Post Your Best Portrait Shots!

[Keith B]

<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]Keith,


<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]I really like the shots you share. I don't know if you were looking for any feedback so forgive me if you weren't but I felt compelled to comment on a couple things with this one.


<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]1) I think the ambient on-axis is a little strong overall and is shining too brightly in her ear.


<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]2) I like the comp, but her pose, though strong, proud and jaw/neck enhancing leaves me looking up into her nose. If she slightly cocked her her back toward you or if you were able to take the shot from a little higher up this could remedy the problem. Even #1 would help by taking the on-axis fill down a 1/2 to 1 full stop.


<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]These things are very picky but worth a mention.


<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]Love the background halo light. I wish I was home and could see the background color on My HP 2275. Looks like cinnamon.


<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]Nice work man..........[img]/emoticons/emotion-21.gif[/img]

Thanks Chuck


Feedback is always fine. I have been a food/product/editorial photographer for some time and I am now working on my portrait stylings so C&amp;C is welcome.


It's funny the 2 things you pointed out are the two things I have issue with image too. I have other shots from the sitting posed as you described, but my girlfriend has become very impatient with my photography and using her as a guinea pig so it is like photographing a child; I have a window of about 2 minutes before she in twitching and goose necking toward the t.v. I would have like to change the fill light but no way would she have waited for me to set up a light. I thought about fixing the ear in post but I got lazy. I'll post a different angle later.

What was your setup here Keith?


Gridded speedlite into background?
Softbox camera left and slightly behind subject?
Rayflash for fill?


Great job by the way :-)

Mark


You nailed it! And thanks.


Like I mentioned above I had limited time, I would have liked to have put a small shoot through choked way down behind her so I got better gradation of the hot spot. I actually had to push the shadow level in post, so on the original you kind of see banding again (not going to complain because it could have been avoided).


Other set up info: 5DmkII, 24-70, SB w/580EXII @1/4, Ray Flash w/580EXII @ 1/32, BG light 580EXII w/Honl 1/4 grid @ 1/64.


Manual setting, 1/125, f/4 ISO 100 @ 70mm.

[Sheiky]

Keith one more tiny detail. Try to get the entire head in the shot. I don't know if I'm the only one noticing, but I don't like cut of bodyparts in photos. I think if you showed the top of her head as well it would make the image stronger.


Except of course if you're trying to make a special composition where you deliberately cut of some limbs or other bodyparts.





At least that's what I am trying to work on lately. It happens to me all the time, because I'm focussing on other things during the shoots, but it is something to be beware of. Take the entire shot, not a bit of it [A]

[Keith B]

Keith one more tiny detail. Try to get the entire head in the shot. I don't know if I'm the only one noticing, but I don't like cut of bodyparts in photos. I think if you showed the top of her head as well it would make the image stronger.


Except of course if you're trying to make a special composition where you deliberately cut of some limbs or other bodyparts.

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Crop was intentional. I was trying different crops as I was clicking away. This shot just grabbed me.


I use to focus so much on getting everything in. This was a big thing shooting editorial stuff because designers always wanted plenty of room to crop in the layouts. I think sometimes if you get too much in the image loses impact. I think it is really about the purpose of the shot. Like on this shot, I have always loved her profile and cheek bones so I was really trying to draw focus to them in a "rip-off Dan Winters" sort of way (I missed but that is why this is practice). I feel too much or any space above and behind her would detracted from that. If I had more time I would have like to adjusted light to make her neck and clavicle more shadowy and use them to draw the eye more toward her jaw. Probably would have shadowed out her nose a bit too.
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[Jayson]

This is one of my little guy that I am very fond of. I have better, but for some reason really like this picture. C&amp;C welcome. XSi, 50mm 1.4 @ f2.0, 1/200 sec, iso 200.


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[Keith B]

Great shot Jayson!


Here is a altered version of my previous post and a slightly different angle. It is still shot from a little low. She is very petite person (4'11") and I was afraid of making her look tiny.


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[devsalvi]

That's an excellent shot Jayson. So much innocence in this picture.

[Sean Setters]

Keith-


I like the second one quite a bit better. She has a magnificant profile, and it shines in the second one. I always enjoy the shots you take of her...


And on a last note, 4'11"?? Wow...I never would have guessed. I think you do a good job of making her seem taller!

[Keith B]

Thanks Sean!


I'm a big fan of your work so that means a lot.


Ahlea is very petite. I have shots of her from the same sitting where she is wearing a sweater but it was making her look very small so I asked if she could just put on a robe and let drape off her shoulders. Her attitude dropped substantially after that. It was a little chilly and I think she wanted to watch Chuck.


With the sweater. I like the angle better. I think I got married to the idea the shoulder made in more interesting. I had the ring powered down a little more here too. Another instance where the LCD failed me. On screen it looked to dark.


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[HiFiGuy1]

Keith,


I don't know anything, but I think the last one with the sweater is the best. I think you did a great job capturing the contrast between the well-lit front of her face and the left side, and the gradient behind her is perfectly silhouetting her form, not bringing attention to itself, but not allowing the back oh her to fade formlessly into a shadow. Also, the color of the sweater is a great complement to the background and her natural skin and hair, which brings something to the palette that I feel was missing by comparison in the first shots.

[Keith B]

Thanks HiFi.


The sweater shot was actually the first shot I took. I guess I started getting in my own way. Appreciate everyones input. Thanks.