Practice Senior Picture

keith foster · Jan 28, 2010

I just started learning to take portraits and since I am a high school teacher I have convinced a few seniors to let me take some shots of them for practice.
I am really struggling with poses.

I shot this young lady today and tried the shot where she laying down looking back and over her head. I was on a stool. One softbox constant, florescent light camera left and directed at her face.

At first I thought this was a great shot but after I downloaded it and processed a little in LR I was really disappointed.

The hotspot on her forehead was a bummer and I never really got her hands/arms in a good position.

I would really appreciate some C&C.

AnotherNewGuy · Jan 28, 2010

The hot spot doesn't look that bad. Looks like you can save the detail. Here is a go at it I tried for you..

I burned the hot spot with a soft brush at 79 exp. I then dodged the iris and sclera of the eyes a bit and outlined with burn. I then did a surface blur and masked the eyes. Then a high pass with blend mode on soft. The eyes may be a bit over processed for most peoples taste, but the people I shoot always seem to like it. I also adjusted the levels for more contrast... may be a skin tone that you don't like. I wouldn't try to burn the forehead more than that... there may be other methods to fix using stamp.

AnotherNewGuy · Jan 28, 2010

so for the C&C on your image.

Poses are a hard thing to come up with on the spot. I would recommend googling other senior portraits. I am working on a pose chart that I am going to keep with me when I am shooting and can't think of anything.

some things I have learned...

- if it bends, bend it
- females should tilt there head to low shoulder when seated
- females hands should be straighter than males, but not against there sides

there are quite a bit of rules like this around the web that help. I am sure some pros will chime in to provide you with some good feedback. You are lucky to have the willing models and equipment. You did well with the lighting other than the mild hot spot. The nose appears evenly lit and I don't see any harsh shadows.

keith foster · Jan 29, 2010

Thanks a lot NewGuy!
I like what you did with the eyes and taking out the hotspot. I need to learn more about pp and get better at it.
I really appreciate your ideas and direction here.
I have been studying poses but it seems like when I get into the shoot all of it leaves me. I will keep at it and keep working.

Thanks again.

RauschPhotography · Jan 29, 2010

One thing I noticed right away is that her top lip looks kind of washed out, it blends right into her face. Maybe it's just the color of her lips? I'm not sure, but you should definitely try to do something with that...

keith foster · Jan 29, 2010

Good point.
When I adjusted her lips in LR I noticed the top lip didn't accept the changes to the same degree as the top lip but I kind of forgot about it. Thanks for pointing that out, looking at it again it does make her look like her bottom lip is huge and top lip is just a light line.
Thanks for the help.

Big Mike · Jan 29, 2010

I think that one issue is the angle of the light. It's coming from below her face (look at the position of the catch lights). This causes her nose shadow to go up toward her eye. Not something that typically looks good for a portrait.

keith foster · Jan 29, 2010

Yep, you're right. I had the light set right but then I moved her and didn't change the light. A couple of the other shots had really harsh nose shadows and I didn't use them.
I have got to get better at paying attention to details like that.
Thanks, Mike.

bhphotography · Jan 29, 2010

The one thing that stands out to me is wardrobe, I think the way that her sweater is folded over on her right shoulder is a bit distracting. If it was done up a bit more or flat it would work better I think

keith foster · Jan 29, 2010

You're right. Another detail I hadn't noticed. Dang it! I am already slow getting set up for a shot but I have to slow down some more and start noticing these things.
Thanks for your help.

Wass · Jan 30, 2010

Hot spot on forehead is not a big deal but you can make it less obvious... In photoshop try the lasso tool then surface blur.

burnws6 · Jan 30, 2010

Wait....high school teacher.......taking pictures of their students............lying down.....looking seductively into the camera......

keith foster · Jan 30, 2010

burnws6 said:
Wait....high school teacher.......taking pictures of their students............lying down.....looking seductively into the camera......

And during class!
Trust me, at my age these kids are cute not seductive. When you have known these kids since before they started school it is hard to see them in a sexual way.

Even so, I only shoot with a room full of kids who are also shooting or helping with lights.
It is a shame to have to be so careful but a reality since there are teachers who have violated the public's trust.

CraigK · Feb 4, 2010

keith foster said:
Thanks a lot NewGuy!
I have been studying poses but it seems like when I get into the shoot all of it leaves me. I will keep at it and keep working.QUOTE]

I am new here but active on blogs and on POTN. I would find your niche (i.e. sunset/night shoots...glamour style...country/rustic...natural light/OCF...etc) and build a pose book. I have followed and leaned on two photographers who are helping me build my speedlite/ocf skills to a level that can be marketed (somedays I think I will be old and gray before I will be ready). Anyway, some of their work and others are in a private gallery. It contains a few hundred poses that might help. If your interested pm me and I will send you the link and the password.

Forgive me for not just posting the link, but they are not my work, only what I try to recreate.