How to change your style?

[MiiLovely]

Not really looking for CC but if you want to let me know something n cant feel like you can keep it to yourself go ahead.. lol
Ive just been noticing that I have this really (In my eyes) boring editting style. I know I have a lot to learn photography-wise, but I have been editing for a while now and since I dont have any friends who do this kind of stuff I was wondering.. how do you change your style? how do you improve it? Thanks!

 

[The_Traveler]

if you don't want comments on the picture you post, then don't post a picture.

 

[MiiLovely]

I never said that but apparently I have to add "I dont want rude comments please" as it seems some people dont know how to keep certin things to themselves I didnt want the discussion to be souly focused on the photo and its needs to be improved but more along the lines for the style and editting techniques. (to clear the air is anyone else is wondering) Perhaps I have simply posted this is the wrong forum. Instead of commenting how you did, you (or anyone if I have posted this is the wrong forum for this type of discussion could let me know where I could post it.)

 

[topazsol]

I completely understand what you are saying, people are just so rude.

I really don't see anything wrong with your editing style. If simple is boring, I am a yawn fest.

 

[The_Traveler]

I didn't think I was rude but I guess you are quite sensitive to directness.

There doesn't seem to be any style to this editing.
The picture looks essentially untouched; it is plain to the point of blandness.

Perhaps you could post the original so that what you have done to the image could be understood.

 

[MiiLovely]

Sorry if I came off sensitive. It seems no matter what I post on here someone has a smartass remark to make so I am just quick to get straight to the point of not wanting it.
Also I really havent done to much to the photo. Besides brightening it up a bit (I know a few people on here dont like that but to each their own lol) an smoothing out a few lines I didnt do anything. Im always afraid my photos will look to 'over done' if I change to much about the photo. But maybe that is what I need to do to change the style.

 

[kundalini]

This has nothing to do with your editing or style, but I think your lighting could use some attention on this photo.

I'll elaborate... edit in progress.




Apologies for the delay, I got.......... distracted.

First, let me say that I really like the pose she is throwing to accentuate the female form. Women were created with curves and kudos to those that can capture that fact. I think a little more weight on her rear heel would have moved her right hip enough to fully realize the ess curve.

So my question is with the lighting. How have you set them up? There is at least two light sources. The Main is hitting her right side fairly hard and you are losing some detail in her shirt at the mid riff. Then you have another light source that is casting a moderate shadow on the same side as the Main. Unfortunately, all that light has completely missed her face. FYI, the face should be the prominent feature in a portrait, meaning it should cause the viewer to look there first, which in turn means it should be the brightest part of the image.

I realize this has nothing to do with editing, but with some forethought, your editing time could be lessened.

Lovely model. I would try to keep her on good terms for follow-up sessions. Thanks for sharing.

 

[The_Traveler]

Sorry if I came off sensitive. It seems no matter what I post on here someone has a smartass remark to make so I am just quick to get straight to the point of not wanting it.
Also I really havent done to much to the photo. Besides brightening it up a bit (I know a few people on here dont like that but to each their own lol) an smoothing out a few lines I didnt do anything. Im always afraid my photos will look to 'over done' if I change to much about the photo. But maybe that is what I need to do to change the style.

If you haven't done anything, how can we see a 'style'?
Post before and after pictures that you have edited that illustrate a style.

 

[o hey tyler]

I think you should be aware that you shot the photo at 29mm with a shutter speed of 1/25s. It's generally a bad idea to have that slow of a shutter speed in portraiture. It's also a good rule of thumb to have you shutter speed at least at 1/focal length. So to be safe, you should have shot this at least at 1/50s because you're shooting on a crop frame camera. That's why the face is so soft, because A) She was probably moving slightly, and B) Because you shot with too slow of a shutter speed for your focal length.

 

[MiiLovely]

Fine, Ill go edit happy all over this photo lol.. or try to anyways.

 

[MiiLovely]

I think you should be aware that you shot the photo at 29mm with a shutter speed of 1/25s. It's generally a bad idea to have that slow of a shutter speed in portraiture. It's also a good rule of thumb to have you shutter speed at least at 1/focal length. So to be safe, you should have shot this at least at 1/50s because you're shooting on a crop frame camera. That's why the face is so soft, because A) She was probably moving slightly, and B) Because you shot with too slow of a shutter speed for your focal length.

Thank you, I actually had to slow the shutter speed down because if I didnt it would have been to dark. (still figure out manual setting on my camera) so this was the first real test day. (I didnt want to use the built in flash because it caused me to have dark shadows under my eyes but then again I could have fixed that in editting.

 

[The_Traveler]

Fine, Ill go edit happy all over this photo lol.. or try to anyways.

IMO, this picture is not amenable to too much editing.
The center of interest is at the very top, her face, and is blurred.
The arm and under arm are way bright but shouldn't be and her fancy shorts draw the eye.

Why not start with a well framed and exposed image where PPing would make a difference?

 

[The_Traveler]

Thank you, I actually had to slow the shutter speed down because if I didnt it would have been to dark. (still figure out manual setting on my camera) so this was the first real test day. (I didnt want to use the built in flash because it caused me to have dark shadows under my eyes but then again I could have fixed that in editting.

You don't understand the exposure triangle.
You aren't far along enough to have an 'editing style.'
You need to sit down with your manual or some simple on-line tutorials and learn how to manage your camera.

You just got your camera, can't understand why your pictures are too small and you are complaining that people are rude?
Have you considered that you haven't done much work yourself towards learning the craft of photography and yet you want people to help you with your 'editing style'?

First learn to expose pictures well, then you can learn to post-process, then you may eventually develop a 'style'.

 

[kundalini]

Finished my edit of post #7. Feel free to read.

 

[MLeeK]

Slow down, my friend. You must learn to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run...
You haven't learned to crawl yet.
If you are going to be incredibly sensitive I will warn you that this is not the forum for you. There are no holds barred here and the members give it to you straight up with no chaser. And sometimes it's harsher than a shot of turpentine. A lot of newbies get chased off by it, but I will tell you a secret. If you develop a thick skin and pay attention in here this is the only place I have found in any forum that challenges anyone with any bit of skill to go even further. Other forums seem to drop to nothing once you get good exposure and good basic images.
I come back here because I have some skill and there isn't another forum on the web that doesn't sugar coat and there sure isn't one that really challenges me like these guys do.
Your image will be blurry if you are at a shutter that slow. You need to understand how exposure is created and what the limits of each piece of the triangle are. It's a HUGE learning curve. Buying a camera and getting some idea is kind of like the baby discovering it's toes... we're no where near walking in any way. There's nothing wrong with where you are in any way. It's a step every one of us had to go through. The thing is it's not as easy as reading the manual to your camera and just fidgiting with things until you hit an exposure that works.
There are some great start up tutorials HERE to help you. Start with the first one and go from there. Then go back and start over again until you understand completely what each element does in terms of light, focus and creative elements. Investing in the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson or a trip to your library to get it is a wise move.