New to shooting people I don't know...C&C appreciated!

[TimothyPeacock]

Hi all,

I've recently been getting back into photography and living in London there are a plethora of people looking for shoots...so I finally got the guts to do it and did a TF* session with someone I didn't know.

It felt pretty strange to start but I think it went ok in the end.

Here are the photos, I'd love any feedback and constructive criticism so I can improve for next time!

All shot with Canon 550D and Sigma 70-300 f4-5.6 APO DG.

1.

ISO: 100 1/640 F6.3

2.

ISO: 100 1/640 F6.3

3.

ISO: 100 1/640 F6.3


Shot in natural light mid-late afternoon.

As a little guide to what I think of them:

A lot of the shots I really suffered with nose shadows etc, especially at the start of the shoot until I clocked on and started to work with the sun rather than against it. Next time a friend and a purchase of a reflector would be a rather good idea I think.

With these, I think I need to work on the post processing slightly, the colour tones aren't quite matching across the three shots. Kathy does have a great tan, but I can't decide whether the skin tone is a little too orange. Partially the warm light from the sun in the late afternoon, partially her tan, and partially my processing.

Composition wise I think I am certainly improving from the level I was at several years ago. But I am still not a great judge, I was trying very hard to be aware of the backgrounds ensuring trees weren't sprouting from her head, I think in these I managed...?

Many thanks for any advice and criticism you can give

Best,

Tim

 

[tevo]

 

[TimothyPeacock]

Hmmm? :/

 

[michael9000000]

On bright and sunny days, try to shoot with the model facing away from the sun, and use a fill flash or reflector. This will brighten the background, act as a rim light, even out the overall exposure, and minimalize harsh shadows on the model's face and body. I've attached an example... it's not a masterpiece, but it should give you a general idea.

Also, check your white balance... The model's skin is an unsettling shade of orange, and the sky doesn't look like any natural shade of blue.

Good effort!

 

[rexbobcat]

On bright and sunny days, try to shoot with the model facing away from the sun, and use a fill flash or reflector. This will brighten the background, act as a rim light, even out the overall exposure, and minimalize harsh shadows on the model's face and body. I've attached an example... it's not a masterpiece, but it should give you a general idea.

Also, check your white balance... The model's skin is an unsettling shade of orange, and the sky doesn't look like any natural shade of blue.

Good effort!



View attachment 23859

I'll have to respectfully...disagree...

The sun, especially at the time that he shot, can be an excellent source of light for portraiture even though I do think the model is a bit too orange. Yes, the whole backlit/fill light combo is very trendy right now, but direct sunlight I find to be just as capable and sometimes a lot simpler than dragging a reflector out and having to brighten the front up in post etc...

Shot in evening sunlight, no modifiers.

 

[12sndsgood]

quick thing that stood out to me is the third photo it looks as if she is smelling her armpit.

 

[BluePhotoFrog]

On bright and sunny days, try to shoot with the model facing away from the sun, and use a fill flash or reflector. This will brighten the background, act as a rim light, even out the overall exposure, and minimalize harsh shadows on the model's face and body. I've attached an example... it's not a masterpiece, but it should give you a general idea.

Also, check your white balance... The model's skin is an unsettling shade of orange, and the sky doesn't look like any natural shade of blue.

Good effort!



View attachment 23859

I'll have to respectfully...disagree...

The sun, especially at the time that he shot, can be an excellent source of light for portraiture even though I do think the model is a bit too orange. Yes, the whole backlit/fill light combo is very trendy right now, but direct sunlight I find to be just as capable and sometimes a lot simpler than dragging a reflector out and having to brighten the front up in post etc...

Shot in evening sunlight, no modifiers.

I'm confused...are you saying this was taken in direct sunlight?

 

[kathyt]

I would also recommend in full sun to face your model with the sun behind her and use a reflector to add fill light and catch lights to her eyes. If you look at the 2 examples the other members have posted above they are both great but the one that is back lit looks so much better and has so much more dimension and softness. Your skin tones look very orange and cool. Your composition isn't too bad but I would like to see the model off center a little bit more. Get out of your comfort zone with that. I like the her poses though.

