Portraits for Critique

[Tdnash]

Trying again. Photos taken with a very low wattage continuous light set up. Just got a new strobe light set up and want to do more portrait work. Need all the advice, suggestions, hints I can get.

 

[GrantH]

pics dont work.

 

[mrpink]

Sorry for this. Tried to link to some images and they would not post. Will repost later when I get that straightened out.

Goto share, click the HTML/BBC code, then check the BBC code bubble, then copy and paste directly into your message body here.








p!nK

 

[Tdnash]

Okay. Finally got the photos uploaded. Switched from Flickr to Photobucket

 

[Christie Photo]

The absolute, very best next thing to do is use a longer focal length lens. Then, do so reading on lighting for portraits.

-Pete

 

[Tdnash]

The absolute, very best next thing to do is use a longer focal length lens. Then, do so reading on lighting for portraits.

What is the advantage of using a longer lens for portraits? The space in which these were taken doesn't allow use of a longer lens, but I will rearrange some stuff to make room if I know the advantage of it

 

[Christie Photo]

What is the advantage of using a longer lens for portraits?

Well, there are several advantages... a couple of very important ones.

First is the angle of view. I've never tried to explain this in writing before, so bear with me. Imagine standing on a street and looking a 10-story building just down the block. You have to tip your head back, looking up to the top floor. Now move away... 100 feet of so. You're still tipping your head back, but not nearly as much. When you back off several blocks, you can take in the entire view... the building and it's surroundings.

This is an amplified way to think about how a normal to short focal length lens "sees" people. They exaggerate the distance between elements. A longer focal length will better preserve more realistic relationships. The short lens used on these portraits has done no favors for this lovely lady.

Too, you will realise a couple of background benefits. A smaller portion of the background will be in view and, with shallower depth of filed, the background will be softer, providing more separation.

I hope this helps.

-Pete

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

Trying again. Photos taken with a very low wattage continuous light set up. Just got a new strobe light set up and want to do more portrait work. Need all the advice, suggestions, hints I can get.

Well the first thing my eye is drawn to is the blown out (bright white) areas on her cheek/neck...

I would try to eliminate/correct for this by re-shooting or re-editing if a re-shoot isn't possible.

 

[Tdnash]

Thank you Pete. That makes sense. My space is still very cramped (until I can get the garage remodeled to use as a studio), but I will work on rearranging available space to be able to use the longer lens

 

[Dominantly]

How cramped is your outside there in Texas?

 

[o hey tyler]

How cramped is your outside there in Texas?

Yeah, for real. I'm getting pounded with a blizzard at the moment. No outdoor photoshoots in my near future. You're in Texas, hop on that **** Mr. Heatwave.