Quick Portrait C&C

[Destin]

I was babysitting my niece today, and it was a beautiful 50 degree overcast day outside, so I dragged her out and made her pose for the camera. I think they turned out alright considering I was dealing with an un-cooperative 8 year old on a windy day (hence the hair all over the place.) I'd love some C&C though, maybe I have my "uncle goggles" on.

1.) Bare sb-600, camera left.

2.) bare sb-600 camera left.

3.) SB-600 in softbox, eye level, camera left.

I know what my nit-picks with them are, but I want to see if yours are the same so I'm not saying just yet. I'd love some detailed C&C. Tear them to shreds, don't hold back because she's my niece!

 

[shootermcgavin]

I think the flash screwed them up, the shadows are too strong. The one in the soft box is the best, but I'd bet you would have been just fine with no flash at all. IMO she's too young and alive to have that dark background, I'd rather it seem sunny and green. What was the best you could get with lighting available?

 

[Destin]

I think the flash screwed them up, the shadows are too strong. The one in the soft box is the best, but I'd bet you would have been just fine with no flash at all. IMO she's too young and alive to have that dark background, I'd rather it seem sunny and green. What was the best you could get with lighting available?

Im simply not a big fan of natural light portraits. I like my photos to have more contrast and pop to them. It's personal taste I guess. I could have backed the flash off somewhat and brought up the ambient easily, but it wasnt the look I was going for.

Edit: I'm not a big fan of MOST natural light portraits. There are obviously exceptions to that, but it's very rare that a natural light portrait impresses me.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

C&C as requested: My personal opinion...

She looks uncomfortable in them... Her smile isn't as natural as I'd like to see. I like the composition of #2 the best... except for the plant thing over her shoulder...

 

[shootermcgavin]

I think the flash screwed them up, the shadows are too strong. The one in the soft box is the best, but I'd bet you would have been just fine with no flash at all. IMO she's too young and alive to have that dark background, I'd rather it seem sunny and green. What was the best you could get with lighting available?

Im simply not a big fan of natural light portraits. I like my photos to have more contrast and pop to them. It's personal taste I guess. I could have backed the flash off somewhat and brought up the ambient easily, but it wasnt the look I was going for.

Edit: I'm not a big fan of MOST natural light portraits. There are obviously exceptions to that, but it's very rare that a natural light portrait impresses me.

Understandable, I would then have a reflector or something to stop the hard shadows from her arms. The 1st one really kind of kills the image for me. I would try and do less posing and more natural shots, I kind of like 2 though it doesn't really look natural but it has a kind of young girl attitude.

 

[Destin]

Haha she's at that awkward stage where everything she does looks un-natural. I agree with the reflector, but I had nobody to hold it. Like I said she was being un-cooperative, and every time I tried to get her to do something she did the total opposite. I think I would have had better luck if she wasn't my niece lol

 

[o hey tyler]

Like others have said, I would have exposed for more ambient to close the gap in from the harsh shadows. They're just kinda dark overall, including the flash exposure.

 

[Derrel]

She has that bad fake smile that so,so many people learn as a child. Please parents, do not tell your small child to "smile" or "Smile big" or "smile pretty", or they will likely learn how to put on the same fake smile their entire lives, in each and every photo they are in. (I've seen this before,many times.)

The images look too dark to me; you said it was a nice, 50 degree day, which in late November would have decent light. The light was kind of nice here today as well. But these look like they were shot like a half an hour to 45 minutes before sundown...not a good "look". Something lighter, and brighter, would be more appropriate to a 'tween girl. Can you lighten up the images??

In the second shot, that pole to the immediate left of her face is just killing what is left of the shot after that weird pose basically mortally wounded the picture...

 

[slc33]

I was babysitting my niece today, and it was a beautiful 50 degree overcast day outside, so I dragged her out and made her pose for the camera. I think they turned out alright considering I was dealing with an un-cooperative 8 year old on a windy day (hence the hair all over the place.) I'd love some C&C though, maybe I have my "uncle goggles" on.

1.) Bare sb-600, camera left.

2.) bare sb-600 camera left.

3.) SB-600 in softbox, eye level, camera left.

I know what my nit-picks with them are, but I want to see if yours are the same so I'm not saying just yet. I'd love some detailed C&C. Tear them to shreds, don't hold back because she's my niece!

I think they look great! What were these shot with?

 

[Destin]

I think they look great! What were these shot with?

A Nikon d80/70-200 2.8. But ANY dslr could have taken these and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.