Senior Portraits

[Sharna]

This is Courtney, I shot her in 3 locations.

1. At her home on her stairwell.

F/7.1 | 1/100 | ISO 100 | @ 40mm


2. At the park.

F/5.6 | 1/1000 | ISO 200 | @ 50mm


3. On the Blvd.

F/5.6 | 1/320 | ISO 200 | @ 50mm


Comments and Critiques welcome and encouraged.

Thanks.

Sharna

 

[rexbobcat]

I really like the last one. The hair over the shoulder and the glistening eyes are very flattering for her.

In the second she seems too stiff and doll-like.

 

[cgipson1]

What focal length did you shoot these with?

 

[Sharna]

Hi Charlie,
I took the time to edit my post to add the specs. the last two were 5.6 and the first was 7.1 I hope this was helpful and answered your question.

Sharna

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

[tirediron]

I would have really liked #1 if (1) You'd diffused your flash more, and (2) more importantly, her hand had been lower and not blocking her face. #2 seems a bit 'bleah'; she's tilted, not looking at the camera, but #3 is a great shot, but why, why, WHY did you choose that background?????

 

[Karloz]

The last one is best - Lighting is fairly flat though

 

[Sharna]

Thank You both. I used the bg because it was my first senior portraits and wasn't sure what backgrounds to use. Thank you for your comments and critiques.
I fixed the bright spots on the railing how is this?

 

[tirediron]

Thank You both. I used the bg because it was my first senior portraits and wasn't sure what backgrounds to use. Thank you for your comments and critiques.
I fixed the bright spots on the railing how is this?

Much improved; not much can be done about the hand, but it's still a nice image.

For future shooting, for almost any type of shot, remember that the treatment of the background is often the most important difference between a picture and a photograph. Learn to "see" your backgrounds as the camera will, and look for (generally) even, homogenous backgrounds without large overly bright or dark areas and ones that don't have distracting or leading patterns. This one isn't a shot-killer, but it does take the image down a couple of notches from where it could have been IMO.

 

[fjrabon]

2&3 both seem tilted counter clockwise by about 2 minutes. tirediron pretty well summed up what I'd have to say about #1. I'd have warmed up 2 a tiny bit, as the sunlight seems to have fooled the AWB into thinking her skin should be a bit more blue than it is (based on the other pictures)

what was your lighting in the two outside shots? I'd have probably pumped the flash a bit more in 2 so that you could darken the background a bit more. also it would have toned down the hot spot on her right shoulder.

 

[Sharna]

Thank You both. I will in future watch the bg.

I used a Canon 430EX II With a Lumodi beauty dish with sock diffuser. I am pretty sure on all three. All off camera flash fired via Pocket Wizard Flex TT5's.

 

[fjrabon]

Thank You both. I will in future watch the bg.

I used a Canon 430EX II With a Lumodi beauty dish with sock diffuser. I am pretty sure on all three. All off camera flash fired via Pocket Wizard Flex TT5's.

are you using TTL style power management or setting your flash levels manually? I think they could have stood for turning the flash up some and using ISO 100 and perhaps stopping down a bit more.

Also, are the quoted focal lengths full frame or crop frame? I think a slightly longer focal length may have helped with a bit more pleasing compression.

 

[Sharna]

I manually set the flash because I just don't like TTL that much. I use a 7D so it's a cropped sensor. I don't know why I set it to ISO 200 lol. The 2 outdoor ones were done one day and the indoor one was done another. Thank you for your honest C&C. It's what helps me become a better photographer.

 

[The_Traveler]

My personal taste - I think the first (and the others) are a bit too bright
- the first is tilted and the shoulder, hand and bannister compete with her face for attention

 

[cgipson1]

I would have really liked #1 if (1) You'd diffused your flash more, and (2) more importantly, her hand had been lower and not blocking her face. #2 seems a bit 'bleah'; she's tilted, not looking at the camera, but #3 is a great shot, but why, why, WHY did you choose that background?????

^^^ THIS! #1 is my favorite.. except for that HAND!

 

[Designer]

Comments and Critiques welcome and encouraged.

#1 on-camera flash makes the light too flat The "background" is actually the foreground, and I don't like the ballister shot. Makes it look as if she's behind bars. Also, very seldom would it ever be considered a good idea to make the hands of a pretty girl take presidence over her face. Loose the bars, drop the hand, bounce the flash and this would be an entirely different shot.

#2 model leaning forward does nothing for her. Also the dress. Lighting is considerably better, but now the two types of background are fighting each other. Either choose a very large tree, or frame differently so as to lose the far background.

#3 pose and lighting are very good, but once again you have too many elements in the background (three this time). Also background elements are tilted.