What the secret?

[Evertking]

I have been looking at professional portrait photographers web sites and trying to figure out how they get those rich, dreamy shots!!?? Is it light room? I bought a 85 mm 1.8 to use in stead of my nifty fifty and it does a awesome job! I'm still new to all this but I can't help but wonder what's the secret?

 

[tirediron]

Perhaps link (Please don't post images which aren't yours) to some examples of these "dreamy" images and post a couple of your own detailing where you feel they lack. Generally speaking however, it's a result of experience, skill, and basic technique: Proper exposure, lighting and focus, selecting the best aperture and posing the subject to advantage.

 

[Evertking]

Here is just one of mine.. I'm a noob but some of the pics I see are just awsome.. dreamy is not a good word. They just POP I guess..
I figured it is my skill level as I'm just learning and not even attempted manual mode yet. But I'm guessing that is why some lens cost sooo much is that they give the results I see. Or is my Canon 85 mm 1.8 capable of these images?

 

[Trever1t]

it's in the focus, the light and the depth of field. Your kid is a real cutie but you missed focus, you should've shot this in vertical (Portrait) mode.

 

[tirediron]

Just a few quick thoughts for future improvement:

1. Cute shot, great moment and lovely backlight. Faces are slightly under-exposed and white balance is off; older child is yellow, younger red. Watch the crop/framing as the you've cut the elbow off of the younger child.

2. Looks like some gaussian blur added in post. Highlights are a touch hot (but not bad), and would have preferred the hair not be cropped off. The background image left is very busy and distracting.

3. Soft due to missed focus and slightly under-exposed with a 'not quite' right white balance. As mentioned would have been stronger if shot in portrait orientation.

 

[Evertking]

I seem to have a lot of missed focus.. I don't know how or what I'm doing to miss focus. Any advice for me to get this right?
I really REALLY appreciate all the feedback learning all this seem overwhelming right now but I'm loving it!

 

[tirediron]

For portrait work, use single point AF and place the focus point on the nearest eye, and ensure that you use an aperture which will provide the necessary DoF for the subject.

 

[Trever1t]

what lens and what f-stop? Shoot a little more closed down. Use single point focus on the eye.

 

[DScience]

The best modern portrait work is done with a lot of speed lights, flashes, diffusers, hot boxes, strobes...etc. Plus Photoshop. Lightroom is for bulk work, not high-end portraiture.

 

[Evertking]

Those above were 50 mm f 2 and 2.5 I think.

 

[Trever1t]

The best modern portrait work is done with a lot of speed lights, flashes, diffusers, hot boxes, strobes...etc. Plus Photoshop. Lightroom is for bulk work, not high-end portraiture.

Uhm, I disagree. Of course photoshop is used by most all but certainly excellent images can come right from the camera. LR is fine for good basic edit. By the way I rarely use any lights or light mods. Very rarely.

 

[tirediron]

The best modern portrait work is done with a lot of speed lights, flashes, diffusers, hot boxes, strobes...etc. Plus Photoshop. Lightroom is for bulk work, not high-end portraiture.

Uhm, I disagree. Of course photoshop is used by most all but certainly excellent images can come right from the camera. LR is fine for good basic edit. By the way I rarely use any lights or light mods. Very rarely.

I think you'll find that most of those turning out the real top-end work are using BOTH Lighroom and Photoshop. Remember that in addition to it's raw "editing" capabilities, LR is an outstanding cataloguing application. As far as lights & modifiers go, a LOT of really, really good work is being done with one or even no lights at all.

 

[DScience]

hahah I said " the best " ! I find it funny you guys both put yourself in that category.

 

[tirediron]

hahah I said " the best " ! I find it funny you guys both put yourself in that category.

I don't think either of us said that we were the best, or even anything to indicate that we thought we were especially good. I will state however that I believe, both Trever and I are more knowledgeable and experienced in the field of portraiture than are you.

 

[smoke665]

The best modern portrait work is done with a lot of speed lights, flashes, diffusers, hot boxes, strobes...etc. Plus Photoshop. Lightroom is for bulk work, not high-end portraiture.

Uhm, I disagree. Of course photoshop is used by most all but certainly excellent images can come right from the camera. LR is fine for good basic edit. By the way I rarely use any lights or light mods. Very rarely.

I always enjoy your top notch work, but I think you've missed an important point - "Style". You've taken all the elements and put them in a unique package all your own. If you were to tell us every step you take I still couldn't match your particular work. However that said we each see things differently and I am trying to not worry about comparing what I do to someone else, but to study and learn from others that I may make an informed decision on how "I" think the image should appear.