 

[Derrel]

Late afternoon sun like this, using the sun as the main light as you did is perfectly fine and acceptable. Used at this time of the day, the sun acts very much like a parabolic reflector, and provides crisp light, that provides a fairly sharp-edged shadow; which you by the way, have positioned well; under the nose but not touching the upper lip; and under the chin; and off to the side of the nose. These shadows provide depth clues, and the light shows off her nearly flawless,youthful skin. The light is obviously NOT strong enough to cause her to squint, as we can plainly see. So...your use of the sun as the main is actually excellent...again, this is almost identical to using a large, parabolic reflector on a studio flash head...a traditional method that many fashion and portrait shooters have utilized for literally decades now.

Shooting against the light and using fill-in flash or reflector fill is a common method, often used to give safe,easy-to-expose,dull,and often uninteresting lighting, lighting which is flat, and low in contrast and which reveals little. Using a high main light, a hard one, like in this case using warm,golden, late afternoon sunlight provides crisp lighting, with well-definded shadows that reveal both texture and shape. You made good choices on the type of light,m AND on keeping her face located so that the main light's shadow fell where it was not a distraction!

The worst issue in the third pose is the way you have allowed her nose to come past the outline of the facial plane...it appears that she does have a substantial nose, and that odd view of the face is guaranteed to make a person's nose look larger that it appears in normal views. If you had had her head turned a bit more toward the camera,or moved the camera a few steps around and to the left, her nose would not have appeared so gigantic. I am surprised nobody has mentioned this yet. Your backgrounds were indeed simple, and unobtrusive.

 

[ghache]

On bright and sunny days, try to shoot with the model facing away from the sun, and use a fill flash or reflector. This will brighten the background, act as a rim light, even out the overall exposure, and minimalize harsh shadows on the model's face and body. I've attached an example... it's not a masterpiece, but it should give you a general idea.

Also, check your white balance... The model's skin is an unsettling shade of orange, and the sky doesn't look like any natural shade of blue.

Good effort!



View attachment 23859

I'll have to respectfully...disagree...

The sun, especially at the time that he shot, can be an excellent source of light for portraiture even though I do think the model is a bit too orange. Yes, the whole backlit/fill light combo is very trendy right now, but direct sunlight I find to be just as capable and sometimes a lot simpler than dragging a reflector out and having to brighten the front up in post etc...

Shot in evening sunlight, no modifiers.

To shoot in direct sunlight without getting harsh light, you have get really nice light. However look at your photo and the other photo and you're photo has a really flat look
the backlit + fill is popular because it look nice, gives you a nice rim/hair light and it add dimension to your shot. its not popular for no reason, because it more appealing and it look nicer. if hauling a reflector and a stand is too much for you, you are in the wrong business.


this was shot with sun at back without any fill.

this was shot direct light

this was shot using a fill behind camera, a rim light camera left slightly behind model and sun was behind model camera right.

using a reflector for fill

i guess its all personal taste but to me, using the sun at the back or the side and add some kind of fill create better images if well balanced.

 

[TimothyPeacock]

On bright and sunny days, try to shoot with the model facing away from the sun, and use a fill flash or reflector. This will brighten the background, act as a rim light, even out the overall exposure, and minimalize harsh shadows on the model's face and body. I've attached an example... it's not a masterpiece, but it should give you a general idea.

Also, check your white balance... The model's skin is an unsettling shade of orange, and the sky doesn't look like any natural shade of blue.

Good effort!

