First senior portrait session. C&C would be awesome!!

[Destin]

I shot my first senior portrait session yesterday. Actually, it was my first paid portrait gig ever. What do you guys think? How did I do?

These are my favorites from the shoot:

1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

 

[Laika]

Not a bad set!

Number five is working the best for me.

Your watermark is insanely distracting.

Number three is very awkward. Both the framing and expression/pose of the model. I would throw that one out.

 

[westerngirl14]

Good job for the first time. =)

4 and 5 are my favorites... #3 as Laika said looks awkward with the way she is posing. It doesn't look like she is comfortable, but rather un natural. and the green foliage is somehow distracting to the rest of the picture.

But it was a nice job overall, and I like the fun shot of her on the slide. looking forward to seeing more of your work!

 

[Destin]

Thanks guys!!

Sorry about the watermark, smugmug automatically adds it, and this is the most tranparent one I have right now. I have to make another one. This one was designed with high school football in mind (dark photos) so it doesn't look good on light photos like these.

4 and 5 are definitely my favorites too!! And I do agree that number 3 is awkward, but she REALLY likes it, so I'm gonna sell her prints of it. What I think doesn't really matter in the end, as long as she is happy with it.

 

[Studio7Four]

Good job for your first set! I agree that 4 and 5 are my favorites. I might have cropped 4 a little differently...moved her more off center, to a better rule-of-thirds location, and either cropped out some of the sky or added some blue to it in post (as it is, that much grey/white is trying to pull my eye away from her).

I personally like number three. Yes, she clearly looks rigid, not relaxed like in 4 and 5, but I wouldn't call it awkward. This is a great pose for an athlete (back straight, head up, shoulders back, focused expression). I'm not at all surprised she likes it. I also like the foliage where it is. Between the lines of her body and the foliage taking up that corner, the whole shot has a nice diagonal flow to it, from lower left to upper right. The image would be more stark and boring if the entire background were rock. The only nitpick I have about #3 is the softball glove on its side at her feet - it took me a couple views of the shot to even notice it. Not that I have any better suggestions (there's a reason I don't generally use props), but making it a little more visible would have added to the shot and made it more clear that she is a softball player. Perhaps using a softball to prop it up on a nearby rock (think a mini still life setup)?

 

[Robin Usagani]

Congrats Destin.. you won the worst signature award this month LOL JK. The photos are great

 

[dcketcham]

it is a very nice set!
good job on your first paid gig!

my critique is mostly on the second one on the slide... not a good angle for her at all, plus the bunching of her shirt, and belly do not work at all.

also, i wouldve used a reflector to brighten up her shadows a little bit...
you can also do that in post very easily too...

 

[Destin]

Actually for all of these shots I used an sb-600 with a shoot through umbrella to fill in shadows, while (mostly) using the sun as my key light. I don't yet have a reflector, but it would have made things easier for sure at times.

Unfortunately I didn't notice the softball glove by her feet in number 3 until I got the photo on a bigger monitor, at which point it was too late. It would have been cool to have it propped on a rock with a ball, but oh well. I also don't like how her foot is behind the rock, gives me the same feeling as an awkward crop would.

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I really appreciate it and will do my best to correct the problems next time.

Oh, and @Schwetty, Thanks man Sorry my sig isn't all colorful like yours haha