First Real Senior Portrait Session.

TheCameraLady · Apr 28, 2013

Here's one from today. Any better? Still really saturated but I was using a gold reflector so that was expected.

Emily in Humble. by SixNorthZines, on Flickr

tirediron · Apr 28, 2013

The gold reflector isn't going to increase saturation; it will warm the skin slightly. Check your camera settings to make sure that it's not set to "Vivid" or something like that. Don't be afraid to shoot vertical; the brick wall isn't a bad background, but there's rather more of it than is necessary IMO.

TheCameraLady · Apr 28, 2013

OH! I took a lot more vertical shots today. I just picked that one randomly. It felt a little more comfortable taking them today. I am going to grab a friend and take them back to that park and do all vertical until I love it! Lol

tirediron · Apr 28, 2013

Don't think that every portrait needs to be shot vertical; there's lots of good reasons to shoot horizontal, but a shot like the one above doesn't work as well horizontally, IMO, as it would vertically; the empty space image left isn't really adding anything to the image.

The_Traveler · Apr 29, 2013

In regards this picture. See the slight double chin. Get up on a ladder, she can look up at you slightly and that chin will disappear.

ronlane · Apr 29, 2013

Good catch Lew.

DiskoJoe · Apr 29, 2013

TheCameraLady said:
I was using a silver reflector. I spent all this time reading about poses and then when it was actually game time I choked. I'll definitely take these into account next time I shoot. I had a lot of trouble getting full body shots I felt like all of the ones I take the subject gets lost in the background. Or just the composition looked awkward.

Just work on the poses. She looks goofy. Your technique is good though. Nice clean exposure. Some pics in portrait orientation would be nice. But these arent bad. I like the colors. Im a fan of vivid. I thought yours were better then the shot lew posted, sorry lew.

kathyt · Apr 29, 2013

The_Traveler said:
In regards this picture. See the slight double chin. Get up on a ladder, she can look up at you slightly and that chin will disappear.

Or if they stick their tongue to the roof of their mouth when they smile, it will lift the double chin. Just a cool little trick.

Derrel · Apr 29, 2013

THey may be SOOC, but I have seen a LOT worse that has been "edited". She has a wide, round face....that kind of broad lighting makes her face look even wider. SHe was also positioned pretty square to the camera in most of the shots. I think having her body angled between 30 and 40 degrees would have been helpful, as would have been experimenting with !) her body angled in one direction relative to the main light's direction and the face turned the opposite direction as the body and then B)Switching that around.

Look into the terms 'broad lighting' and 'short lighting'.

DiskoJoe · Apr 29, 2013

Rafterman said:
I highly recommend you pick up this book: Digital Portrait Photography: Art, Business & Style (A Lark Photography Book): Steve Sint: 9781600593352: Amazon.com: Books

It's only $12, and LOADED with great info about portrait photography. I'm talking 200+ large, easy-to-understand pages loaded with full-color images and examples. The equipment section is a bit outdated because the last copyright date was 2009, but the advice about everything else is sound.

Since Amazon doesn't let you have a look inside the book at all, I'll list the chapter titles from my copy:

Portrait Psychology

Framing

Lighting Basics

Advanced Lighting

Using Lights

Posing the Face

Posing the Body

Minimalist Makeup

Equipment

The Business Side of Portraiture

You will learn boatloads of info from this book. Definitely give it a look.

Or you can read this free tutorial. Its really good, read it.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/articles-interest/268210-guide-classic-portraiture.html

ktan7 · Apr 29, 2013

With portrait photography, try to use a 50mm or 85mm prime lens.

tibrunner · Apr 30, 2013

You have the rule of thirds down pretty well. Keep in mind your title says senior "portrait," the vast majority of portraits look better over all and are more flattering to the subject when shot in..."Portrait" orientation. Don't be afraid to throw the camera on its side, I'm not talking some neck breaking "artistic tilt," shoot at 90 degrees and have some fun!