Portrait Session with Bri

Did a TFP shoot with a local aspiring model named Bri yesterday.. going to use the photos to bolster my senior portfolio. Shot at an abandoned factory in my town, feedback appreciated!

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2.)


3.)


4.)


5.)

 

Thanks!

 

In the first 3 photos her skin looks noticeably pale in contrast to the warm ambient light. This isn't to say that you didn't get the white balance right, I just think that the contrast in temperature between the ambient light and the OCF light creates the illusion of pale skin. I would consider increasing the color temperature a bit to give her some healthier skin tones, especially if you're planning to use these to advertise senior photos, which in my opinion should represent good health and liveliness. If you're using off camera flash, you could look into using some CTO gels to help create lighting that better harmonizes skin tones with the warm color tones of the ambient light. Most off camera flash units are going to create white lighting without any modifiers, and often that color doesn't match the ambient lighting during golden hour.

Do you use any reference for poses? I like to keep a notebook filled with my favorite fashion magazine tearsheets. I use them for posing reference, lighting reference/inspiration, etc. It's especially useful when you're working with newer models who need extra guidance from the photographer for posing. These are nice shots, but she definitely looks a little awkward and a bit boring in her posing. Having some reference will help both of you get better looks for your portfolios.

 

I like the more natural facial expressions in 4 and 5, as well as the more relaxed and natural composition and lighting.

In picture 1 I find the foreground branches to be distracting, though in pictures 4 and 5 the foreground helps with framing.

I think my overall favorite is #4.


"Rule 408: Time is not the boss of you"

 

Some interesting photos and some clever lenswork in these. I think there are some things to really like about these photos, and a couple things where some different approaches might have leveraged these photos even more. I think Dan's point about the warm-colored ambient light and then her having a cold, sort of Ektachrome 100 cool skin-tone look is a pretty good observation. When we see such warm lighjting, colder skin tone rendering really stands out from that warmer-temp'd light.

 

Nice set!

 

Overall interesting set. I think #1 is my fav, though I'd clone the branches out in the foreground. #2 could be my favorite, but I find the shadow over the left eye distracting and needs a slight adjustment to skin tone. #3 the skin tone seems really cool, and I'm not a fan of the pose. #4 I really like the relaxed pose, but the eyes seem to be slightly squinted. #5 has a slightly to much pink hue on my monitor.

On another note, just a personal opinion, but something about the mouth on all but #4 is slightly standoffish. Not sure if it's lipstick or what, but it seems slightly cold. #4 seems like a natural warm smile.

 

To me it isn't necessarily something that jumps out at me to be corrected, but hey maybe I need a recalibration as well lol.

 

On number one indeed break the branches off before taking the shot. On the second she should raise her shirt more to show the whole belly button. I'm trying to figure out what is going on with her shoes in number four. Her feet look tiny but with being so much closer to the lens they should be much bigger. I wonder what kind of modeling she aspires to. If she were here in Colombia she might fit the "protocolo" genre.

 

Great photos, light is pretty nice.
When you're shooting ladies, always ask your model to bring the upper body a tad foward, it will emplasis on the upper body instead of the hips, belly area, which would be a tad more flattering.