Practicing portraits..

TamiAz · Feb 20, 2012

Took these today.. I think my exposure looks good, but I thought I would check here. I've been busy with school, but still trying to get my practice in. Yea, I cut some body parts off, but I still think they're good!

Ooops..Just realized I shot right up her nostrils..LOL!! I need to watch that next time!!

APHPHOTO · Feb 20, 2012

I like the shots but your going to get hit with some critisizm. Mostly because the pictures look flat. Im assuming you used your sb-700. Looks like you left it on you camera. Try taking it off and setting it up off to the side. The photos need more shadow to define the face and give depth.The more you shoot the more youll learn.

TamiAz · Feb 20, 2012

APHPHOTO said:
I like the shots but your going to get hit with some critisizm. Mostly because the pictures look flat. Im assuming you used your sb-700. Looks like you left it on you camera. Try taking it off and setting it up off to the side. The photos need more shadow to define the face and give depth.The more you shoot the more youll learn.

Thank you...I didn't use my flash. These were taken outside in some shade.

rexbobcat · Feb 20, 2012

I like the second photo. I don't think it looks flat. I think it has nice diffused lighting.

On the first photo, however...the pose is what I'm not too thrilled about.

Most portrait photographers will tell you that shooting bellow the person looking up is a very unflattering pose. It makes the model's neck scrunch up giving them a double chin.

If you're going to have their head tilted in some other way than completely parallel with the horizon, it should be up. When you tilt a model's head slightly up while still keeping their face towards the camera, then that can actually make some model look slimmer and in some cases more flattering.

The situation varies though, so depending on the person, you have to kind of gauge, as a photographer, how they best resemble themselves. If anything, show the person who you're photographing your picture and ask which pose/camera position they like the best.

katerolla · Feb 20, 2012

I like your portraits but they are a little flat, hope you don't mind i edited one in camera raw just to show you

Bossy · Feb 20, 2012

#2 has a lot of useless empty space as well. And the skin tones are a touch green in the first one.

paigew · Feb 20, 2012

/\/\that looks great! what did you do to it?

katerolla · Feb 20, 2012

Edited in Camera Raw

Vignett -100
Temperature +9
Exposure +0.50
Blacks +9
Contrast +11
Clarity +9
Vibrance +14
Saturation +2

cgipson1 · Feb 20, 2012

Here is my take.. and I added some highlights to her eyes! Either a reflector or flash will do that nicely!

If you shot that same shot again.. and shot it vertical.. with the edges of the umbrella cut off.... it would be super cute! And it would really emphasize her eyes! Looks like she has pretty ones! Maybe a shirt in a contrasting color though.. so it doesn't blend!

TamiAz · Feb 20, 2012

I like your portraits but they are a little flat, hope you don't mind i edited one in camera raw just to show you

I'm not sure what you mean by flat...I like your edit!! I'm new to editing.

Bossy said:
#2 has a lot of useless empty space as well. And the skin tones are a touch green in the first one.

I'm learning that I like using negative space.

Bossy · Feb 20, 2012

Ok since y'all are playing...

katerolla · Feb 20, 2012

Flat-
A tad underexposed
Colours not very vibrant
Skin and clothing tones a little too close to the colour of the umbrella
Background and subject seem to run into each other
As mentioned adding a fill flash would have helped

cgipson1 · Feb 20, 2012

TamiAz said:
I like your portraits but they are a little flat, hope you don't mind i edited one in camera raw just to show you

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean by flat...I like your edit!! I'm new to editing.

Bossy said:

#2 has a lot of useless empty space as well. And the skin tones are a touch green in the first one.

Click to expand...

I'm learning that I like using negative space.

Flat means that there is no shadowplay giving depth and detail to the face... both sides of her face are exactly the same lighting. A reflector or OC flash for fill would correct this!

Your original skin tones are terrible! Very dull.. that is what shade will do if you don't modify it slightly.... it is like "Dead" light.... doesn't give "Life" to a photo unless used properly!

MTVision · Feb 20, 2012

katerolla said:
Flat-
A tad underexposed
Colours not very vibrant
Skin and clothing tones a little too close to the colour of the umbrella
Background and subject seem to run into each other
As mentioned adding a fill flash would have helped

Would it have helped to turn the subject a little so the light wasn't coming from the back? The background looks bright - so what I mean is too shoot into the shade but not have the subject in full sunlight if I'm making any sense.....