Some portraits of a friend for c&c please!

[reznap]

Hung out with a friend today who doesn't mind being in front of the lens. She asked for me to take some pics of her hula hooping but we got some portraits and some fun shots as well.

I was messing around with off camera flashes, using two of them for a few of these.

#1
Main light is a flash bounced off umbrella camera right, maybe 30*
Accent light camera left is a bare flash

#2
Natural light

#3
Softbox camera left, up pretty high pointed down maybe 30* and turned 30*
Would have liked to have the moon in focus as well, but lack of gear wouldn't let me set it up that way - also we were starting to freeze to death.

#4
Natural light. Converted to black and white with green filter.

#5
Flash bounced off umbrella camera right
Accent light camera left (bare flash)
Square crop because there was a lot of space on the bottom and I think it works this way... let me know if you like/dislike the composition.

#6
Natural light. Also my favorite from the set.

 

[peanut170]

I dig em. Im a noob but they look good to me, i agree with what you have already stated, bout the moon, and i like the upside down capture for the hoola hop, adds somethinmg extra since since hoola hooping has quite a bit of movement. i also agree that the last is the best, think that looks great. I enjoyed checking these out.

 

[tirediron]

C&C per req:

1. Not sure about this one; I think you need to dial down your fill light and add a diffuser; the illumination on the ground looks rather odd to me and her pose seems awkward.

2. This is a great image! Whether by accident of design you've replicated a C135 processed Kodak image from the 70s. This looks like a page right out of a Sear's catalogue! My only thought here is that you could perhaps pull a little more detail around her right eye and hat, and her right hand appears at an odd angle.

3. A classic! I think I would have dialed the key down a stop or so and added a kicker behind to separate her from the black of the background.

4. I like this one as well. I think maybe a touch more contrast and perhaps a slight crop so that she's not quite so centered. What lens is that; that's some serious rolled condom bokeh!!!

5. Neat idea, but a little too much contrast I think. A pose which has me reaching for back-pain medicine!

6. Another great one; not sure if this or #2 is my favorite. My only though here is that I would like to see a little more space abover knees and less blurred foreground.

Some really nice and interesting work - looking forward to more!

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[RobNZ]

Nice work again reznap, love the idea of the moon shoot, shame as you say about the conditions and gear limitation to get it in focus.

Let me pick one that stands out for me.....yep 6 is the one I prefer the most

 

[reznap]

4. I like this one as well. I think maybe a touch more contrast and perhaps a slight crop so that she's not quite so centered. What lens is that; that's some serious rolled condom bokeh!!!

LOL. That's the good old 50mm f/1.8 which I almost always shoot wide open.

6. My only though here is that I would like to see a little more space abover knees and less blurred foreground.

I agree - I goofed the framing on this. The original has even more space on the bottom. I took a few others with better space up top but in those I have issues like, closed eyes, blurry focus, she moved her hand outside the frame.. etc..

Nice work again reznap, love the idea of the moon shoot, shame as you say about the conditions and gear limitation to get it in focus.

Thanks! I always enjoy your work so it's pretty sweet getting a compliment from you.


Really this was a super-casual shoot and I'm realizing that if I ever want to shoot people consistently and for pay, I'm going to have to learn how to direct them.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[Derrel]

The motion blur on #2, and the low camera angle--just SUPER!!!!!!!! I really liked #2. #4 has lovely out of focus background circles, and a very compelling B&W rendering. Shot #1 looks workmanlike. The last one's good too, but I do not like the processing overly much. Did I mention how much I liked the second shot?

 

[reznap]

Wow, thanks Derrel. I'm kinda stoked at the response that #2 is getting.

2. This is a great image! Whether by accident of design you've replicated a C135 processed Kodak image from the 70s.

Well, I did this by split-toning the RAW file. It's something I love to play with but it's easy to over-do it. I used a yellow/orange for the highlights, low saturation and a purple color for the shadows, low saturation. Then I moved the 'balance' slider until I liked what I saw.

 

[Nautifish]

I like them all Reznap i think they are really great.:thumbup:

 

[NCAFLeo88]

Did I mention how much I liked the second shot?

Totally agreed....Love everything about that shot...My definite fave out of the bunch....#6 would be it but same thing as everyone else....less bottom, more top! Great set!! The moon idea is awesome...I want to do that here in Charlotte with one of the buildings we have downtown.

 

[reznap]

Ok... here's another one like #6... less eye contact, but also less grass and less fake light bleed.

Like?

For me, the lack of eye contact RUINS it


I supposed I could 'transplant' her eyes with photoshop..

 

[RobNZ]

I do like, but I still prefer No.6, and I like it just as it is, pretty much bang on, great eye contact positioning/framing is good, I find it quite engaging.

 

[burgo]

From the technical side the exposures look pretty good. Some nice lighting and processed well. No 6 is the best one by far because I feel it is the only that made me feel a spark of emotion. It showed her personality.

My criticism is more about the model and how she is dressed and the posing. No 3 is a good example of what I don't like about your shots. Her facial expression is all wrong (that mouth wide open makes her look ugly) and that hat? Ouch! That is just my taste I guess.

Taking portraits not only involves getting the settings right on the camera or the post processing. You also need to know how to pose and get the best out of your model. But it is a great start. Sorry if my comments seemed strong.

 

[bazooka]

Sweet shots man. You've come a LONG ways since you joined this forum in my humble opinion.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Dude....theres something wrong with her ears!. :lmao: Just kidding.

Nice shots, not big on the hula hoop prop though. I like the last one with just a bit less foreground. I like the first version of it better although it could use a little contrast, I like the colorcast. Maybe I am just in a "partial to autumn shots" type of mood lately.

 

[Leilameat]

She needs to work on her faces. XD She looks kinda drunk in the one where she's holding the moon.