First Male Portrait - C&C Needed - Lighting/Shadow Etc

[MohaimenK]

Hello, so last night I did a male portrait for the first time. I must say, it's much harder than I thought directing a guy than a girl when doing portrait/modeling shots. Here's one of them straight out of the camera.
This was shot at night outdoor with one x1600 strobe.


***Click the image to make it larger for better details, looks way better than how it shows compressed***

C&C I'm looking for are:

1. Lighting
2. Composition
3. Is the crop correct?
4. WB
5. Shadows (too harsh or just right?) - I am debating around the nose a little bit ('Mandy' I need your special advice! :mrgreen

 

[randg111]

I'm definitely not expert, but just looking at it right off I would suggest cropping some of the empty space off the top of the picture.

 

[MohaimenK]

I'm definitely not expert, but just looking at it right off I would suggest cropping some of the empty space off the top of the picture.

Yes that's exactly what I thought too but wasn't sure how I wanted to go about not cropping him too much w/out the top and keeping the 2:3 ratio.

Here are couple I did at that ratio

1.

2.

But if I wasn't doing a 2:3 ratio then I'd do a crop that's an 8x10 size (4:5 ratio?)

 

[ababysean]

men are much harder to work with,right?

I think it looks good, it looks like it was taken in studio because the background is nice and clean!

Good job!

 

[thunderkyss]

I'm new here, & don't even consider myself an enthusiast. I'm researching for my daughter. But I would have thought a "professional" shot, a "professional portrait" would not have such heavy shadows on the subject.

If this were an effect, to be used to promote an action film or something, then we are okay. If this were a portrait of myself, commissioned by me to display in my home or given to family, I would not be happy.

 

[gsgary]

For me the flash is too intrusive and the eyes look a bit soft,the shadow on the left is a bit off putting i would have used F8/F11

 

[MohaimenK]

If this were a portrait of myself, commissioned by me to display in my home or given to family, I would not be happy.

Its not. Would you send a photo of u like this to your family members in a wife beater?? Shadows are fine for portraits you may have the wrong idea here.

Crystal it is! But ur more expert at it than I am.

 

[ababysean]

What is wrong with a wife beater? lol I've had a few free sessions where they considered a CLEAN wife beater dressed up! LMAO

 

[ababysean]

and it is so weird but for men, I have found once they take their shirts off, they seem to loosen up and relax more for the camera.

 

[Derrel]

His nose and face are a bit out of focus...the depth of field plane is positioned almost perfectly on his chest. The cropped images look better than the full-frame, as far as where his eyes are positioned in relation to the entire frame. White balance looks a bit cool...almost as if he has a slight blue tint to his skin.

 

[MohaimenK]

Thanks D! Love your C&C as usual. Very constructive :thumbup:

Crystal, nothing wrong w/ it I guess. I'd think you'd send those pix to perhaps, modeling agensies or something and not to family members? I don't know, maybe it's just me

 

[ababysean]

I was just kidding! lol

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

I'm definitely not expert, but just looking at it right off I would suggest cropping some of the empty space off the top of the picture.

Yes that's exactly what I thought too but wasn't sure how I wanted to go about not cropping him too much w/out the top and keeping the 2:3 ratio.

Here are couple I did at that ratio

1.

2.

But if I wasn't doing a 2:3 ratio then I'd do a crop that's an 8x10 size (4:5 ratio?)

Looks MUCH better with the top cropped off :thumbup: