Portrait Shots - how can I improve?

[powers_brent]

Is there anything else that I can do to improve these shots? Besides upgrading the lens. That will come in due time. Thanks in advance for your C&C.





Canon Rebel XS, 50mm f/1.8 @2.8, 1/1600 sec., ISO 100


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Canon Rebel XS, 50mm f/1.8 @ 2.8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 100/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.26.45/IMG_5F00_1203.jpg

[Tim]

I'm not much of a portrait photographer, but the second one could improve with an increased depth of field, at least to get both the eyes in focus. maybe shooting at f4 would have worked better, and at f4 that lens very sharp, at 2.8 its just fairly sharp. the lighting and composition seems good to me though.

[Dallasphotog]

There's lots of things you can manipulate in these images. You may want to move out of the direct sunlight to reduce the harshness of the light and then add fill flash to clean up the areas around the eyes. Then you might consider what ends up in your backgrounds; maybe some rocks or a wall or a group of distant trees would add some color and tension....and don't forget all the wonderful adjustmentsvailable in PS. A dodge here, a burn there, a little saturation and you have a whole new image.


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Canon XTi, EF24-70mm F/2.8L USM, Av, F/2.8, ISO-100, 1/125


My parameters aren't much different than where you were shooting, but I obviously had a LOT less direct light.

[BCalkins]

Another way to go in direct light is to put a diffuser in between the sun and your subject, or use it as a reflector to fill in the shadows...

[Daniel Browning]

Blown highlights, especially in that first shot. I suggest backing off on exposure (ETTR) and a tone curve with more highlight headroom.

[powers_brent]

Ok so I got lost with your comment, mainly because I am still a noob at this. How do I back off on exposure (ETTR)? And a tone curve, are you talking the histogram on Live View? I may know what you are talking about but I do not know the technical terms for it. So can you please explain again? Thanks!

[Vlad Xp]

The main issue that I see with both images is the quality of light that your subjects are captured in. It's bright, and harsh. I would try to place your subjects with their back to the sun, and use a reflector to direct a softer and defused light back in their faces. A remote-triggered flash placed off axis can also help (a lot actually). The sun can be a great light source, but at the right time of a day. In your pictures, the light's transition from the brightest part (cheeks, nose, etc) to the darker areas (shadows under the nose, eyes) is too abrupt. If you choose to shoot during the brightest time of the day, find a shade and put your subjects there. Go out 1 hour before the sunset and start shooting till you run out of light. You'll see how the softer the sunlight gets; the better your subjects will look.

Dallasphotog’s example shows excellent use of light (and a good lens). Here’s an example of what a direct sun combined with a reflector can do for you:


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Canon EOS 40D with an EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS at 78mm. Av mode, ISO 100, 1/500th sec, f/2.8

[Dumien]

I think he was referring to the curves you see in, for example DPP, under the RGB folder. You can adjust those Reds Greens and Blues singularly or you can do it all together. The difference is that, when you do it singurarly, for say green, you will see the whole picture get a lot more or less -it depends on how you modify it- green and you will have to change che blues and reds too, in order to get the balance you want. If you change them all together RGB, you change the overall brightness and contrast of the image. Also, if you shoot RAW, under the RAW folder in DPP you will see a little historgram alike the one you had in your Live View, and you can modify it in order to get a better exposed picture.


On the "how" topic, I sugget you just trial&error...I think it's the best way to learn by yourself =)


hope this helps,


andy

[Daniel Browning]

Let me try to explain in a little more detail.






Blown highlights, especially in that first shot.





This means the bright parts of the image lack detail.






I suggest backing off on exposure





This means to use a faster shutter speed (e.g. 1/1000 instead of 1/500) or something else that will reduce the amount of light falling on the sensor.






(ETTR)





ETTR means "Expose To The Right". You can google for more information about this technique, but here's the brief version: Keep increasing exposure until the highlights you care about (brightest parts) are almost, but not quite, clipped. In the first image, the highlights on the face are already clipped, so ETTR would mean reducing exposure. This would result in more noise, but since the image already has such little noise, I think the noise would be preferable to the blown highlights. Shooting in direct sunlight can be difficult in that way, but if your print sizes are small, the noise will not be an issue.






and a tone curve with more highlight headroom.
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The default tone curve in the camera allows for around ~3 stops of highlight headroom in the green channel. If you reduce exposure without changing the tone curve, it will just make the picture looks too dark. A tone curve with more highlight headroom is one that compresses the highlights. For example, HTP (Highlight Tone Priority) does this through the ISO setting.

[I chase light]

Great suggestions, all.


One I will add is the oft-repeated ideaof "catch light." Catch light is simply reflected light in the eyes.


Note that in the other portraits posted, you cann see reflected light in the eyes. It seems to make the subjects come to life or "sparkle."