Tried "natural light" portrait. C&C

[DisasterDan]

Today i shot with a few friends at this spot i've been wanting to try. It was 103 outside, horrible but we managed. Anywho since it was so hot i didnt want to get out my alienbees and slave flashes so i decided to go all natural. One of my friends had been doing it alot lately, but ive found out that having a 50L really helps haha. So this was my best shot of the day IMO. Let me know what Y'all think

Tear it up!

Aleena by Daniel Palmerton, on Flickr

 

[tevo]

It feels a bit dusty, almost like the color of the grass is reflecting onto the subject. Maybe add a little contrast? There isnt really a pitch dark spot to contrast with the blown portions of the sky, feels gray to me.

 

[jmtonkin]

I'm not too thrilled with her being centered in the photo; there is a lot of excess space. I'm also not too thrilled with the pose, primarily the arm on her head thing. This is my personal preference. Her face looks a tad underexposed but that could just be my monitor. Maybe use a reflector next time to lighten up her face next time.

 

[redessa]

I was also thinking her face looks underexposed and her arm position seems really awkward.

Good for you getting out trying something new though!

 

[tevo]

I was also thinking her face looks underexposed and her arm position seems really awkward.

Good for you getting out trying something new though!

On second thought, this. Maybe thats why it looks hazy to me >_>

 

[DisasterDan]

I was also thinking her face looks underexposed and her arm position seems really awkward.

Good for you getting out trying something new though!

On second thought, this. Maybe thats why it looks hazy to me >_>

Should of brought out the bees haha :er:

 

[kkamin]

It's a great start and I think you can improve the image greatly in post!
I think her skin tone is really close to the golden grass color and should be lightened to create a contrast; right now her skin tone is blending too much with the background for my taste. I agree with cropping the composition differently to bring her out of the center for this photo. And next time her hand should be treated different--it looks like a big mass when photographed straight on. Typically people try to photograph hands from the side or treat it in a way to make it more elegant and expressive.

I don't think you needed to bring out strobes in bright daylight for this image. But a reflector aimed at her face would have helped.

It's a nice photo, tho. Good job.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Dan, when you go all natural, you need to change the way you position them. What you want is back lit (like the way you have it or more of an angle) but find more densed background like dense trees, building, big hill etc. Does that make sense? If you do that then you can raise the exposure more so the subject is well lit and the background won't be too bright. Or have someone hold a reflector. Also if the sun is low, just go ahead and face the subject toward the sun, you shouldn't have racoon eyes.

 

[SabrinaO]

Some PP would help. I like the warm tone of this photo though so i left it warm.

 

[shootermcgavin]

I don't like the sun catching her in her right side and also think she's too in the center with a bunch of empty space around her.

 

[DisasterDan]

Dan, when you go all natural, you need to change the way you position them. What you want is back lit (like the way you have it or more of an angle) but find more densed background like dense trees, building, big hill etc. Does that make sense? If you do that then you can raise the exposure more so the subject is well lit and the background won't be too bright. Or have someone hold a reflector. Also if the sun is low, just go ahead and face the subject toward the sun, you shouldn't have racoon eyes.

Made perfect sense! Thanks for explaining it, I just need to go give it another try.