus looks good in all of them. Exposure is decent, although, you pointed out the few that were over exposed in some areas. Backgrounds look average, the ones that are tilted have already been pointed out.

So, the complacent part, the posing is, like you said it, the result of just following people around. There doesn't seem to be any conscious efforts in composition or posing your subject to be portrayed in the best way possible. Probably a combination of not knowing what poses are appropriate and a lack of assertiveness to instruct your subjects(the toddler aside). Plenty of books on posing, or just flip through a magazine or type portrait into google images. Note the poses you like, why you like them, and then duplicate them. When you get comfortable instructing your subject, know what looks good, and can objectively view your subject, you can start posing them so that they are viewed in their best light.

The other complacent part is the post processing. In your original post, you almost bragged about how fast you went through and processed them. It's sloppy, and it's obvious that you didn't spend a lot of time on them. The vignettes are over the top, the color adjustments and burning show obvious halos. Basically, it's sloppy. I'm not saying you should spend an hour per photo like you were to start with, but just because you are becoming more familiar with the tools doesn't mean you should sacrifice attention to detail for the sake of speed.

Those two things, IMO, are why you have reached a plateau. You have realized you can get by with good enough and that is exactly what you are doing. It's hard to improve when your standards are 'good enough'.

I think you misunderstood why I am happy that editing doesn't take as long. It's a combination of many factors... The main reason my shots used to take an hour + to edit were because my SOOC's were that bad. If you can't get things right in camera..you're going to spend more time editing. I also used to edit in LR and then in Gimp, then back to LR again..which converts my RAW files to TIF's in the process, loosing image quality. So I've been working on editing in LR only as much as possible..which consequently ALSO speeds up my workflow. So...add better SOOC's, along with more efficient editing software, you get faster editing. I'm not bragging about my editing skills, I'm excited to see that my pictures don't need as much work to look like I envision them.

I can agree with the burning being too obvious..but this was also the first time I really played with adding artificial burning...It's easy in LR to go back and reduce the pin a tad so the burning meshes better and isn't so obvious if needed. Normally if I wanted a vinette, I would just use the natural lens vignette at a small amount... These weren't for a "vignette" look, though..they were an attempt to play with a style I had seen and use burning to spotlight my subjects more.

As for sacrificing attention to detail...I would say I've done the opposite. Rather than spending hours fixing details I missed in camera..I'm spending more time setting up my shots so I don't have silly things to "fix" in editing. Light, shadows, backgrounds etc...I think about all of that a thousands times more so that I don't have to fix my own avoidable mistakes later, if that makes sense.

As for posing..That's just a personal thing. I've done better with it in the past, and I think getting out of the hang of things..not shooting other people for several months now..I'm starting to loose some of that familiarity and comfortableness with my subjects I had been fostering. So many of my older sessions I can look back and see a more comfortable, at east photographer.... These feel forced to me. Lots to think about.

And I'm sorry...I don't mind CC, but you really think my standards are "good enough???" I am struggling to see where you get that impression when I'm putting my work out there for people to rip apart at will and trying my hardest to grow as a photographer. "Good enough" has never been my goal or mindset, and I'm honestly amazed that you could get that impression. Yay for internet interpretation?
 
Have you tried shooting something different ? I can be shooting sports one day and studio the next or some off camera flash and ambient shots
 

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