My first portrait

[ZapTap]

Hey guys, I'm green as can be and still learning the very basics (so be gentle). But I'd like to hear what you think of my first portrait attempt.

Now I know the composition could be improved, but I'm sort of interested in how it can be improved. I was both limited in my ability to move her around and way too excited for my own good to have a new camera.


f/4.5
40.0mm
1/30
ISO 3200

 

[snowbear118 49]

For a first try, it's a nice snapshot.

I think it would have been better had you gotten on her level, instead of shooting down on her. I think portrait orientation would also have been better.

 

[ZapTap]

I'll keep that in mind! Should I have used a smaller aperture to get the background a bit less in focus, or maybe gotten closer so she took up more of the frame?

 

[Designer]

I'll keep that in mind! Should I have used a smaller aperture to get the background a bit less in focus, or maybe gotten closer so she took up more of the frame?

No, a smaller aperture would make a deeper depth of field, so more would be in focus. A larger aperture is what you want, but I suspect that your lens will simply not allow a larger aperture than the f 4.5.

Instead of trying for background blur, just make the background better by choosing a better location/angle.

 

[Rick58]

I'd start by getting down on her level so she is'nt looking up at the camera. Next as the others said, would be the background. If you can't use a wider aperture, you could move the subject further away from the background, which would cause it to become out of focus, or as designer stated, find an interesting background

 

[Designer]

Or if it's a portrait, a LESS interesting background.

 

[darkchild]

I agree with what everyone has already said, it needs to be more eye level. Also, the background is very distraction. Maybe have the wall be the background instead of the floor? lol you'll get it.

 

[James Baranski]

I think the OP is just trying to get crisp shots...

 

[ZapTap]

Any critique is welcome I'm not too proud of the composition and want to learn how to improve! If I can learn to see what's wrong with a shot I'll know what to do to make the next one better.

(That being said, thanks everyone!)

 

[James Baranski]

Any critique is welcome I'm not too proud of the composition and want to learn how to improve! If I can learn to see what's wrong with a shot I'll know what to do to make the next one better.

(That being said, thanks everyone!)

I recently started photography and have been concentrating on crisp shots, not so much content until I learn more about my camera plus post processing. All that has gone well so I am about to start on content....

 

[Rick58]

I recently started photography and have been concentrating on crisp shots, not so much content until I learn more about my camera plus post processing. All that has gone well so I am about to start on content....

Very grounded Philosophy. No photo will ever amount to anything without the two most fundamental basics, exposure and focus

 

[kanuski]

You should also be thinking about adding some more light. In most cameras. at ISO 3200 you will get noise in you pictures.

 

[ZapTap]

That's an interesting point I should ask about - best practices and the like aside, is there passably little noise in this image or is it suffering from some of that I just overlooked?

 

[ronlane]

There is noise in this image, yes. You can see it in the rug and the dark area in the upper left hand corner of the image.

I know you said that you weren't happy with the composition so here is one suggestion that would help with that and with the background of this image. Turn the camera to portrait orientation and fill the frame with her and a lot of that busy background will be gone. (This in addition to what has been suggested above)