My First Senior Shoot, C&C please

1)

2)

3)

4)

So, what do you think? All are w/ my D3S, and the 70-200, using a reflector to help bring up our harsh shadows in Arizona.

 

#1: I feel like there's sooo much of the environment and so little of her. I would crop the right off and make it a little closer. Her left arm is a little blown.

#2: Same thing as #1 and the blown out vanishing point with the saturated-out-of-it's-ass---bush is really distracting! I also don't like the way her arms are crossed, because although her face is relaxed, the body language isn't and throws the photo off for me. It gets really blue from her legs down, especially the sidewalk. Aside from these, the exposure is quite nice.

#3: A good shot, but it's super posy. Why is her arm up like that? It seems really stiff and unnatural. I think it would've been better if it was higher over her head, it just seems awkward the way it's just a right angle there. I'm not feeling the shadows on her arm either.

#4: I like the symmetry of the flower bushes, but she's totally blown. Look at the highlights on her arm and face and wrist. Extremely white and no detail. This pose is the classic senior portrait pose..classic or cliche, you decide. I would have liked a bit more light to catch in her eyes (for all, actually!)

**I don't know if you incorporated more of her ballet outfit or what not, but surely you could have played on it more within the environment or another one. Maybe her in a ballet stance or something with her and her pointe shoes.
**I know this is your first Senior Portrait shoot, but is it also your first portraiture?
Either way, I think you've got the right idea and they came out good with some common flaws that can be learned from and prevented next time.

 

Very good for your very first Senior job!
My favorites are #1 and #4, really good!
The #2 she's too fat to afford flip-flops and #3 her left leg is little weird...
Other them that, you nailed!:thumbup:

 

Pretty much!


You're close, pretty good for your first time.

I think you should have stayed under the awning for more time, the light out of there is reallynice, just needs to bewarmed upa bit.

When i can't find open shade, when out in the sun, i like to put it behind the subject and take advantage of the flare to give the pictures more atmosphere and to keep hard shadows from going across the face.

Like the tree one, put the sun behind her, and have really warm flare go across the whole picture, makes it look more candid.

 

In all of them but the last, your "subject" takes up less than half of the image. They look more like "landscape" photographs that happen to have a person in them instead of "portraits. It would be easy enough to crop them, but I think you missed what the actual subject was that you were shooting.

 

This. Also, in #1 and #2, her elbows are locked straight, and her fingers are mostly straight as well, giving the feeling that she is tensed/stiff.

 

The more environmental style is what she was looking for. These were a few of her favorite locations, so she wanted to be in them, not have them serve as a backdrop. Otherwise, thanks.

 

Ok, AlexColeman, we get it she liked the locations.
but it's a Senior Portrait, not a landscape photo.
The subject is her, not the environment.

 

If she likes them, then whatever.....

The last shot I think could have been benefitted by a diffuser to diffuse the harsh light on her left face. Her left foot is caught in her dress which is a bit distracting.

 

Umm... what?!

 

I asked the same question when I read it. Since when is someone to fat to afford flip-flops, and she is not fat at all.

 

I think he was saying they don't like right, like 'she can't get away with flip flops' or 'pull off' would have been a better choice of words.

Either way his comment is idiotic.