[Irma]

This Lady asked me to take some pictures to use in her web site. I saw her site and all she has is beautiful wide angle landscape pictures. I thought that a portrait taken in a room with studio lights wouldn't fit in her pages. I proposed her to take her pictures in the lake. We got nice weather that day, but unfortunately I only could start taking pictures short before 8p.m.

My idea was to use the lake and landscape as background. Great that I had a beautiful reflection!! I think it worked fine.

Two things to show in my series: the way she gets more confident, and how important is for the people to have something to hold on, or something you rely on to feel more confident while taking pictures. I saw that when she wore the red shawl she became very confident, and to place her behind the bench made her feel great.... I don't know, this is how I see it...

I also left some room in my pictures thinking about text or leaving the final crop to her web designer. My only little concern here is if she looks a bit dark.

#1


#2


#3


Thanks...

[Zig]

Nice; thoughtfully done. The red shawl works well as a sort of "inner frame" of the subject, particularly as the complementary colour to green.
(I think we all should have a colour wheel to go on shoots with! )

[Irma]

I think that is a great idea Zig!!

I know some basic combinations but having a colour wheel would give a lot of ideas!!

Thanks for your advice and comment...

[NT73]

The first one I feel there is too much RGB possibly of the wrong shades. Also the lady appears to be in a sort of sulk. Fed up with life. There again possibly not.
The composition is good and the way she is sitting is good also. Just the strange look on her face.

The second is much better for the colour blends, and again she appears a little aloof.

The third one is the best for colour and also her face looks content. I would place her to the right as we look at the photo or reverse her position in the same place.
Her (actual) right arm makes a sort of triangle shape. which is pointing the wrong way.
The colours in the first one could be changed in PP.

All that is looking for faults. First glance says terrific.

Putting her behind the bench........ Reminds me of the first time I sung on stage with the band...crouched down behind an amplifier, kind of petrified.

[Pavel]

Irma, all these photos have something to recommend. Mostly I echo NT (undoubtedly to his shock and disbelieve). The first photo is nicely composed (I would clone in trees where there is a sliver of a sky). It would have been nice if she had some tools of the trade with her to give a sense she is taking a break from work. She has good relaxed body posture which is great, but the face looks tired and resigned, like after a hard day or hard life.

The second photo - The sky continues to bother me and I would clone in trees. The posture works, but it seems suitable more as a romantic pose for a young woman dreaming of her man. There is more spunk to this photo, but the eyes are still sad.

The third photo comes across as a photo of a decisive energetic woman who has a hard time staying still. There is a life, a spark in her eyes. Perhaps the best suited to communicate business-like professionalism, but I like the composition of the first photo better.

[Don Schaeffer]

I like the way you capured the character in her face. I'd love to see a closer crop.

[Irma]

Thanks all for your comments, I really appreciate the time and your thoughts on my work. There are indeed very interesting points that you made and I will consider many of them in my next shooting.

NT I have had hard time with skin tones... not my strong point in post processing but I will work on it. Also I have two different color temperature in the light. My main light source is the light coming from the blue sky, while she has also warm sunlight in her back as the sun was setting down.

It has been interesting to me that expressions that I saw as serious, they appear sad. Also something to consider.

Pavel, I know what you mean about the sky. and I left it like this to leave the final crop to the web designer. I have had the experience that I do my crop and the web designer wants to have the original because he/she wants to have a different crop. #2 is a picture she commented she would give to her partner. It looks romantic indeed... I am very happy that you think that having some tools of the trade would be nice, I have to admit that I thought about that but I didn't follow my idea... Pity...

Don, this is one of my close ups.



Thanks again to you all for your helpful comments ...

[NT73]

NT I have had hard time with skin tones... not my strong point in post processing but I will work on it. Also I have two different color temperature in the light. My main light source is the light coming from the blue sky, while she has also warm sunlight in her back as the sun was setting down.

It has been interesting to me that expressions that I saw as serious, they appear sad. Also something to consider.

When I talked of colour I was meaning what she was wearing. Your skin tones are fine by me. :/
As to her expressions I suppose we all see different things in a facial expression. e.g. A smile could be sarcasm, tears could be misread as laughter.
It was just as I saw it. No offence meant.
I would be pleased with any of your shots.
NT

[Irma]

I misunderstood your comment about colors thinking it was the skin! Sorry..

I didn't take offence by you comment, NT, at the contrary. I appreciate very much that you feel confident to tell what you see in my pictures.

You are right about the expressions. Maybe it is time for me to buy a book about portraits ...

Any suggestions?

[NT73]

There must be thousands of books on photography and I would imagine a lot of them are written by photographers of a (lesser standard ) than the customers they seek. I don't have many books on photography Irma, and I did not have courses. I believe that art has a different appeal to different people and to sell it, it has to appeal to the majority. Mine is for my own amusement mainly so if I like it then so be it. Composition, colour, rule of thirds and all, fly out of the window. I try to follow the guidelines but not the rules.
For skin, I read that the 'photographers of models' tend to soften the skin but not the features like eyes nostrils and lips.
But there are shots of old people with wrinkles and spots, that look beautiful in their own way. It is all subjective.
But as for books ??? I tend to google for photos for examples rather than techniques. Restrictive with money might come to mind or tight as a ducks.... ********* (moderated)

[Toad]

I quite like them all with #2 and the subsequent close-up being my favorites. It would help me to know a little about your subject and her website. What does she do and what image is she trying to project to her public?

[Irma]

Thanks for your comment Toad...

She is a psychologist and works as a psychotherapist. Her fields are mainly self-development, personality and creativity. Her business card says... "Just stop, breath out and be here" I think she wanted to project this. She also has some meditation groups.

We had her at home for dinner and she is very nice, very easy, very open. She has traveled very much, therefore, her conversation about other countries and what she has experienced make her a very interesting person.

[Toad]

Ok - thx Irma - that helps a lot. I believe that I still like the same selection as before. I like the pose and setting for #1 very much, but I feel her expression looks somewhat "defeated" given the messages that she is projecting. I would suggest re-shooting #1 with different expressions - maybe not a smile per se - but looking more interested, focused and confident. The expression in #2 would be better for this. I still like #2 and #4 the best - although I would suggest in subsequent shoots being cautious about how much your models tilt their heads. A tilt is good for straightening neck and facial lines - but it is easy to overdo it. #2 feels a bit too tilty to me - although still a very nice portrait.

[Irma]

Thanks Toad for your advice and following my post.

The picture #1 I didn't show it to her as I knew it was too serious, but this #5 was the one I proposed because to me it was really nice. I see that her left hand is a bit out of focus but I think she didn't take it for other reasons. From this picture I like very much how she is framed buy the bench and tree. The contrast of the rigid lines and her body makes her look gentle. The landscape looks more in the background which I think looks better. I really don't mind the sky, I know it is blown out but it was not possible to get it right without flash and I didn't want to use it.



Unfortunately, I can't re-shoot again. She leaves very far from here and she comes only now and then to visit my friends. There will be more shootings from this spot, as we all loved it! We think that in Autumn it will be the perfect place for pictures too, expecting that we would have the same reflection.

[Toad]

I think the final image is superior to #1 - expression-wise. Well done!