Getting serious, here we go! Photoshoot Tips...

Katier · Feb 19, 2009

I like the depth of field you managed, you controlled that well.

I don't mind the plank behind the first girl but the BW one I agree that the girl in the background would have been better not being there.

Lynnzora · Feb 19, 2009

Mgw189 said:
One thing you can try is getting a car windshield reflector. Walmart and places like that will often have them gold on one side silver on the other. You can use them as a cheap version of a reflector to add fill light. They cost about $20 or so. If you have a photo shop that carries them they will cost a little more depending on the size plan on spending about $50 for a decent sized set.

I'll definitely run to Walmart and look into that... and add an actual one to my list of things to buy.

As for the test photos watch your backgrounds the post in the first shot the other girl with the cut off head in the third and the stores and parking lot in the last detract from the shots. Watch your focus if you know how to focus using the focus point of your camera and recompose focus on the eyes and then recompose. Usually this is acomplished by pressing the shutter release about halfway down. I like the composition on most of them other than the things I already mentioned about the background.

Click to expand...

I'll have better luck with the backgroud with the real models tomorrow. It will be at the park and there's tons of beautiful scenery! The area where I was shooting these ladies didn't give me much to work with... The one with the head cut off... I knew that would be awkward when I saw it on my computer but thought it was a great shot of the girl it was focused on.

I do know how to focus by pressing the button half way down but need to read the manuel to find out how to do multiple focus points. There's a red dot inside and I usually point that at the area I'm focusing on... lol I know what I'm saying sounds so dumb and inexperienced to you guys who are professional... lol But I'm learning. Keep the critiques coming... Also what about those of you who have done headshots. What do you think about the lettering I did? Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

photobook · Feb 20, 2009

ANDS! said:
I am thankful that I have no clue what the "rule of thirds" is. . .

The rule of thirds is useful for composing images. To follow this rule, simply take a photo and divide it up into three sections vertically and three sections horizontally. Now, as you can see from doing this there are three boxes on the top, three in the middle, and three at the bottom. The box in the middle of all of them is the center. This compositional rules basically advises you not to take pictures in that middle box.

What this does is makes you have to try and position the subject so that he/she or it is not dead center. This creates more visually interesting images.

When you take a photo of a person, the main focal point will be the eyes. Now, you can take a photo of a person dead center, however, follow the rule still! Put the eyes anywhere but the middle box. You can put the eyes in the top box instead. Their body will be dead center but their face will be in the upper area.

Make sure to leave plenty of head room when shooting people. This room is space around the head and will make your photo not look claustrophobic. Also, if your person is looking towards the left, leave plenty of room at the left side of the photo and less on the right.

Stilltime · Feb 20, 2009

Totally unrelated to photography, but as a mother, it makes me reeeeeeeally uncomfortable to see the fulls names of those children posted on a public internet forum. Please keep their anonymity in mind.

Chairman7w · Feb 20, 2009

photobook said:
You can put the eyes in the top box instead. Their body will be dead center but their face will be in the upper area.

That's not quite right. Keep the main point of interest at any of the INTERSECTIONS of the lines, or ALONG the lines. Not in the boxes themselves. If you put something in the top middle box it would be way too high.

Of course, like all rules, they're made to be broken. But it's best not to break them without a real plan or reason.

photobook · Feb 21, 2009

Ok, you got that right, Chairman ;-)

Lynnzora · Feb 23, 2009

Stilltime said:
Totally unrelated to photography, but as a mother, it makes me reeeeeeeally uncomfortable to see the fulls names of those children posted on a public internet forum. Please keep their anonymity in mind.

Thanks for your concern :lol:

First of all I'm friends with their mother who was at the whole ENTIRE shoot. Second, she knows the purpose of the shoot was practice and that I would be presenting them for critique, etc... Third, I'm a mother too and those aren't thier real names. I have been asking those photographers on here who have done headshots for advice with how they do their lettering... so I had to put something down. Thank you.

Lynnzora · Feb 23, 2009

Cool thanks for all of the tips. Now I was wondering about those of you who have done headshots... The best font to use the way to go about inserting the text on the photo, etc... Take a look at the headshots I posted in this thread. Let me know what you think.

Also I did the pro photoshoot with the models I hired this past Friday. I will post a couple of pics up for C&C under a new thread.