How Am I doing ?

[joylyn]

I recently took some senior photos of my daughters boyfriend. Im pleased with the end results curious as to see what you all think?
1.


2

3

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Nice pics, flat lighting

Last one also qualifies for this thread nicely: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photo-themes/255827-obligatory-brick-wall-shot-share-yours.html

 

[Rick50]

None of these are straight. All 3 lean but you can easily fix in post.
I think the only way (for me) to fix the light is with flash.
But these are all still OK, just could improve.
And he needs a haircut! J/K

 

[manaheim]

They don't have to be straight, though I think the slant in the second one is more distracting and doesn't contribute. The other two, the angle works well.

Unfortunately I think the best shot is the one with the obligatory brick wall, which is unfortunate... because it has a brick wall in it.

Agree on the lighting.

Still, overall really not bad.

 

[joylyn]

Thanks for your replies

I think the only way (for me) to fix the light is with flash

I did use fill flash.
Still learning fill flash and other aspects of flash photography. Again I am pleased with the end results. thanks for all the critiques much appreciated . Will def fix the slant in #2

 

[frommrstomommy]

They don't have to be straight, though I think the slant in the second one is more distracting and doesn't contribute. The other two, the angle works well.

Unfortunately I think the best shot is the one with the obligatory brick wall, which is unfortunate... because it has a brick wall in it.

Agree on the lighting.

Still, overall really not bad.

Agree on the slants.. I'm usually a straight lines person, but I think they work well in 1 and 3.. he's kind of got an "edgy" style and I think it definitely works for these. 2 is like.. two "slight" of an angle or something?

 

[Derrel]

I think the slant in #1 is fine (observers: note this historical first). The slant in #3 is also okay (a second historical first ;-) ). Not too bad. Not great, but actually about what many of today's seniors have come to expect over the past decade or less. The kid comes off looking relatively normal, and his mother will not be coming after you with a mob with pitchforks and lanterns...

 

[Derrel]

I think the slant in #1 is fine (observers: note this historical first). The slant in #3 is also okay (a second historical first ;-) ). Not too bad. Not great, but actually about what many of today's seniors have come to expect over the past decade or less. The kid comes off looking relatively normal, and his mother will not be coming after you with a mob with pitchforks and lanterns... Your background in shot #1??? OUTSTANDING "modern/urban/industrial" backdrop. Nicely done!!!!

 

[cgipson1]

Thanks for your replies

I think the only way (for me) to fix the light is with flash

I did use fill flash.
Still learning fill flash and other aspects of flash photography. Again I am pleased with the end results. thanks for all the critiques much appreciated . Will def fix the slant in #2

HINT: Fill flash does not need to be on camera...

 

[tirediron]

Thanks for your replies

I think the only way (for me) to fix the light is with flash

I did use fill flash.
Still learning fill flash and other aspects of flash photography. Again I am pleased with the end results. thanks for all the critiques much appreciated . Will def fix the slant in #2

HINT: Fill flash does not need to be on camera...

I'll take it one step further. Fill flash should NOT be on the camera!

 

[KmH]

Good framing, good camera perspective.

The lighting has fundamental issues. Not enough light in his eyes (dark eye sockets/raccoon eyes).

Most high school seniors want their photos to conform with what high school seniors have been getting for years and years.

Focus On Lighting Photos: Focus on the Fundamentals (Focus On Series)
500 Poses for Photographing High School Seniors: A Visual Sourcebook for Digital Portrait Photographers
The Art and Business of High School Senior Portrait Photography

Online - http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html
http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

 

[joylyn]

Ok you 'all really know how to burst someones bubble here lol Yes flash should not have been on camera . I seriously considered taking it off camera brought everything to do it but chicken out... I wasnt sure of the angle like I said im learning and still getting it all down. Im not sure I get what you are saying about what they have come to expect??? Where should I begin photographing mannequins to learn (hahaha maybe not a bad idea) Again thanks for bursting my bubble back to the drawing board


Background in #1 is an old abandoned building that my parents neighbor owns and he gave me permission .. I knew with Cole's style I needed Urban for sure.

 

[KmH]

High school seniors expect to get the leaning-on-a-brick-wall, at-the-railroad tracks, tilted-camera shots so they can be as cool as their big sister/brother/friend was 2 years ago when sister/brother/friend got their high school senior photos made.

The key thing to take away is that there are a lot of details that have to be considered when making portrait type photographs.

Click on the LOOK INSIDE for each of those books I linked you to, and look at the photographs in them. Try and decode how they could have been made. Notice the attention to detail.

 

[hirejn]

If these are some of your first shots, not bad. Don't do crotch shots. You need more mood and dimension, and to do that you need light. Flat lighting can be done, but to stand out you need light. There's a limit to how cool you can make someone look without light. It provides shape, dimension, mood, texture. Don't correct tilted frames if that's the look you were going for. Think about post processing. Seniors aren't just a matter of cleaning up the file in post. They're a matter of perfect skin, eyes and hair.