Does this look professional?

JoannaWilcox · Jan 17, 2008

Hello! I'm still working with my new umbrella light trying to take some professional shots. I'd just appreciate some feedback on the look of the photo...does it seem professional? I'm happy with it but i'd like to get some more 'expert' opinions.

Thank you! :lovey:

Joanna

domromer · Jan 17, 2008

I don't think it does, but thats only because it's over exposed.

That One Guy · Jan 17, 2008

I am no expert but to me yes it does look professional if the "glam" look is what you were going for. tho it seems like there was alot of PP work done.

One thing I would change is to use a healing brush on the spot right above her right eye and the spot on her right cheek.....looks to be a skin blemish or freckle. her skin looks flawless except for that.

the eyes are amazing!!

great pic!!

dpolston · Jan 17, 2008

What "specifically" are you looking for?

I have a lot of studio experience and I'm not sure what kind of equipment you have. On a normal (if there is such a thing) I use a 3 (sometimes 4) light setup, but the main ones are the "main light" (umbrella) and a "hair" (shot from behind and above the model) or "rim" (shot from behind and below the model) light.

The other 2 lights are give and take. One is a light for the background and one is a fill (usually an on camera flash) for the shadows. You can loose these for effect but if you get rid of the fill light, I'd replace it with a reflector of some kind.

Here are some links to some lighting posts I had:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106851 (post #9 shows my head shot setup)

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106682 (old school lighting)

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107497

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106117 (this does not shot the fill light)

Maybe this helps... maybe not.

JoannaWilcox · Jan 18, 2008

domromer said:
I don't think it does, but thats only because it's over exposed.

Thank you for your critic.

That one guy, There was some photoshopping done but I'm not sure how to determine a lot. I shot in RAW and basically just adjusted the shadows/highlights and colors settings before it loaded up into photoshop. From there I increased the saturation a bit and used a small surface blur on the skin. Oh and I sharpened the eyes a bit...ahh ok YES there is LOTS of photoshopping! Hahah. But really it only took 5 minutes or so.

Oh and it is my face lol and they are freckles and not zits lol.

Dpolston, I guess I am just going for the "Lets make somebody look WAY better than they do in real life." All I used for this was an umbrella light (no on camera flash). It was interesting to see how you set up your shoots.

dpolston · Jan 18, 2008

Gotcha!

That One Guy · Jan 18, 2008

believe me i wasn't trying to insult you in anyway and i hope you didnt take it that way

i think it is an awesome shot as i said before. the reason i said looks like lots of PS is your skin looks airbrushed............so take that as a compliment

dbrandon · Jan 18, 2008

I like it Joanna. Personally i think the lighting worked well, but to me it feels slightly oversaturated.

By the sounds of it you didn't process it too much, just the usual quick touch up stuff.

But you were practicing with lighting, and you did a good job. It's soft and complementing, which is a nice look to go for with females IMO

Always play round with positioning of the light though, it's amazing how versitile a single light setup can be. :thumbup:

dbrandon · Jan 18, 2008

Ooops, just like to add that i'm not an expert !

Alpha · Jan 18, 2008

It's a nice job with high key, though slightly too yellow I think. Work on extending the neck, and generally avoid placing an upper arm in the foreground as that tends to make it look fatter than it actually is.

You can also give the appearance of darker skin tones in high-key work by brightening the background.

nagoshua · Jan 19, 2008

think outside the box a lil, i think just a standard head and shoulders pic is a lil boring, the most professional thing you could do is to sit down and brainstorm and come up with something really original. (its over exposed too)

petey · Jan 19, 2008

I love it just the way it is.:thumbup:

Beauty spot, hair on shoulder, slight ear lobe peeking.....

Gorgeous eyes and a relaxed pleasant smile.

I could look at you all day lady. :heart:

To answer the question "Does it look Professional?"....Hell no.

This is one shot you don't want changed by anyone.

It's better than professional babe. :lovey: