Learning From Old Shoot - C&C Please

etnad0 · Dec 22, 2011

I haven't had time to do a shoot with a live model since I got my new camera, so I figured I'd dig through more of my Mt. Charleston photos and get some C&C. This was shot with a Fujifilm Finepix S5100 (P&S). It was also my first shoot with actual people outside. It was more for practice than anything. I know the left side of the pic has some over exposure. I'd love some C&C on the cropping and some advice on converting to B&W. All other advice is welcome as well. Thanks

Original (Some correction added)

Cropped B&W

etnad0 · Dec 22, 2011

Bump...

rexbobcat · Dec 22, 2011

Her hand as well as the top of her head are cut off. I like the cropped version better. Because of the subject of focus in the first photo, the orientation seems awkward. And the other girl on the right is distracting, especially since her expression conflicts with the other model's. In the black and white, there is also too much contrast IMO. I think that's because the first photo was very, very contrasty. There isn't a whole lot of detail in the hair, and (I know you already know this) the highlights on the left of the photo are blown out, as is her right hand. I think the color photograph is also a little over-saturated. Her skin tone seems to be a unnaturally yellow/orange in a few places, and the trees are a little too green.

Bitter Jeweler · Dec 22, 2011

It's a shame you didn't shoot this vertically.

etnad0 · Dec 23, 2011

rexbobcat said:
Her hand as well as the top of her head are cut off. I like the cropped version better. Because of the subject of focus in the first photo, the orientation seems awkward. And the other girl on the right is distracting, especially since her expression conflicts with the other model's. In the black and white, there is also too much contrast IMO. I think that's because the first photo was very, very contrasty. There isn't a whole lot of detail in the hair, and (I know you already know this) the highlights on the left of the photo are blown out, as is her right hand. I think the color photograph is also a little over-saturated. Her skin tone seems to be a unnaturally yellow/orange in a few places, and the trees are a little too green.

Thanks. Color and contrast are things I was struggling with when I first started editing and I'm still trying to get it right now. I think I'll re-edit the B&W since I did keep the originals. Hopefully I'll get it right this time.

etnad0 · Dec 23, 2011

Bitter Jeweler said:
It's a shame you didn't shoot this vertically.

I agree lol. I wish I knew then what I know now about composition, cropping, planning shots, etc. I use to just go shoot a bunch of pictures and hope to get lucky. Mostly GWC stuff, but I've been getting a lot of practice at church events recently. I think I took about 20 shots last week and 9 of them came out really good. Much better than my old average of 20 out of 400 LOL.