New to photography: Portrait critique please

[NickChurch]

Hi,

As mentioned in another thread, I am new to photography (other than family snaps) and would like some critique on a range of content.

Here is a shot of one of the kids on xmas morning. Taken with an Olympus OM-D E10, Lumix 20mm f1.7. Composition, technicalities, and processing feedback (good or bad) would be really useful.

thanks in advance

 

[paigew]

I'm on my phone so I won't comment on processing. Looks like you have decent white balance. His face is a little to underexposed for my liking. I also would love eye contact on this particular shot. Can't wait to see more of your work [emoji2]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Logician]

I liked it too, IMO its a good portait.

Since you said its ok to edit your photos, I made a few tweaks, hope you don't mind? Don't take it wrong please, your photo is also great but I just wanted show how I like myself a little more.

What I did was:
* lighten face a little
* Boost blues
* Desaturate greens
* Add a little clarity and vignetting

 

[paigew]

I am now seeing this full size and it looks like it isn't focused Try to either get him looking at you (so his eyes are on the same plane) or use a narrower aperture.

 

[Granddad]

Yes, there's a focus issue (related to depth of field) and an exposure issue BUT I think this shows really good potential. You got the background nicely out of focus, you caught a great expression and the bubbles are a good bonus. If you have a natural eye for a good image all the rest can be learned.

 

[Braineack]

it's too close up and oof. This reads candid shot less portrait.

 

[NickChurch]

Thanks for the feedback - I have zoomed in and his right eye is pin sharp, but yes, the narrow DoF has meant the whole face is not focussed. I will bear this in mind next time.

I have another similar one below, this one has the eye contact and is in focus - although I know the background is not great

. Does the same comment about lightening apply here?

 

[JustJazzie]

I like the lighting better in the first shot. The second one seems like it would have benefited from a reflector for some fill light and definition in the face.

What kind of metering mode are you using for these? Maybe there is a better mode to help you avoid under exposing next time!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[KmH]

Keys to consider are light direction, light quality, and facial mask skin highlights exposure.
In both photos the boy has dark eye sockets (raccoon eyes) and the facial mask skin highlights are under exposed.
In a portrait the eyes are an important image element - "A person's eye are a window to their soul."

Exposure - good exposure of Caucasian facial mask highlights is 235 to 240 in the red RGB channel.

Fill light from a reflector or an off camera light source is used to get light into a portrait subjects eye sockets.
Spot metering mode can be used to ensure facial mask skin highlights have sufficient exposure, but it is also useful to meter the shot with Center-weighted metering so more of the scene is included in the metering.

In the first photo the near eye is blurred because it is closer to the camera than the near limit of the depth-of-field (DoF). IMO, it would look more natural with the far eye out-of-focus (OOF) and further from the camera than the far limit of the DoF since the background is OOF.

 

[KmH]

View attachment 91995

I did an edit.

Using ACR (Photoshop CC 2014 Camera Raw) -
Using the White Balance eye dropper on the window frame in the background I set the WB. The tool reduced the Temperature -4 (a bit more blue) and boosted the tint +6 (a bit more magenta).
Using the Basic panel I increased the Vibrance +35.
Using the Sharpening panel I globally sharpened the photo +25 with a Radius of 1.0, Detail set to 25, and zero Masking.
Also in the Sharpening panel I set the Luminosity Noise Reduction to 15 for a skin softening effect.

I then opened the photo in Photoshop CC 2014.
I cropped the photo so the camera left eye is on the upper left power point of a Rule of Thirds grid, which would also be the top left junction of a Triangle composition grid, or would be in the small end portion of a Golden Spiral.
I used the Spot Healing Brush tool and the Healing Brush to remove various hot spots from his lips and the toy.
I also cleaned lint and stuff from his vest and a stray thread on his collar.
I selected the boy, his shirt, the toy (no background) using the quick Selection tool and used the Refine Edge feature to feather the selection 3 px.
With the selection active I made an Exposure Adjustment layer and added 0.5 EV of exposure to the selection.
I then used the Dodge tool (lighten) set to Midtones and 50% around his eyes and lower face.
I used the Patch tool and the Clone tool to get rid of the dark areas under his eyes.
I used the Polygonal Selection tool to select the sclera of both his eyes and with those 4 selections active I used a Hue/Saturation Adjustment layer to desaturate and lighten his sclera.
I used the Clone tool to move the catchlight from his camera right eye to the camera left eye.
I selected his lips and with the selection active i used a Hue/Saturation Adjustment layer to lighten his lips a tad.
Lastly I added a narrow black border.

 

[NickChurch]

Thanks so much for giving me your insights, and especially Keith for taking time to edit my image. I can see the improvements very clearly, and will need to bring these into my next subject. Thanks again.... this shot was me giving myself something to work with in Lightroom to try to get that polished pro look to a photo. I think I have enough to go back to LR and have another go.

Thanks

 

[KmH]

In case you didn't already know it, LR's Develop module is also ACR.

 

[NickChurch]

Hi Keith,

Is there an effective way to do the work under the eyes from within lightroom 4? I do have Elements, but firstly I am not used to using it, although could do with instruction, but secondly, how do I edit in elelments whilst maintaining the ability in lightroom to flick between history, before/after etc?

nick

 

[paigew]

You can use an adjustment brush under the eyes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NickChurch]

Hi - thanks. Do you mean in Lightroom? Whenever I try, I end up with a blotchy mess that makes the subject look like they've had plastic surgery.Any more info would be great.