if you answer ONE question or answer ALL of my questions: THANK YOU

camerateur · Apr 26, 2012

This is my friend's daughter.
I didn't charge her anything, i just really want to give her some pictures that her and her family can enjoy.
Although i'm sure she will appreciate any pictures i give her, i WANT them to be really good. i would prefer them to be amazing, if not this set then the next set of pictures i do for friends or family.

this is the first time i have ever done pictures for someone else (with the intention of trying to make them look "professional")
If possible, i'd like them to be critiqued on two levels:

1. for what it was: a free-"i'll take some portraits of your daughter"-first attempt at "professional" photos. basically i would like to know if these are worth hanging over the fireplace. If not, what can i do to improve them now? as in Post-production?
what do you like, what don't you like?
i always seem to feel differently about each photo(for example right now i feel the second one has dull colors and her face is too shiny in the fifth one. the sixth one is too dark in general... uh yeah, i'll admit. i kind of hate them right now. but maybe i've been staring at them too long to even know anymore)

2. it would seriously be a blessing to do my passion for a living ( not a lavish lifestyle type of living, but at least to make a little extra money while i'm finishing up my degree) or at least make it so that i can cover my expenses.
what would you recommend i do differently in the future if i ever want to look into charging a fee?
( be brutally honest I can take it!!!)
did this camera do okay for now? i want to upgrade soon anyway. (this is an entry-level d3000 and i mostly used a 50mm 1.8)
View attachment 7114 View attachment 7115

Billhyco · Apr 26, 2012

i personally like the last two out of the set. the head shot is a cute photo, just wish we could see more detail in her eyes. Not so sure a little fill light wouldn't go a long way. You may consider removing the fine hairs stuck to her lip/chin as well if you want to blow this up for a nice portrait.

i think the last one, b&w is a great photo. definately a keeper from the parents pov. my monitor sucks and typically views darker then normal so take all this with a grain of salt, but maybe brighten up the last one just a little bit, pull the crop just a touch closer to the top of her head, but as a parent, I would really like that photo framed on a table.

ok i am coming back to say, only because you asked, why i dont' like the first two. the flower photo is to cluttered, to busy, and not a good picture of her. the one of her on the ground has no feeling, no emotion, eyes closed, harsh shadow, poor composition, just not a keeper to me.

camerateur · Apr 26, 2012

These were the first two on my original post that didn't show up.
that's the second one with the dull colors i was talking about.

camerateur · Apr 26, 2012

Billhyco said:
i personally like the last two out of the set. the head shot is a cute photo, just wish we could see more detail in her eyes. Not so sure a little fill light wouldn't go a long way. You may consider removing the fine hairs stuck to her lip/chin as well if you want to blow this up for a nice portrait.

i think the last one, b&w is a great photo. definately a keeper from the parents pov. my monitor sucks and typically views darker then normal so take all this with a grain of salt, but maybe brighten up the last one just a little bit, pull the crop just a touch closer to the top of her head, but as a parent, I would really like that photo framed on a table.

ok i am coming back to say, only because you asked, why i dont' like the first two. the flower photo is to cluttered, to busy, and not a good picture of her. the one of her on the ground has no feeling, no emotion, eyes closed, harsh shadow, poor composition, just not a keeper to me.

Thank you!
i definitely agree about the fill light on the close-up.
thanks for the suggestion about the b&w, i def see where you are coming from.

Khaelbee · Apr 26, 2012

the first one could have been a LOT better if you had just focused more on her, as half the picture is taken up by flowers, and then turned her a little more towards the camera. its cute, but could have been a beautiful eyelash shot. the one with the flower over her face is adorable, but could have been a touch better with a little more DOF. her hand is completely in focus, but because her face is a little behind her hand, you kinda start to lose it. the closeup is pretty darn good, just wish there was a little more light/detail in her eyes. overall, these are really good for a first shoot!

positive: i LOVE the attitude with the frame picture. i wouldn't change anything about it, the toes pointed and the way she's holding that frame with a total diva look on her face... parents love that stuff.

KmH · Apr 27, 2012

Amazing photos are usually amazing because of the lighting.

So if you want to make amazing photos, you need to learn how to control the light.

Direct sunlight is some of the worst light you can use if you're hoping for 'amazing'. If you have to shoot outside, open shade is preferable, and you need to be very aware of what is behind your subjects and what DoF your shot set up will deliver.

LuckySe7en · Apr 27, 2012

none are over the fireplace worthy.
The oof flowers are too bright and take away from the subject. If you're using the pop up flash, you need to tone it down. I would recommend buying an external flash.
It looks like you need to improve on your framing. You cut off parts that would have made the photo better like in #2 and #1 from the second set. Watch your backgrounds too, they can totally screw up your photo

My advice would be to to shoot in the shade. I love shooting in this type of weather but you have to pick a better spot. You should have gotten much better pictures with a 1.8

cgipson1 · Apr 27, 2012

Some of them are cute, due to a cute subject. A mother with no real knowledge of photography would probably like these, even though they are basically snapshots.

Your framing and composition show that you have very little experience with this type of shooting. Your exposures are average beginner exposures. The lighting is harsh. On several, the backgrounds or foregrounds are very distracting.

If you are serious about wanting to learn.. try starting here! http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum/123160-tutorial-thread.html

and read some or all of these.... and practice what you read: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum/264227-best-photography-books.html

You need to learn to use light, work with light, modify light, etc.. as Keith intimated above!

(learn about reflectors, flash, diffusers, the golden hour, mixing flash and ambient.. and many more things before you think about going pro! Otherwise you will be just like a lot of the new "PRO's out there right now! I will say that your work is nearly as good as most of them already.. but don't you want to be better than that?)