Mikaela ~ (Newbie)

[CourtneyCollins]

Hi all. I just recently started getting more into taking pictures of people. I shoot with a Nikon D5300 with basic lenses, a 18-55 mm and a 55-300mm.. I don't have any training of photography under my belt, I just learn on my own... Here is a couple recent shots I did with Mikaela (Senior Session) and I just got photoshop so I honestly have no clue how to edit pictures very well... Also, I see I got a little too big with my watermark and still playing around with creative ideas.. other than that...C&C is very welcome!

 

[tirediron]

These are a good start, not quite perfect yet, but a good start nonetheless. A few random thoughts. Be careful of your posing; I like her angle to the camera, but we generally try to pose people with their weight on the far leg vice the near leg; this helps to curve the leg cloesest to the viewer and creates the 'S' curve. Also, watch your choice of locations for shooting; there's a huge difference in exposure between her right and left sides. A reflector would have really helped here; even just a piece of white card stock would have reduced the dynamic range considerably.

The second image seems slightly soft, and while the hot spot on her face is interesting, I'm not sure I find it attractive. I would also crop a bit off the bottom to remove the 'little bit' of hand visible there.

The third is nice, but the Gaussian blur you've applied is REALLY hurting the image. This technique can help, but you need to refine your technique. Searc YouTube for tutorials on 'masking'.

In the fourth, your yellows are too strong and she looks like she has either a bad spray-on tan or jaundice. I would also crop enough of the LH side away to get rid of the disembodied knee.

The last one will be very nice with a little further refinement. Reduce the highlight intesnity a bit and crop square. Also tell her that 'duckface' went out ten years ago!

Just my $00.02 worth - YMMV

~John

 

[Braineack]

#3 is where it's at for this set. Could use a bit of clean-up work in post, and the signature removed, but I really like it.

the rest don't do much for me. Duck lips in #4 almost made me punch my screen.

If you want my thought on why I don't think any are successful LMK.

 

[ronlane]

Here is what I see.

#1 is OOF. Also, not sure about those pants for a photo. (I'm not a fashion person).

#2 is soft as well.

#3 is nice, in focus and a good pose. I would like to see her smile and as you mention the watermark is too big and is a distraction.

#4 soft focus

#5 nice use of shadow. You will hear a lot of people talk about dappled light but in this case, I like it. The eyes are sharp and light is ever so slightly harsh (see the shadow of the nose) but this one and #3 are my favorites.

 

[CourtneyCollins]

Laughing picture.... Thank you for the C&C.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Looks like you have some good ideas but could use more learning and practice in getting proper exposures etc. (some of theimprise look too processed to me, I notice that more than the photos so for me it takes away from a picture to process it too much). Maybe practice taking pictures to improve your technical skills and then move into doing portraits (although practicing with friends might be a way to improve too).

edit - I like her in that last one, great expression, but watch your backgrounds, whatever is causing the white stripe cuts thru your picture, and think about your framing so you don't crop off hands/fingers etc. (And watch arranging the hair so when the subject moves there aren't strands going in an odd direction.) It all takes practice.

 

[ronlane]

Laughing picture.... Thank you for the C&C.

2 nitpicky things on this one. 1) it's a little tight 2) watch chopping off the fingers.

This one is pretty good.

 

[CourtneyCollins]

Oklahoma is such a difficult state to find a day when the wind is not blowing a million miles an hour to take pictures but yeah I get really focused in on wanting to get close ups of peoples faces that I cut off things that I shouldn't..

I also really REALLY need to improve my editing skills, they are off. A lot.

 

[ronlane]

Oklahoma is such a difficult state to find a day when the wind is not blowing a million miles an hour to take pictures but yeah I get really focused in on wanting to get close ups of peoples faces that I cut off things that I shouldn't..

I also really REALLY need to improve my editing skills, they are off. A lot.

Keep practicing, you'll get there. While the focus is on the stuff to correct, know that there is a lot here that is right too. (I think you only had 1 mention posing)

 

[Derrel]

Everybody has hit the main issues we see. I'd say that the majority of these shots could be made pretty acceptable by a person who had the .NEF files and could process more skillfully and at a higher level. The light used is tricky. The risk in using dappled lighting is high, but when you pul it off, it's beautiful, and you took bold risks with it, and almost hit home runs. The duck lips of #4 are not good, but the pouty, pursed lips look of the last one has never and will never go out of fashion.

