New, please help! :)

littlebean · Dec 25, 2010

Hi everyone,

I'm new to TPF and have been taking photos and completing an online photography course for the past few months.

I've started my own facebook page, with hopes that one day soon I'll be able to form my own functioning business! I have been taking photos of children, babies and families for free in my area to get some more practice at photoshoots, editing, composition etc and it's been going really well I think!

A friend of mine suggested that I put some of my photos up here to get some constructive criticism on some of my images. The parents of the kids I'm taking images of are happy no matter what, so I'm not getting much in the way of useful advise to help me further my knowledge base and skills.

SO PLEASE HELP

I have the link for my facebook page which should allow you to view some of the images I have taken Little Bean Photography | Facebook- I am using photoshpo cs3 first and lightroom 3 as well. I am also using a Nikon D70s at the moment and 70-300mm nikor and 50mm lens'.

Please let me know what you think, what you think I should work on etc.

THANKS HEAPS!!! :hug::

p.s I personally like contrast and dark images - not everyone does and I'm not sure how well using my own 'personal preferences' will go in professional portrait photography... what do you think??

smlblk396 · Dec 26, 2010

80-700mm is one hell of a lens. but the pics look good just don't know which ones. post them on here because you only have one post and people won't look to much.

littlebean · Dec 26, 2010

That was a royal typo... I'm using a 70-300mm lens is what I meant everyone!
How do I post images in here?

do I have to post the image through a URL?

enzodm · Dec 26, 2010

littlebean said:
How do I post images in here? do I have to post the image through a URL?

there is a sticky post just here above

.

oldmacman · Dec 26, 2010

littlebean said:
I personally like contrast and dark images - not everyone does and I'm not sure how well using my own 'personal preferences' will go in professional portrait photography... what do you think??

This is sincerely meant as constructive criticism:
- They are dark, yes, but the exposure does not come across as intentional. As a client, I will want well exposed images.
- many shots have a head in the centre of a horizontal frame, which wastes space on the left and right side. Take a look at some techniques for compositional arrangement and good use of compositional space.
- yellow colour cast, whether intentional or not, is not flattering to skin tones

You have many shots that are definitely going in the right direction. To be successful, you will have to do the better shots more consistently.

daarksun · Dec 26, 2010

You should consider posting images here.

littlebean · Dec 26, 2010

oldmacman said:
littlebean said:

I personally like contrast and dark images - not everyone does and I'm not sure how well using my own 'personal preferences' will go in professional portrait photography... what do you think??

Click to expand...

This is sincerely meant as constructive criticism:
- They are dark, yes, but the exposure does not come across as intentional. As a client, I will want well exposed images.
- many shots have a head in the centre of a horizontal frame, which wastes space on the left and right side. Take a look at some techniques for compositional arrangement and good use of compositional space.
- yellow colour cast, whether intentional or not, is not flattering to skin tones

You have many shots that are definitely going in the right direction. To be successful, you will have to do the better shots more consistently.

Hi, thanks for that! Of course I will take it constructively! I'm soooo new to this that I need all the help I can get.

I have just completed an assignment on exposure and I think I have my head around it (after taking those images) but I still get a little confused!! :x

If there is anything else you have noticed, I won't be offended - I am happy to take anything I can get that will help me in the future :sexywink:

One of the photo shoots I did, all the photos turned out blurry (the photos I took inside). I realised after that the ISO was at 800 - would this have caused the blurred photos?

Thanks again!

littlebean · Dec 26, 2010

littlebean Gallery - The Photo Forum Photo Gallery

I think I've done this correctly

I've chosen the photos that I think may be a little dark (edited as well in photoshop or lightroom)! I have been trying to compare my photos to other photographers in my area that specialise in Child, Baby, Family photography too

THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE IN ADVANCE!

oldmacman · Dec 26, 2010

littlebean said:
Hi, thanks for that! Of course I will take it constructively! I'm soooo new to this that I need all the help I can get.

I have just completed an assignment on exposure and I think I have my head around it (after taking those images) but I still get a little confused!! :x

If there is anything else you have noticed, I won't be offended - I am happy to take anything I can get that will help me in the future

One of the photo shoots I did, all the photos turned out blurry (the photos I took inside). I realised after that the ISO was at 800 - would this have caused the blurred photos?

Thanks again!

Bumping the ISO can cause softness in an image, but a higher ISO allows for a faster shutter speed, so it would depend on how you utilized the extra stops of light. Keep in mind that a doubling of ISO means 1/2 the light is required for the exposure. The trade off is more noise introduced to the image. Noise is more noticeable on an improperly exposed image and can break up what should be crisp lines.