Motorcyle shoot C&C

[tim.bennett]

Hi all,

Wondered if peope would be willing to provide some comments and critique on these shots from a motorcyle shoot I did on Saturday.

All taken with a 50mm prime on a full frame sensor with mostly natural light and some help from a reflector for fill.

 

[EIngerson]

First of all, I think both photos are very cool. Nice work.

In the first one I'd like to see the shadows opened up. Bring out some detail in them. After that add a little contrast.

In the second one, the focal point seems to be the gas tank. I might open up the crop a bring the eyes into focus.

 

[Studio7Four]

C&C per request:

1) I like this as a capture of the rider, I like that you've apparently caught him in the moment and not mugging for the camera. I wish it had been shot a bit wider to get a touch more of the bike. Maybe even just enough so the bottom edge doesn't cut along the bar between turn signals. The whole image is at an angle; I don't mind so much the tilted buildings in the background (bottom right corner), but cutting across that turn signal bar at an angle does give the image a tilted feel to me. I do wish we could see his right hand up on the handlebar as well, but I'm not sure how realistic that would be to get while keeping this perspective, which I like (the low 3/4 angle).

2) This is a very nice capture of the bike, the low angle really makes the bike the focal point. The rider's pose in this one (both feet on the ground, only one hand on the handlebar, looking down at the camera) makes the image a little too forced, or maybe staid is a better word. I think I'd have found it more interesting if you made it appear that he was just about to head out (looking forward, both hands up, near foot up on the peg). You could probably have timed it to get him balancing with both feet up, but since the wheels are clearly not turning I think that may have looked too staged. I also agree with Eric that it might benefit from a wider crop - this works for online but would be really tight if framed.

Overall I like both of them, thanks for sharing!

 

[KmH]

Composition and pose wise they are OK.

Lighting wise, IMO they have some major issues for being environment portrait photography.
His face is very under exposed in the first shot, and in the second one side of his face is over exposed while the other side is under exposed.

Fill lighting (reflected or flash) to balance against the harsh direct sunlight, or a diffusion panel/scrim could have been used to create open shade that he and the bike were in.
The sharp edged shadows are appropriate because of the motorcycle and leather.
But we can't see his eyes very well in either shot, maybe because the harsh light is causing him to squint.

 

[tim.bennett]

Thanks for the comments and helpful advise. Light was harsh but should have used brought a white reflector instead of blinding the poor guy with Silver.