Many thanks for your feedback Michael. Like I say at the bottom of my post, I do need to purchase a reflector. Unfortunately my flashgun decided not to work hence not being able to turn her around and use the flash for fill. I will have a play with the white balance

Late afternoon sun like this, using the sun as the main light as you did is perfectly fine and acceptable. Used at this time of the day, the sun acts very much like a parabolic reflector, and provides crisp light, that provides a fairly sharp-edged shadow; which you by the way, have positioned well; under the nose but not touching the upper lip; and under the chin; and off to the side of the nose. These shadows provide depth clues, and the light shows off her nearly flawless,youthful skin. The light is obviously NOT strong enough to cause her to squint, as we can plainly see. So...your use of the sun as the main is actually excellent...again, this is almost identical to using a large, parabolic reflector on a studio flash head...a traditional method that many fashion and portrait shooters have utilized for literally decades now.

Shooting against the light and using fill-in flash or reflector fill is a common method, often used to give safe,easy-to-expose,dull,and often uninteresting lighting, lighting which is flat, and low in contrast and which reveals little. Using a high main light, a hard one, like in this case using warm,golden, late afternoon sunlight provides crisp lighting, with well-definded shadows that reveal both texture and shape. You made good choices on the type of light,m AND on keeping her face located so that the main light's shadow fell where it was not a distraction!

The worst issue in the third pose is the way you have allowed her nose to come past the outline of the facial plane...it appears that she does have a substantial nose, and that odd view of the face is guaranteed to make a person's nose look larger that it appears in normal views. If you had had her head turned a bit more toward the camera,or moved the camera a few steps around and to the left, her nose would not have appeared so gigantic. I am surprised nobody has mentioned this yet. Your backgrounds were indeed simple, and unobtrusive.

Hi Derrel, massive thank you for the detailed comment, much appreciated. Thanks for pointing out the nose, definitely one to remember/notice for next time. Partially wasn't thinking about that, and also distracting myself with getting rid of huge nose shadows across the face!

Best,

T

 

[rexbobcat]

On bright and sunny days, try to shoot with the model facing away from the sun, and use a fill flash or reflector. This will brighten the background, act as a rim light, even out the overall exposure, and minimalize harsh shadows on the model's face and body. I've attached an example... it's not a masterpiece, but it should give you a general idea.

Also, check your white balance... The model's skin is an unsettling shade of orange, and the sky doesn't look like any natural shade of blue.

Good effort!



View attachment 23859

I'll have to respectfully...disagree...

The sun, especially at the time that he shot, can be an excellent source of light for portraiture even though I do think the model is a bit too orange. Yes, the whole backlit/fill light combo is very trendy right now, but direct sunlight I find to be just as capable and sometimes a lot simpler than dragging a reflector out and having to brighten the front up in post etc...

Shot in evening sunlight, no modifiers.

To shoot in direct sunlight without getting harsh light, you have get really nice light. However look at your photo and the other photo and you're photo has a really flat look
the backlit + fill is popular because it look nice, gives you a nice rim/hair light and it add dimension to your shot. its not popular for no reason, because it more appealing and it look nicer. if hauling a reflector and a stand is too much for you, you are in the wrong business.


this was shot with sun at back without any fill.

this was shot direct light

this was shot using a fill behind camera, a rim light camera left slightly behind model and sun was behind model camera right.

using a reflector for fill

i guess its all personal taste but to me, using the sun at the back or the side and add some kind of fill create better images if well balanced.

Your work has a very commercial feel. Although it does look nice, I do have to say that trendy does not equal universally appealing. It's not always more appealing and it's not always nicer. That's a fallacy to play up your own style, which doesn' suit everyone.

For example, I don't like your first and last photo because her face, even though it has been brightened up, is still cold and dark in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of the porcelain skin look.

I always use reflectors and whatnot, but saying that it is something that a photographer needs indefinitely on a shoot is just ignorant.

Some people don't like the commercial look where it's obvious that whatever setup that was used was not "natural" in the sense that it can't happen without lighting/modifier equipment.

I'm sorry that I'm bored by, and don't particularly like that style for every portrait I take. :er:

With the photo I posted, the girl wanted the photo to look like it wasn't all porcelain skin (which wasn't possible anyways because her skin is ebony anyways) and commercial.

