[phlip]

Happy Resurrection Sunday Everybody!
These are a few shots from my first senior portrait client. Please be honest with your comments. I want to continue to get better. Of course my equipment is limited but any suggestions for improving my technique is appreciated. Thanks

[smarti77]

Phlip - She is a beautiful girl and you have done well to capture her great smile. I think you indoor images are a little underexposed. They would benefit from a bit of post processing to brighten them up.

For example:
This is mostly just an autocontrast adjustment in photoshop. I also smoothed the skin a litte (but some clients may be against this):
Original Edited


Let me know if I'm talking giberish, I dont know how familiar you are with post processing methods.
The lighting and contrast on your outdoor images is much better. I think the poses look good and experimentation such as the 'hair flip' (5th image) add interest.


Shane

[Irma]

Hi Phil,
Beautiful model with gorgeous green eyes...

With your out door pictures I find the light great. I like the idea taking the tree to frame your pictures, what I find distracting is the branch above her head.

With your studio photography I would recomment something like this.


Sorry to take your picture to show my idea.
You can always tell me to remove it, if you don't like it.

In all your pictures I find your composition very centered in the vertical. I would recomend to crop to place the eyes a bit more to the sides...

Too much of portrait photography is your personal approach, and what you want to express. It is still very diffucult to me to put aside my personal liking in a critique comment. However, I want to learn how to critique and give a useful comment. Your work is a great practice to me...
Thanks for sharing, Phil...

[Irma]

Shane I like your pp here.
I worked mine with curves, and gave me a cooler image that I reduced in oppacity taking part of the warmth of the original.
Like the smooth idea. I cleaned with the healing tool.

[Banded Drake]

I really like the outside shots , in the studio shots , you need some separation from the bg and the model . A background light would help, or even a reflector bouncing back to her hair . This is one thing that i had a hard time with . You might want to bring your subject a little further away from the bg too , maybe 4 feet or so , this will blur out the bg more .

All in all i think you did a good job , and the edits that Shane and Irma did will give you another idea too ..

...... Shawn

[NT73]

I like the idea of the tree, but the colour of the tree seems to be too near the young ladies hair colour.
Again PP could change that,
I like the 2nd of the hat shots most. (Smarti calls it the hair flip)
She just looks the most relaxed and not posed in that shot.
These are just my observations not criticisms.

[phlip]

Thanks to all of you who offered your comments.

Irma, your comments are always thoughtful as well as useful and I welcome any ideas you have.

Smarti, I agree that the shots are a bit underexposed and lifeless. After staring at over 40-50 images of the same stuff it is good to get someone else's perspective.

Thanks Everybody

[shuttertalk]

Hey Phlip, well done on getting such nice shots to begin with - the model, poses and expressions are all very beautiful and natural.

I like the work that Shane and Irma have done too - they have really brought out the colours...

[Paul.R.Lindqvist]

Nice shots, and what a lovely looking girl!

As other have mentioned the indoor shos are underexposed,and the outdoor shots are a little flat.

PP would definatly improve these images no doubt, but getting the exposure/lightning right the first time is far more practical.

As for composition i think you'v done a great job, but what really shines thru is the expression on the models face very relaxed and natural, wich means you did a GREAT job.

So for being your first client i'd say you did very WELL.

My personal favourite would be #2

As for the lightning do you have any strobes/speedlights available ?

/Paul L.

[phlip]

Thanks, Paul. My lighting consists of 2 Sigma 500 DG Supers, one on camera with omnibounce and a slave with softbox attachment, both bounced off the ceiling. In fact the slave flash is the one that broke off the top of my camera last year when I knocked over my tripod with the flash attached to my 20d. Now I strap it to an old video tripod with a necktie I never use anymore=D Anyway, I make do with a mickey mouse set up but I would love to learn more about lighting as well as collect some more equipment.