My 1st portrait

[pic_chick]

Here are my 1st ever attempts at portraits. I kind feel they are ok and I would love so CC. Please Keep in mind that I have only been at this a very short while about 1 month so please try to give me your tips in mostly simple terms :mrgreen:

1,3 &4 where sorta planned street shots. I sat and waited for the right person to walk up to that darn counter all morning.




1.

I feel like this was overexposed to begain with and trying to make it a BW just blew out all the highlights. I was take street photos when I shoot this. The goal was a good refection in the window that I could make look llike an aged photo This was the best out of the group I am going to try to get this kinda shot again any tips on how to make it better?

2.
This was shot under an overpass at dusk. I think the angle of the shot is to low. He is a good 8 in taller then I am should I have made my self taller so the lens would be eye level with him? I also feel this needs more light but I am not sure where to put it.
3.
these two I like I feel the gold light works. I am sure they both could be better I am just not sure what would improve them.


4.

 

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

For number 1 i will say that it looks very distracting, the different element and lighting really confuse me. But a very nice set

 

[pic_chick]

thanks

 

[LizardKing]

these two I like I feel the gold light works. I am sure they both could be better I am just not sure what would improve them.

Well, for starters I'd crop-in a little in both and lighten-up her face in the second.

Overall, it seems you have a good eye for photography and these are a great start. Next time, try to have less busy compositions unless there's a reason for that. The ideal is to get into the frame only the elements you want there and add to the photo/idea/concept somehow. Of course this isn't always possible, so working with perspective and changing your viewpoint is key.

 

[Designer]

I sat and waited for the right person to walk up to that darn counter all morning.

Greetings, pic_chick. In the first place; don't do that. Waste your time, that is. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to help you, kind of like the second portrait.

#1 Where is the point of focus? Ordinarily, we would expect the focus to be on the reflection, but this shot is very much out-of-focus.
#2 A complete stranger? See how easy it is to get help when you ask?
#3 nice shot overall, but lacking a "story"
#4 your model should have been smiling. Nothing wrong with asking.

 

[cgipson1]

#1 is so contrasty... the subject on the left is blown out... the subject on the right is so dark there is no detail. My suggestion would be to actually meter one of the subjects.. as in spot metering. AND Don't shoot in PROGRAM or AUTO like you did here. YOu are smarter than your camera, right? You make the decisions... not it! Fill flash properly used would help too in those situations where it is appropriate.

#2.. soft on the eyes.. and fill flash would have helped immensely.. or a reflector. Always focus on the eyes.. not the nose, chin, beard.... always the eyes!

#3 and #4 - Gold light? More like a bad choice of WB... these are yellow due to shooting in ambient light (incandescent?) with no flash. Again.. shot in Program... but a manual WB chosen? That kind of sort of doesn't make sense. If you wanted a better shot, and to leave the yellow light, you could have used a gelled flash (gelled to match the ambient) and used it for fill... that would have lightened the shadows on her face from the hat. It would of also allowed you to use a much slower ISO.. instead of ISO 5000.

 

[amolitor]

I like #1. It's got that element of mystery that a good street photograph has. Sure, the stuff in focus is blown out, and the stuff in the mirror where we can see the dude is fuzzy. So what? It leaves an impression, it leaves a little mystery. I think it's pretty street. If you wanted to shoot it again, I would suggest a) reading up on "zone focusing" and b) doing that so that the reflection is in focus. I think you could get a nice contrast between "clearly lit, but out of focus person" with "dim, obscure, but in-focus" reflection.

 

[pic_chick]

#1 is so contrasty... the subject on the left is blown out... the subject on the right is so dark there is no detail. My suggestion would be to actually meter one of the subjects.. as in spot metering. Fill flash properly used would help too in those situations where it is appropriate.

#2.. soft on the eyes.. and fill flash would have helped immensely.. or a reflector. Always focus on the eyes.. not the nose, chin, beard.... always the eyes!

#3 and #4 - Gold light? More like a bad choice of WB... these are yellow due to shooting in ambient light (incandescent?) with no flash. Again.. shot in Program... but a manual WB chosen? That kind of sort of doesn't make sense. If you wanted a better shot, and to leave the yellow light, you could have used a gelled flash (gelled to match the ambient) and used it for fill... that would have lightened the shadows on her face from the hat. It would of also allowed you to use a much slower ISO.. instead of ISO 5000.

thank you for the pointers I have a few follow questions/point just to make sure i understand how to use your tips correctly

1 was shot across the street I was trapped behind a fence so could i have used a fill flash from about 10-15 feet away and it still help?

2. I see thank you. I own nether but plan on getting a 2nd flash soon.

3&4 Good point I can't wait to try gels but for street shots won't they take a while to find match and change out? is there away to adjust in lightroom so I dont have to carry more stuff?

I sat and waited for the right person to walk up to that darn counter all morning.

Greetings, pic_chick. In the first place; don't do that. Waste your time, that is. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to help you, kind of like the second portrait.

#1 Where is the point of focus? Ordinarily, we would expect the focus to be on the reflection, but this shot is very much out-of-focus.
#2 A complete stranger? See how easy it is to get help when you ask?
#3 nice shot overall, but lacking a "story"
#4 your model should have been smiling. Nothing wrong with asking.

I was eating while I was waiting just left out that detail.
#1 good point thank you
#2 not a stranger that good looking man is my husband he is a great sport.
# I will work on that
#4 this was my very 1st time on the street I got over my fear of talking to people by the end of the day

these two I like I feel the gold light works. I am sure they both could be better I am just not sure what would improve them.

Well, for starters I'd crop-in a little in both and lighten-up her face in the second.

Overall, it seems you have a good eye for photography and these are a great start. Next time, try to have less busy compositions unless there's a reason for that. The ideal is to get into the frame only the elements you want there and add to the photo/idea/concept somehow. Of course this isn't always possible, so working with perspective and changing your viewpoint is key.

Thank you very much

I like #1. It's got that element of mystery that a good street photograph has. Sure, the stuff in focus is blown out, and the stuff in the mirror where we can see the dude is fuzzy. So what? It leaves an impression, it leaves a little mystery. I think it's pretty street. If you wanted to shoot it again, I would suggest a) reading up on "zone focusing" and b) doing that so that the reflection is in focus. I think you could get a nice contrast between "clearly lit, but out of focus person" with "dim, obscure, but in-focus" reflection.

Thank you I have read up on focusing zones and will put it to use

 

[DiskoJoe]

#2 is the only one that is really a portrait. Framing could have been a little better centered but not too bad.