Two Noob Portraits: C&C Please!

[JackRabbit]

Also, add me as a contact on Flickr.

Flickr: jackstrutz's Photostream

 

[DReali]

As far as noob portraits go these aren't bad. Try to avoid cutting the tops of their heads off next time, that will give you the option to crop closer in pp if you like but most people don't like the whole lobotomy thing. #1 could use some contrast otherwise the focus and dof are good. I prefer number 2 (for some reason i really like landscape portraits) but I think you need more light on the eyes, fill-flash would have been useful here. His expression is excllent though!
On a side note.... It's a shame these teenageers/young adults are at that acne/braces stage of their lives.... but that can be taken care of with some pp
Heres a useful link if you want to learn some glamour type retouching: Christy Schuler I Retouching

 

[JackRabbit]

Thank you so much for the link. That will certainly be a useful tool in the future. I did some more retouching on both of them. So I'll keep up the originals for a while just so you can see before and after.

 

[JackRabbit]

If you are going to click on the thread, will you at least take a minute to leave at least one critique? I really am trying to improve and good critiques are so hard to come by.

 

[bazooka]

Awsome job on the touch up! I really like the the landscape shot, and the redo is even better. The portrait shot doesn't work for me. The composition is strange for me.

 

[JackRabbit]

Yeah I definitely agree. I don't much like the B&W one anymore either. What I thought was really cool on the display on the camera was the colors of his beanie because he was wearing was lime green and bright purple, plus I liked how smooth his skin looked. However, I strongly recommend the link that DReali posted. She really does a great job of explaining different retouching techniques

 

[DReali]

Good work on the retouching, very natural looking! Christy Schuler would be proud

 

[I'm new to photos]

yo i looked at ur flikr and obviously saw you ride bmx would you or any of your friends be interested in buying a bike i'm in desperate need of some moola

o and i like your photos but i think they're a tad to dark

 

[JackRabbit]

Good work on the retouching, very natural looking! Christy Schuler would be proud

Muchos gracias senor! I really appreciate that link. It has been extremely helpful.

And I don't really think that chopping off the top of the head is that big of a deal in this photo.. I think it really makes the eyes and facial expression pop. Like, I understand where people are coming from when they talk about not cropping too tight and avoiding cutting out body parts, but it was my understanding that the top of the head was a bit different. I have noticed in many professional examples where the top of the head was cropped out and the photo turned out much better because of it. Is this understanding incorrect. And of course, this would only be true under certain circumstances. I am not implying that every photo I take should chop heads off ahaha

 

[DReali]

You're right, as I said most people don't like it, I don't mind.... What I meant by that comment was you can always shoot wider and crop in pp, it leaves you more options.

 

[jackieclayton]

i like the second one... the BW is kinda bland but I think its a great shot! im gonna be the odd ball and say that I don't mind the crop in the first one... but I definitely agree with DReali in that shoot with a wider angle and crop in PP... that way a shot isn't ruined if the crop turns out to have a negative effect. Good job!

oh and you might hate me on this one, but maybe touch up the guys face in the first one... maybe not so much acne would flatter him more... i'm not a fan of completely eliminating flaws (its what makes us all interesting after all!) but just a tad of retouching his skin would be more pleasing on the eye

 

[stephenrapoport]

The retouch on the 1st shot is great, makes a real difference. It's often hard to get the flash right close up (bleaches) and outdoors (less to bounce light off!) so PP has worked well here

 

[jackieclayton]

ooops, sorry... didn't realize you already posted a PP touch up on the guys face... i wasn't paying attention... looks much better!:thumbup:

 

[mom2eight]

I like the retouch in no. 1 it looks better and it doesn't looked airbrushed.

 

[Jgolden]

I like these, God's softbox is always the best, nice work, i like the close crop