First Portrait Shoot - C&C Please!

[meggs23]

Decided to attempt and do my son's 1 year portraits. I learned that these kinds of shoots take patients and time. It wasn't the greatest idea to do it in 101 degree weather, either. Made for a very impatient mama. So I only got a few decent shots - the model wasn't the most cooperative. So I am seeing a few photo sessions to get the collection I would like.

So here are a few. Enjoy.

#1


#2


#3

 

[jmtonkin]

In the first one, I'm not liking that his arms are chopped off on the sides. Also, there are a lot of blown out spots on his arm/back.

In the second, the picture seems quite cool. Again, the blown out spots. Cute pose though!

In the third, everything seems to have a green tint to it. Not sure what caused that. The blown out background is quite distracting for me. Also, he looks a little underexposed.

All in all, I like them and I think they are decent for your first time. I would suggest next time, not to shoot under such harsh light. Maybe find some shade someplace so you don't get everything blown out like that. Of the three, I think the second is my favorite.

 

[meggs23]

The lighting was the most difficult today. It was either pure sunshine or in the shade I would have spots of sunshine that would come through the trees. Him being on the constant go - made it real difficult. Not to mention he wouldn't keep the dang hat on. The moment I had it on him he was reaching to take it right off.

 

[pixilstudio]

even though you are in different lighting conditions doesnt mean you can t balance the color temp or WB out. wether on camera or in PP

 

[MTVision]

I'm a boob so take what I have to say with a grain of salt.

It looks like the white balance is wrong in all 3 pictures. Granted that may just be me and my tiny little phone that I'm using. Not sure what camera you are using but if it let's you shoot in RAW - do so. It gives you the ability to fix the WB among other things.
The poses with the hat would be great if you didn't cut off any arms. Trust me I know how hard it is to get good pictures of young kids on the move. I think it's even harder with your own kids! I have tons of pictures with my daughters hands cut off!
Good Luck!

-Megan

 

[KmH]

Mid-day is the worst time of day to do outdoor portraiture, unless you have a good location that has open shade, or you have the equipment needed to make your own shade and to then light the subject.

 

[The_Traveler]

These are cute pictures but the color is all over the place and there is a strange lack of micro-detail in the face as if you were using an on-camera flash.
What those guys said about time of day is right on. You've got sunshone and shade colors mixed - along with strange tints.
Your eye is great and the child is cute.
Take some at better times.

 

[pixilstudio]

to the traveler... for taking the time to do the post right

 

[meggs23]

These are cute pictures but the color is all over the place and there is a strange lack of micro-detail in the face as if you were using an on-camera flash.

I am a noob so please humor me. What is micro-detail?

 

[The_Traveler]

Every person's skin has minute physical and tonal variations.
These are visible as a pleasing texture when the light is not too overwhelming and, more important, when the light isn't on axis with the lens (like an on-camera flash is). When light is straight on and too bright, the physical texture doesn't have any shadows to define it and the tonal variation is washed out by the amount of light, so the skin looks preternaturally flat and without texture.

I hope that makes some sense.

 

[Shadowbox]

The Traveler, can you please help me with a question that has been on my mind. A lot of times we hear 'shadows are bad' but we also hear that we don't want to achieve a flat photo- meaning no shadows to define the face. How can we tell the difference? Like right now I have a photo with a shadow from her nose, is this acceptable or not? Thanks and sorry for the hijack.

 

[The_Traveler]

If the OP minds, I will be happy to delete this text and send it in a PM but here goes.

First, a disclaimer, I am absolutely not a professional photographer and I don't know anything substantive about studio shooting. My entire experience has been in natural light and so all my ideas come from that.

All that being said, here goes.

The idea about shadows is that you want the softest shadow reasonably possible. That will define the surface and yet not produce deep impenetrable shadows. It's pretty obvious that a small light source produces sharp edged shadows. The shadows from the sun are quite sharp and are softened at the edges only by some amount of diffraction and by the fact that sun does have some width and isn't a real point source.

What is desirable is much softer shadows with a long transition from the unshadowed part to the deepest shadow - hence the use of soft-boxes enclosing flashes or bouncing flashes off walls and ceilings; both of these diffuse the light and make the source effectively much larger.

Well how does one get soft light with the sun?

On slightly overcast days, the clouds diffuse the sun, making that soft transition that is so nice and so the shadows are soft-edged and not so dark. This is also found in open shade where some of the light is filtered through the trees and some of it is bounced in from the sun as reflections. Some people have set up studios in their garage where all the light is bounced off the driveway and thus it is directional but very soft.
What we get there is a large soft light source that models all the features and yet the shadows aren't too dark.

Of course you have to notice about color tint from the source.

Most important in any portraits, imo, that the eyes eyes be clear and sharp and that the eye sockets should not be dark holes under the brow. Of course there are exceptions to this but in general viewers want to see the eyes well.

Here are some casual portraits that I've done. These aren't necessarily contest winners or even contest quality but they are dear to me and, as objectively as I can judge my own work, nice pictures.

 

[Shadowbox]

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense and I think the OP will love this information as well, it's very helpful. I viewed your photos and I see how the eyes are the most dominant feature of your portraits. Thanks for sharing this information and the link to your photos.