I mean, if you think that's the only style that can work then, well, maybe you shouldn't be working in this business. lol

 

[skieur]

I notice that in the second shot, you cut the model off at the knees, which is definitely not ideal framing and that you also shot UP at the model, which makes her look extremely tall and skinny, particularly in the second shot as well.

skieur

 

[ghache]

I'll have to respectfully...disagree...

The sun, especially at the time that he shot, can be an excellent source of light for portraiture even though I do think the model is a bit too orange. Yes, the whole backlit/fill light combo is very trendy right now, but direct sunlight I find to be just as capable and sometimes a lot simpler than dragging a reflector out and having to brighten the front up in post etc...

Shot in evening sunlight, no modifiers.

To shoot in direct sunlight without getting harsh light, you have get really nice light. However look at your photo and the other photo and you're photo has a really flat look
the backlit + fill is popular because it look nice, gives you a nice rim/hair light and it add dimension to your shot. its not popular for no reason, because it more appealing and it look nicer. if hauling a reflector and a stand is too much for you, you are in the wrong business.


this was shot with sun at back without any fill.

this was shot direct light

this was shot using a fill behind camera, a rim light camera left slightly behind model and sun was behind model camera right.

using a reflector for fill

i guess its all personal taste but to me, using the sun at the back or the side and add some kind of fill create better images if well balanced.

Your work has a very commercial feel. Although it does look nice, I do have to say that trendy does not equal universally appealing. It's not always more appealing and it's not always nicer. That's a fallacy to play up your own style, which doesn' suit everyone.

For example, I don't like your first and last photo because her face, even though it has been brightened up, is still cold and dark in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of the porcelain skin look.

I always use reflectors and whatnot, but saying that it is something that a photographer needs indefinitely on a shoot is just ignorant.

Some people don't like the commercial look where it's obvious that whatever setup that was used was not "natural" in the sense that it can't happen without lighting/modifier equipment.

I'm sorry that I'm bored by, and don't particularly like that style for every portrait I take. :er:

With the photo I posted, the girl wanted the photo to look like it wasn't all porcelain skin (which wasn't possible anyways because her skin is ebony anyways) and commercial.

I mean, if you think that's the only style that can work then, well, maybe you shouldn't be working in this business. lol

Don't put word in my mouth. I just showed you 4 different lighting style, done with 4 different lighting gear/no gear with subjects posing differently to the sun. don't you think that someone who think only 1 style of lighting works would be doing this? lol.

As far as i know, i wouldn't call adding dimension to a shot using lighting being A Style as photographers around the globe is doing it daily producing very different photos.

you're shot look flat, the same way the second shot i posted look flat. I didn't say it was not working.

Don't try to get back at me because I said that you where lazy for saying that bringing a reflector to a shoot was too much work, its just true. Like any other things , if you cut corners, you will end up average or even a fail.

 

[Tee]

To the OP: I think image #2 is your best. The light is the most even in that it doesn't distract as much. I feel in all your images perhaps you tweaked the saturation sliders a little too much giving her skin a more orange look as to a pleasing golden look that's prevalent at sunset. I agree with others about shooting with the models back to to the sun. You don't always need a reflector or flash, although having those can greatly enhance the final image. The rim light effect from the sun not only brings out highlights but also gives separation from the background. One of the biggest challenges I face is seeing the shot before it happens. I try to see where the light is falling, where shadows on the ground are, and the background in general. Take advantage of open shade, a place where the sun isn't direct and the shade is even.

This is open shade with the sun camera right. The building right next to her acted as a 3 story reflector with a kiss of light on her red hair:



Another open shade, light coming from behind and camera left. I felt the shadows from her hair provided a moodier feel and thus I didn't use a reflector.



Lastly, this is a failed attempt at trying to battle a harsh sun at the back using a SB-910. I really needed a monolight w/ more powerful output to bring back the sky and clouds. Lessons learned...which is always the best way. (btw, shot in March so it was a wee bit chilly).