The difference a year makes....

[cherylynne1]

So, a little over a year ago, I posted some shots from this photo shoot and asked for feedback:

DSC07245 by cherylynne1, on Flickr

I was basically told that I needed a lot of work, particularly on understanding the fundamentals of light. My first reaction was that you all were crazy! I mean, come on, I was better than half the Facebook photographers out there, why are you all being so mean to me??

But I listened, practiced, read books, and submitted more for critique. Then, about a year later, the same family asked me to photograph them again. So here's the same little girl:

DSC06819 by cherylynne1, on Flickr

As it turns out, you guys were right. Of course, I still need a lot of work, but I can see a huge difference in my photography and especially in my consistency in getting good shots. Can't wait to see what the next year of practicing and critiquing brings! Thank you all for your advice and guidance. And as always, comments and critique are welcome.

 

[SquarePeg]

Great exposure and DOF on that new shot. Beautiful skin tones and WB. Really nice shot. I might crop a bit more off the bottom to make it more her and less blouse but that is just my own preference - portrait photography is definitely not my area.

 

[SCraig]

There are those who listen, learn, and improve and then there are the others. You did all the work, you made the improvements. Don't forget to pat yourself on the back.

Well done.

 

[cherylynne1]

Thank you both! I think you're right, SquarePeg, about the crop. The dress was made by her mother, so I was trying to feature it in a lot of the photos, but there are others that focus more on the dress. This one might work better as a more traditional head shot.

Thank you for the kind words, SCraig!

 

[tirediron]

Well done!

 

[Rhee Williams]

So, a little over a year ago, I posted some shots from this photo shoot and asked for feedback:

DSC07245 by cherylynne1, on Flickr

I was basically told that I needed a lot of work, particularly on understanding the fundamentals of light. My first reaction was that you all were crazy! I mean, come on, I was better than half the Facebook photographers out there, why are you all being so mean to me??

But I listened, practiced, read books, and submitted more for critique. Then, about a year later, the same family asked me to photograph them again. So here's the same little girl:

DSC06819 by cherylynne1, on Flickr

As it turns out, you guys were right. Of course, I still need a lot of work, but I can see a huge difference in my photography and especially in my consistency in getting good shots. Can't wait to see what the next year of practicing and critiquing brings! Thank you all for your advice and guidance. And as always, comments and critique are welcome.

Great awesome job and such an inspiration! I'm new on this site and to forums and just ready to fuel my love for photography.

I'm here looking for feedback and advice on my photos. Your thread was recommended to me, and definitely has motivated me to keep shooting.

Thank you so much for sharing. [emoji173]️[emoji4]


Sent from my iPhone using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app

 

[cherylynne1]

Thank you, tirediron! You've spent so much time with me, and your advice is invaluable.

Welcome, Rhee! We're happy to have you! Thank you, and hopefully you'll have your own post like this next year!

 

[FITBMX]

They are both very nice, but I really love that second one! Great work!

 

[Derrel]

Wow, what a great photo, and a fine post as well. I really like your shot!

 

[cherylynne1]

Thank you Fitbmx!
And thank you Darrel! I can't even calculate how much time you've spent helping me, both in public posts and through PM. You're always so helpful and insightful, thank you so much!

 

[bumkicho]

I am here for the same reason that you are here for! Trying to get better! Hopefully a year later, I could say the same thing as you did.

 

[DanOstergren]

There's definitely some big improvements, but I think the lighting is actually quite nice in the first one and you aren't giving yourself enough credit for it; just the surroundings that are distracting. It's great to get advice and help from others, but don't forget to listen to yourself as well and stay true to what you like too, otherwise you might end up with a very sterile look that's technically good but looks like everyone else's work.

 

[cherylynne1]

Thank you, bumkicho! Can't wait to see your post a year from now!

(Holy smokes, it's DanOstergren. Quick, be cool, don't let him know how much of a fan girl you are--) SQUEEEEEEE YOU'RE SO AMAZING I LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO!! (Crap.)

Haha, but really, thank you! That first photoshoot wasn't as bad as it could have been, some shots were better than others. I had the beginning of an understanding of what the light on a person's face should look like, it just needed some refining. And backgrounds...ugh. Backgrounds continue to be my Achilles' heel.

Thank you for your kind words. I try to remember that when I put things up for critique...certain aspects are subjective, and as long as they agree that I achieved what I wanted, then I did well. But if there's a consensus that what I wanted was bad, then I also feel like I need to listen to that, too. However, when people start bickering over whether something is brilliant or ridiculous, then I figure that's just art.

 

[pgriz]

Much better use of DOF, good isolation of your subject, allowing us to focus on her eyes... The light's a bit flat, and you can probably get even better results if you allow some shadow to give depth and contour. We photographers go on and on about the light, but we tend to forget the "yang" of the light - the use of shadow. Dan (who you know) is very good at using shadow to delineate, emphasize, fill in.

 

[cherylynne1]

Thank you, pgriz! I agree. I've spent a lot of time learning to control light in order to get very soft, even lighting, because soft, even light is easy and flattering. But it's also not very interesting. So shadows are definitely something I want to pay more attention to in the future.