 

[FITBMX]

Laughing picture.... Thank you for the C&C.

That's what I want to see in a girl, a big laughing smile! Not duck lips, I have ducks and there lips aren't a high point!
But she is a 100X prettier when she has that big real smile!

As for the wind, I know what you mean. Kansas is the same way!

 

[Chrispyphotos]

The photos definitely seem a little soft with the exception of a few. If you don't have Lightroom, I would try using that to start off with. It is definitely less overwhelming to get use to, the tutorials are a lot easier to understand. After toying with lightroom for a bit you can start to dabble in photoshop.

 

[manaheim]

Just to pile another voice on.

I want to reinforce: watch camera tilt.
Also, I don't think that lip thing is working.
Also, you should definitely provide guidance to your models on clothes. Her outfit is pretty bad for pictures.

Here's some tips I compiled... (mind you, I'm not a pro at this, but I've done a few)

[h=2]Your Clothes[/h]Keep in mind that the clothes you choose will say something about you, and the choices you make in them will be there in your pictures. This can be lots of fun if you plan ahead. Most people will want to have clean and well-pressed clothes, but obviously if you prefer a more rough and tussled look, that is up to you. Just be aware that what you wear will be captured in the images so choose wisely.

Also feel free to bring 1-2 extra outfits to the shoot if you feel you might like to change. Be aware of the shooting location and whether or not you will have someplace to change in privacy, and also be aware that clothes with far more accentuated colors or patterns may distract from your face.

Generally speaking, it’s often good to select at least one outfit that is more “classic” and not likely to appear outdated in a short period of time. I recommend this be your primary outfit. Solid colors and subtle patterns often work very well. Dresses, suits and sweaters are often excellent choices.

Some other tips on clothing choices:

• Be sure your clothing choices fit appropriately. Overly large clothes may look “frumpy”, overly small clothes may make you uncomfortable or appear uncomfortable.
• Be aware that shoulder pads can often make people look surprisingly large. Try to avoid these if possible.
• Be sure that every part of you is dressed well as every part of you will likely be in the shoot.
• Choose colors that are complimentary to your skin tones.
• If there are particular pieces of clothing or outfits that people tend to compliment you on, there is a good chance that these are good choices for your photograph.

[h=2]The Sun[/h]While the sun is fun, reddened skin can be truly unkind in photography, so you are better off avoiding any unusual sun exposure for a few days prior to the shoot.
[h=2]Glasses[/h]Glasses can cause glare in pictures and can also cause odd distortions on facial features. If you want your glasses to be a part of the picture, speak with your doctor to see if you can either get frames without lenses in them, or if he or she can help you temporarily remove the lenses for the picture.
[h=2]Mild Blemishes[/h]If you happen to have an unexpected blemish on the morning of the shoot, please don’t panic! I can easily and quickly remove most mild blemishes and are very happy to do so as a part of your package. Please be aware that as an additional service I can also do some more significant re-touching (such as air-brushing). Please talk to me for more information.
[h=2]Makeup and Fine Details[/h]You should apply any makeup as you would normally. It is not recommended that you do more or less makeup than you usually would for your shoot or you may wind up looking less like yourself.
Be aware that shininess cannot be corrected in post processing, so it is advisable to bring along translucent powder to cut down on shine.
Make sure that your nails are neatly done as they will show up in some of the images.

[h=2]Hair[/h]Avoid getting a new hairstyle or doing something particularly unique for the shoot. If the hair isn’t to your liking, you may not be happy with the images, and what’s more is you may wind up being uncomfortable for your shoot. We want you comfortable and relaxed and having fun, not worrying if your new hair style looks right! Hair cannot be retouched, so please make sure your hair is ready when you arrive on-site for the shoot.
[h=2]Outdoor Shoot Particulars[/h]When doing an outdoor session, there are some particulars to keep in mind:

• Lean towards casual clothing. It’s generally best and compliments the setting particularly well.
• Jeans and sweaters are excellent, particularly in the fall.
• Choose colors that compliment the setting well… generally colors that you will commonly find in nature will work best, such as browns, greens, blues, rose, etc. Try to avoid black and white as they tend to be harsh and difficult to capture in a complimentary way in a photograph.

 

[manaheim]

Oh and I wanted to mention... I see promise in your work. Most of your mistakes are common ones and relatively easy to correct. A little studying, a little practice, and you should be decent in no time.