First time portraiture. Thoughts?

[Stevepwns]

My niece volunteered to let me experiment with some portraiture, first time. How did I do? The eyes look soft but at 1 to 1 zoom they are sharp.

F4
ISO 100
1/45th shutter
90mm = 135mm on my crop sensor.

I think the flash was on 1/8th power, (cant remember to be honest) right of the camera about a foot above her at a 45 angle about 6 feet from her.


Ashley-01692 by JEaston | Photography, on Flickr

 

[oldhippy]

I think you have a good shot here. others more able, will give advice. As I view this, the girls am is a little distracting. Were it mine, I'd crop just above the arm. have a look see. later Ed

 

[Stevepwns]

Thanks, Ed. Ill give it a try and see how it looks.

 

[tirediron]

I agree with hippy that the arm is a bit distracting; I would crop it just above the bottom of the sleeve. I would also like to see her eyes not rolled quite so far up and back. Nice shot regardless.

 

[robbins.photo]

I agree with hippy that the arm is a bit distracting; I would crop it just above the bottom of the sleeve. I would also like to see her eyes not rolled quite so far up and back. Nice shot regardless.

The lighting looks good - the crop thing has been mentioned, I guess the thing that strikes me is the facial expression - she's apparently looking at something out of frame and it may just be me but whatever it is I get the impression it's annoying her.

 

[Derrel]

>SNIP>the facial expression - she's apparently looking at something out of frame and it may just be me but whatever it is I get the impression it's annoying her.

I doo too. Eyes rolled that way and averted convey annoyance/disdain. I'm not sure this is the absolute best-possible positioning of her, in relation to the light, but on the positive side, it DOES make her hair look really pretty, and her face is lighted up pretty clearly, and the under-chin shadow gives us a good look at her facial shape, and the clothes are simple and yet interesting and lighted well. It's certainly better than just an on-camera-flash, quickly-grabbed snap of a niece. I notice there's also a very NICELY lighted harmonious green backdrop in this shot too! Is that an in-camera gradient lighting scheme on the backdrop??? Sure looks like it might be!

 

[Stevepwns]

>SNIP>the facial expression - she's apparently looking at something out of frame and it may just be me but whatever it is I get the impression it's annoying her.

I doo too. Eyes rolled that way and averted convey annoyance/disdain. I'm not sure this is the absolute best-possible positioning of her, in relation to the light, but on the positive side, it DOES make her hair look really pretty, and her face is lighted up pretty clearly, and the under-chin shadow gives us a good look at her facial shape, and the clothes are simple and yet interesting and lighted well. It's certainly better than just an on-camera-flash, quickly-grabbed snap of a niece. I notice there's also a very NICELY lighted harmonious green backdrop in this shot too! Is that an in-camera gradient lighting scheme on the backdrop??? Sure looks like it might be!

Thanks, Derrel. That was a teal table cloth....lol Lightroom does wonders, I darkened it up a little bit and added the post crop vignette. Ill post the before when I get to my work station.

 

[Trblmkr]

Not bad for your first attempt buddy. The eyes are the only thing that bother me the most, and maybe a little more facial expression from her. But a damn good start IMO.