Wife pics,... some not work safe

[flipmachine]

Like I mentioned in my other thread I am new to photography, but I have just fell in love with it, been about 5 months, I just wanted to share some of my photo's, I personally think they are pretty good, but thats just me, any tips or idea's of where I can improve more then welcome... or just to tell me to try something else

 

[Dominantly]

Welcome.
In my opinion they are way too soft. I think you maybe took the skin enhancements a bit too far for my taste, giving them a sort of fake look. For creating smooth, model skin, check this video out
Christy Schuler I Retouching

 

[flipmachine]

Thanks!

 

[NateWagner]

First of all, if you number your pictures it is much easier to provide c&c

that being said, I agree with the above...

1. is cute, but would be better without the busy background (and of course without the extreme skin softening)

2. not a huge fan of the tilt mostly because I don't know what it is supposed to be conveying to me. Also, I don't really like having the tip of the other picture frame in the image. My other nit is the shadow right behind her, and the fact that her face looks a little hot/blown.

3. Not bad, but not really good either. For a shot like this the eyes have to be sharp. They might be in the original picture, but the smoothing kills whatever sharpness you had. Also, the shadow from the on camera flash is a bid distracting.

4. Not bad, a couple of thoughts though.
1. I would crop out her hand at the bottom of the image. Having just a little nub showing coming from nowhere tends to look a little odd.
2. I might play with having a different background. Perhaps a solid black sheet or something. It looks like your bedroom, which is ok, you can do these shoots in your bedroom, but typically you want to take the look that it's just in your bedroom out of the shots (meaning, if you set it up so that it looks planned then great, but if it looks like it was just there then that's not so good.)
3. again I would focus on the eyes. If those are sharp the whole image would improve.
4. for nude or implied shoots, one of the biggest things to work on is lighting. Each of these appear to be one on camera flash right at the person. I would experiment greatly with lighting. You never know what you will come up with, and I would say that would be the next thing to greatly improve these shots.

Overall, these really aren't that bad at all. The main thing I would suggest is merely that you back off on the softening.

YMMV

 

[Pugs]

I would watch your background, especially things directly behind your subject's head. In 2, 3, & 4 the lighting is harsh and straight on. It's the on camera flash so unless you have other lighting equipment, you can try improvising with available light (like using a window with light spilling through as a softbox, get a large sheet of foamboard to be a reflector, etc...

I also agree with the skin-softening being overdone. With your posing, try to pay attention to lines and shapes and curves and symmetry/asymmetry.

For an early effort at this type of portraiture, you're off to a good start! Just keep experimenting and reading and learning!

 

[keith foster]

Awesome to get your wife to let you practice your craft, she is a very lovely lady.

Good shots to get started.

I agree with everyone above, make sure her eyes are in focus and hang something up for a background so you can control it.

Also get an external flash so you can soften the light and shadows.

 

[Brian L]

Great shots! I happen to like them soft just the way they are. I like the feel. Keep it up. I like your style!

 

[flipmachine]

Thanks again... yes lighting is something I have to study and play with..thanks again.

 

[IgsEMT]

I'm with above - Would also recomend additional light source to fill in the shadows just a bit to see the eyes and not black dots.

 

[flipmachine]

A question, do you feel like they are more.. not sure the word I am looking for ... or just snap shots, I am trying to get away from just snap shots. Also, using a nikon d90 and 18-105 vr lens. But I just ordered a 50mm 1.8d, from what I have been reading, its a great lens.

 

[IgsEMT]

A question, do you feel like they are more.. not sure the word I am looking for ... or just snap shots, I am trying to get away from just snap shots. Also, using a nikon d90 and 18-105 vr lens. But I just ordered a 50mm 1.8d, from what I have been reading, its a great lens.

For me, photography is first and foremost about lighting. If my lighting is nice, my image will be nice. The most common theme I see over the last 2-3 yrs is "I need a faster lens to improve my image quality".
Nifty 50 is a great lens, but for me, it'll be $100 waste b/c I'm limited in zoom & I don't shoot wide open (no need for it).

Best advise, is learn lighting - what it is, how is it done, etc etc.
For Decent, classical approach, I think this site is pretty good Portrait Lighting. Good lighting isn't about taking 6 strobes and blowing out your subject, it's about having light emphasizing subject's features (using 1 or 6 lights ). Learn it and your images will not be snapshots anymore.

 

[flipmachine]

That is a pretty kewl site.

 

[IgsEMT]

also look into David Ziser's blog Digital ProTalk he often has lighting tutorials. Joe McNally's blog is another source of lighting setup Joe McNally's Blog he actually shows diagrams of his setup.
good luck

 

[keith foster]

I totally agree with IgsEMT, lighting is the answer.
Good links by the way IgsEMT. Thanks.

 

[flipmachine]

I think one of the best piece's of advice that I took to heart other then the light, is make sure the eyes are in focus, it makes alot of sence.