first try..

[Ecas32]

alright guys tell me what ya think of this portrait.

thanks
- ethan

 

[JayLPhoto]

Personally, I cant think of anything wrong with it, other than it just being kind of....well staged, but obviously thats because it is.....haha

Nice.

 

[myfotoguy]

The exposure is spot on, it looks great. I like the backdrop.
What was your setup?

 

[Ecas32]

thanks guys.
ummm shot with one flash, bounced.... pretty much itt

 

[Some Idiot]

looks really good for first try, looks a little soft

 

[Ecas32]

right, it just looked a little soft due to the skin smoothing

 

[Some Idiot]

right, it just looked a little soft due to the skin smoothing

use caution on the face....cheeks, forehead, chin..... maybe.?

 

[USM IS]

Come out so well......Mike

 

[IgsEMT]

I was going to say its flat but then u wrote that -->

ummm shot with one flash, bounced.... pretty much itt

so it explains that.

 

[Ecas32]

I was going to say its flat but then u wrote that

what exactly does flat mean?
like if i were to of had another flash, how does it make it un-flat?

sorry, im not used to portraits so i dont know what some of this stuff means lol

 

[mrmacedonian]

I believe he means the lack of shadows produces a lack of dimension => flat

 

[Ecas32]

ohh ok
well the main reason their is no shadows is because thats not a real backdrop.
i took that like almost in the kitchen in my house and downloaded a backdrop pack off deviant art and photoshopped it in.
lol i thought somebody would have noticed by now or somethinn

 

[rufus5150]

You need more DOF. You'll notice there are portions of her shirt that are in tack-sharp focus, which at f1.8 will mean your faces will be soft.

They need some separation from the background which you're not going to get with one bounced flash (without severe machinations). You could bounce left or right and use a reflector on the other side to achieve some soft shadow and depth (avoid the 'flat' look). A hair light would also do wonders.

Her hair looks strange and I'm not sure why. It almost looks like that part of her was cut out from another image and pasted or the background photoshopped in, but only on her left.

Be mindful of distracting elements -- his undershirt shows and is brighter than his face. This would be a good place to also have the female cover her arms and show as little skin as possible which will bring more attention to the face. I probably would have had her use her left hand rather than right on top as that would thin her fingers a bit facing the camera.

For what you had to work with and being a first time, though, it's certainly a good attempt. It shows a lot of promise considering your technical limitations.

 

[mrmacedonian]

Sorry I should have been more specific, generally in portraiture there is a ratio of fill:main light which produces shadows on the face, thus producing dimension (in their faces).

Solid job on the photoshop-ing; you can slightly see it in the area where her hair nears his jaw. May be more noticeable printed at large sizes.

 

[Ecas32]

Sorry I should have been more specific, generally in portraiture there is a ratio of fill:main light which produces shadows on the face, thus producing dimension (in their faces).

Solid job on the photoshop-ing; you can slightly see it in the area where her hair nears his jaw. May be more noticeable printed at large sizes.

oh ok so on their faces.
and thanks