Spanish teacher

[davholla14 1]

This is a photo for my wife who is teaching Spanish and despite not liking it has to have a photo on the web.
Any advice? I think I could have chosen a better pose.

EF7A1941Spanishteacher by davholla2002, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

If all you need is a generic shot for a "This is <name> page" then the pose is fine, and the lighting adequate, but the background is very distracting and I would suggest going for a portrait (vertical) aspect. Try and choose a plain, featureless wall, or bland outdoor scene and use an aperture sufficiently large to ensure unfocused backgrounds (but small enough to keep all of her in sharp focus).

 

[Designer]

Why doesn't she like it? If you want to try again,

1. find a better background (move her away from the window frame)
2. turn your camera to "portrait" orientation (crop from just below her bustline to a few inches above her head)
3. bounce your flash from one side (for better modeling light)
4. watch for and correct wisps of hair over her eye (the models don't always think about that)

 

[davholla14 1]

Thank you both, by the way she thinks it is fine but she is quite undemanding with photos.
As we live in a small house finding a background can be a problem but I will try outdoor in the park or something. (Any suggestions on how to do this outside let me know).

 

[Designer]

If your background (foliage at the edge of the property) will probably blur nicely if it is around 30 feet or more behind her.

 

[Donde]

Actually if you could clone out the white window frame and what's in the upper right hand corner it would be pretty acceptable. But I agree instead of all that better to take another photo. Speaking as a rank amateur I would set the camera to manual, set the aperture to 2.8 or so, the shutter speed to 1/250 or so then fiddle with the iso until you get an exposure you like. Hopefully the pros will chime in with their corrections.

 

[The_Traveler]

A little less bright, warmer and cropped

 

[The_Traveler]

This is something I just noticed.
When the exposure is high, the differences in lighting on the face don't show.
On a light skinned person, blanched areas aren't as obvious in the general too-lightedness.
On a darker skin person, the difference in tone is more visible when the light is brought down.
Note here that the subject's eyes and forehead is darker than the cheeks ; if anything, you want the eyes and upper face to be brighter so that the viewer looks at the eyes ratehr than the mouth.

L

 

[davholla14 1]

Interesting points, I think this "On a darker skin person, the difference in tone is more visible when the light is brought down." is why when people improve photos of people who are non Caucasian they end up making them look lighter skinned. Not because they think white is more beautiful but it is a way to cover up blemishes.