Sisters 2 for CC

[TylerF]

so today i managed to set up a mini shoot with 2 sisters that i am good friends with. if was really informal so they werent all dressed up or anything. We only got to shoot for about 15 min seeing as the sky was super dark and it was thundering. we got cut short by the rain. would appreciate CC on these 2. I really like #1 especially because i think i did a decent job making it look not like it was about to storm lol. might add it to my portfolio (is it worthy?). #2 i like for some reason even though its over-exposed.

 

[kundalini]

........ we got cut short by the rain.........

An opportunity missed, perhaps?

 

[TylerF]

But camera equipment saved lol

 

[Derrel]

Your highlight tones seem to be pretty badly overexposed in both these shots. Can you pull the exposure "back" in the RAW converter? I think also, both could use some cropping, to make the girls larger in the frame, and yo eliminate some of the unneeded background or foreground elements. Rain can really suck. If I am not mistaken New York has received the most spring rain it's had in the past 117 weather-keeping years, along with eight other states. I know it's "summer" now, but might not feel like it!

 

[TylerF]

Yeah new York has sucked lately haha. I don't shoot in raw (I know I know). But I dont have the means to edit raw images that I know of. I've done it once but it was a pita

 

[Trever1t]

it gets easy with practice

California has had it's double share of rain too, wow!

 

[Kerbouchard]

You guys need to send some of that rain down here to Texas.

As far as the first shot, I keep looking at it and waiting for them to roll off the screen. The lighting on their faces look good, but the calf of the girl on the left is distracting. The second is overexposed and not exactly a flattering pose for the brunette.

 

[RumDaddy]

Its raining here now. I have rescheduled two engagement sessions and two senior portrait sessions cuz of the rain. RAIN RAIN RAIN...

Those photos are absolutely fine for friends. The first one on the grass. I like how you bottomed out the lawn. But you could have gotten closer to capture a better or closer image of their faces. As well as had one set of ankles crossed in background and slightly out of focus so it isnt a distraction to their faces. As a matter of fact I would have done that and then got a close up one cropped right in their faces. Ask them to roll their heads a little closer together.

When you share photos here and ask for input. Youll get 80% constructive criticism. Your not asking if the experienced photographers like the images but rather what they think of them. It kind of turns into them telling you what you could have done better. Newbies usually leave the thread regretting sharing the images cuz all you did is get schooled.

 

[TylerF]

Thanks? Lol idk really what that was supposed to mean? I have been a poster here for quite a while and have grown tremendously as a photographer. I never take constructive criticism to heart as long as it's constructive

 

[RumDaddy]

Thanks? Lol idk really what that was supposed to mean? I have been a poster here for quite a while and have grown tremendously as a photographer. I never take constructive criticism to heart as long as it's constructive

Im sorry, I thought you were a newbie. Also. What I meant was youll get a lot more criticism then complements. LOL! But your right youve been a member here longer then me so your probably aware of it. The CC threads are usually a new comer or just someone who feels that they got some decent images. Good enough to share. Hoping to get a pat on the back somewhere along the way. But everytime I read one the CC threads its always you should have done this and or shouldnt have done that. It can be discouraging to someone who is new to pohotography and has a image their proud enough to share. But when they do it just gets beat up.

I try to bring attention to the good qualities of the image as well as offer some helpful advice.

 

[TylerF]

Lol it's cool. I usually post photos that I think aren't bad but i know every image I produce has something that could make it better. So yes, I enjoy compliments if I get them but I appreciate constructive criticism as well

 

[Derrel]

Well, if you are not shooting in RAW mode Tyler, then you need to be extra,extra critical on getting absolutely the "right" exposure, at the time you do the shots. There was a time, long ago, when RAW conversion software and personal computers were fairly weak (in the early 2000's, RAW conversion SW was quite crude) and shooting in JPEG was pretty common. The thing is usually this: when one shoots in JPEG mode, the degree of image contrast that the in-camera processing applies to the image becomes absolutely, totally CRITICAL in how the images looks. The biggest danger is in setting the Tone Curve, which is the degree of image contrast, to HIGH. Second, is cranking the saturation up high. If you do both, set the Tone Curve to "High", and set the color to say, "Vivid", anything that is at the upper end of the top curve (ie, the bright or highlight end) risks becoming over-saturated and or blown-out.

So, for example, on a really overcast day, with soft, diffused light, you could get away with using a fairly high or "hard" Tone Curve setting. But, on a sunny day with lots of shadows, and bright highlights, you run the risk of getting blow-outs on the brighter tones.

The more "consumer" Nikon models in the current generations offer in-camera development of RAW files....you know that right???? They allow you to SHOOT in RAW< and the to later, after the shoot, deelopp and re-develop the files into JPEGs, as many times as you wish, without the need for a computer...

The safest thing to do when shooting in JPEG is to shoot with the Tone Curve set to Normal, or Even to LOW, and to keep the saturation low, to low-ish, not high or vivid. Then, in post, bump the contrast on a fairly "flat" image UP, using curves, and a few other adjustments. AND, you must make sure that you do not over-expose the highlights, as was done on both of these shots.

 

[TylerF]

Thanks derrel. I didnt know about the in-camera raw processing thing. Care to explain more? I know the second one is very blown out. It was actually accidentally taken lol. The sisters liked that one the most haha. I see what u mean about the highlights though. I tend to not take the time needed to get everything perfect an rush myself. Seeing as I don't really know any set "formulas" I kinda just adjust as I shoot. I have been reading strobist lately thought and want to put some of that into practice.

 

[Derrel]

Thanks derrel. I didnt know about the in-camera raw processing thing. Care to explain more? I know the second one is very blown out. It was actually accidentally taken lol. The sisters liked that one the most haha. I see what u mean about the highlights though. I tend to not take the time needed to get everything perfect an rush myself. Seeing as I don't really know any set "formulas" I kinda just adjust as I shoot. I have been reading strobist lately thought and want to put some of that into practice.

Here's a review excerpt on the in-camera retouching options in the D7000: Nikon D7000 Review by IR

"The Nikon D7000 has an extensive Retouch menu, which is starting to rival what basic image editing software packages can do on a computer - so much so that some users may not feel the need to use a computer for Nikon D7000 image editing at all. Retouch options include adjusting D-Lighting, red-eye correction, image cropping (trim), converting to monochrome, applying one of seven filter effects (including Skylight and Warm filters), adjusting color balance, image overlay for combining two Raw images into one JPEG, NEF (Raw) processing, resizing to small images (for TV, Web or email), "Quick Retouch" (boosts saturation / contrast and applies D-Lighting for contrasty scenes), straighten (rotates images +/- five degrees in 0.25 degree increments), distortion (barrel / pincushion) correction, a fisheye effect, color outline, a pencil-like color sketch effect, perspective control (correcting diverging verticals / horizontals), miniature effect (graduated blur at top and bottom of the frame to emulate reduced depth of field), and basic movie editing."