Amateur Portrait Shooting

[GadgetGod]

Hello all, this is my first post in this section of the forum and i hope i met all the criteria which comes with posting here. I DID read the rules and regulations of posting here.

I would like feedback on posture, composition, colour and really anything else anyone can comment on.
My main reason for composing the photograph this way was because I am not very creative and this i thought this way generally works well. Very minimal post processing is done.

I wanted to show fire through the eyes and the beauty of the human (female!) face.

This picture was taken in a park as i wanted a natural environment. Lighting was late afternoon sunlight which was highly directional and no strobes were used.

I think the picture's not bad (which is the reason why i posted it up) and the model's really cute! I think the lighting goes quite well with the mood too.



102mm, F4, 1/800s, ISO200, AWB, D80, 70-200 VR

[GadgetGod]

Full resolution picture can be found here.
http://picasaweb.google.com/d40album...13292744104706

[dennisc]

Composition looks too centered, makes the body look somehow awkward and hunched. Body and face different tones , hair weird, the photographer should neaten it up before shooting. If its the eyes you're aiming then you can aim for some catchlights by placing something metallic, angles, etc.

[andy65]

awkward shadow on her right side of her face need to use a reflector to act a fill light.

[GadgetGod]

forgot to emphasize that this was a very very casual shoot so i didn't have assistants, reflectors and anything else that required substantial planning with me. lol all it was really was the model, me and my camera. Appreciate the comments though! Anything else? Please ignore the hair, as i said there was very little preparation involved.

[calebk]

You cannot say "ignore this, ignore that". A picture is viewed as a whole, and likewise critiqued as a whole. A better approach would be taking all the advice and critique, then going out and making a better shot the next time round.

I personally think more space can be introduced on the right of frame, and less on the left (shadow) side. Also, without having the availability of a reflector, what about a flash to fill up the shadow a little?

[ahquan]

i hate to be technical but i thought if the model was compose to the left with more space to the right it be much nicer also her head should perhaps turn just 45 degrees instead of 90. other than that i thought you capture the eyes pretty well. the shadows can't be helped thats why i ask you move head 45 degrees. my first model shot was done MF 50mm with no reflector or assistant. I guess you dun get nervous calm down and you can think

maybe you see she cute that's why can't think anyway, overall its okay lah.. better than me kenna wack like mad by i cant remember who the first time i posted here :P

[lightning]

The pose didn't work well for me. Why did you cut the hand off at the point? Why force the model to turn her head so much? A tighter crop (with the lens) will work better and the bokeh will look better as well.

[JacePhoto]

Shadow on nose and too yellow, otherwise, not too bad.

I like the background blur.

[GadgetGod]

Thanks for all the comments. haha background blur is thanks to my beautiful lens really. I did have a flash with me, should have used it. Regarding the crop, where do you suggest i cut off the hand at?

[adiknaim]

either u could hv used the flash to fill in the shadows or instead turn the subject and use the nice natural light....

[kormmandos]

Good effort on the improvisation with the natural lighting.
Comparing with the other photo on your picasa (assuming the subject is the same person), the straight frontal angle might just be her best angle.

Your framing can either be tighter to get rid of distractions or wider to provide a more complete view of the subject (perhaps from full body or from waist up)

Some details that you missed out did not necessarily ruin the picture, but give a better context of the subject and perhaps you, the photographer as well.
Don't worry about missing out details. It is part of the learning process.
You will miss out some things at the beginning. But subsequently you will spot the details and correct and improve them, be it lighting, posing, framing, etc.

I look forward to see your pictures from your next photo outing.

[GadgetGod]

Originally Posted by kormmandos Good effort on the improvisation with the natural lighting. Comparing with the other photo on your picasa (assuming the subject is the same person), the straight frontal angle might just be her best angle. Your framing can either be tighter to get rid of distractions or wider to provide a more complete view of the subject (perhaps from full body or from waist up) Some details that you missed out did not necessarily ruin the picture, but give a better context of the subject and perhaps you, the photographer as well. Don't worry about missing out details. It is part of the learning process. You will miss out some things at the beginning. But subsequently you will spot the details and correct and improve them, be it lighting, posing, framing, etc. I look forward to see your pictures from your next photo outing.

Thanks for your comments especially! You are definitely one of the kinder ones around here! Yea this is really one of my first attempts as portrait shooting. If only i could post one more picture which i think is better but i can only post 1/wk in critique corner! I'll try my best to produce better quality shots next time!

[silvr]

Pose doesn't work for me. I feel she is turning her head too much.

Also it might be better to leave more "breathing space" in front of the model.

[calebk]

Originally Posted by GadgetGod Thanks for all the comments. haha background blur is thanks to my beautiful lens really. I did have a flash with me, should have used it. Regarding the crop, where do you suggest i cut off the hand at?

If you cut off, don't cut off at joints. Try to go above or below.

[amosfoo]

pardon me if i seem too direct and frank. if i offend; my apologies.

ive always like rembrandt, but the model's posture is a tad awkward to me. the head kinda looks superimposed onto the body somehow. the hair cant be ignored cause its really messy. you mentioned that the lighting goes well with the mood - so might i ask whats the mood that you're trying to evoke here? surely, it cant be of attraction and beauty? probably need to crop it tighter.. say near the shoulders? more post needs to be done to the colour and all.

do hope to be able to see more pictures from you though... we're all but learners still. cheers!

[nigel84]

Originally Posted by GadgetGod forgot to emphasize that this was a very very casual shoot so i didn't have assistants, reflectors and anything else that required substantial planning with me. lol all it was really was the model, me and my camera. Appreciate the comments though! Anything else? Please ignore the hair, as i said there was very little preparation involved.

Never say ignore in any circumstances you are in. Learn to work around with them or make them picture perfect. Since you only have, yourself, the model and your camera, you should have the element time on your side as well. Get your model to comb up her hair, position her face better, *(in this case getting away from the shadow cast). Find the best angle to compose the shoot. If you begin with ignoring this and that, you might end up not considering anything when you raise your camera and shoot. And that would truly qualify as a 'snapshot' instead of a pic with thought and planning process. You had also stated that you had a flash with you. If you have a flash, use it. Or rather try it, it will provide you with results that you might not think possible. Eg. it would to a certain extend cut away the shadow cast on your model.