Newbie Needs C&C

shelby16 · Apr 10, 2013

Hey guys! I'm new to everything photography, BUT I'm even newer to People Photography because I've been shooting tons of animals. I tried it out on my sister though, so I wanted some opinions.
C&C is very much appreciated. Honestly, I'm not sure exactly what kind of critique I'm asking for, just the photo in general. If I'm on the right track. Anything!
Shot this outside on a VERY sunny day with my attached flash.

Shelby (Nikon D5100 user)

CLICK TO ENLARGE

HL45 · Apr 10, 2013

Your on the right track with #2, I like everything about it! I don't mind that the top of her head is cropped off in this shot but it doesn't seem to work as well in the first.

Mully · Apr 10, 2013

#2 is the better of the two and I don't mind the vertical portrait ...the first one there is too much arm...... if you have others post them, exposures look fine

shelby16 · Apr 10, 2013

Wow, thank you both so much!! I'm actually surprised to hear this positive feedback. haha

Some of the others I didn't like because the sun was too harsh on the water in the background, that the light kept catching, but I'll post more anyway!

HL45 · Apr 10, 2013

She has really nice eyes and these shots really bring that out to me. The others are not so appealing just my 2 cents

Derrel · Apr 10, 2013

Here are a couple quick adjustments of the first two. You are working in what appears to be open shaded conditions, with maybe a tiny hint of flash...pretty easy light to work in, and allows you to adjust the files quite a bit.In the first shot, below, I cancelled some of the very slight greenish hue that was visible in her skin tone, mostly in the arm/shirt juncture area; "green pollution" as I call it, can be pretty strong when you shoot under trees, or near bright green lawns.

I also added a very slight edge darkening to this, and intensified the blue colors just a tiny bit.

I think what would help this shot is to very subtly burn-down the lighter skin on her upper arm, since the "lightest" tones tend to draw the eye.

On the second photo, I darkened the edges a bit, and made minor color correction in Lightroom. Then, I cropped it, and converted it to B&W, and adjusted the white balance to get the desired tone.

And here is my take on it as a B&W:

shelby16 · Apr 10, 2013

Thank you everyone for your comments!! I really appreciated it.

Wow, Derrel, I really love your edits. It looks amazing in B&W!

SCraig · Apr 10, 2013

And this from someone who has only had their first DSLR for a couple of weeks. Excellent shots that, as others have shown, can really be brought to life with moderate editing. Very well done!

shelby16 · Apr 10, 2013

SCraig said:
And this from someone who has only had their first DSLR for a couple of weeks. Excellent shots that, as others have shown, can really be brought to life with moderate editing. Very well done!

That means so much Scott!! Thank you. You have taught me well. Haha