Please critique

[Jayson]

I am not very skilled in the art of portrait photography when it comes to a theme (or just portraits for that matter). I was attempting to make this photo be someone who is capable of writing horror stories, yet keep them as someone you could relate to. I have some things that were bugging me about this photo, but wanted to see what others had to say. I was going to keep this photo up for a little while then take it down since the subject, if she saw it, might not like me anymore.



Lighting what a 430exII on the floor under a white difusion reflector at about 5:30. There is a 580exII in a shoot through umbrella at about 12:30. A poor attempt at Clam Lighting I know. Touchup was in lightroom 4 and then CS5. Color action was a split tone preset 1 from lightroom 4.

[Jayson]

Here is another. Please critique. Be as harsh as needed, I need to learn.



Lighting was a 28x28 softbox with a 430exII triggered by 580exII on camera(no fire) position at left almost right beside the subject at about 10:00 with a reflector on the right side of her. I had a vivitar flash dialed down very low shooting through a shoot through umbrella (43in) about 1:00 behind and beside the backdrop for a hair light. I was trying to feather the light as much as possible from the softbox. Processing again in Lightroom 4 with CS5 and the split tone preset 1 from LR4.

[Kombi]

... I was attempting to make this photo be someone who is capable of writing horror stories, yet keep them as someone you could relate to. ...

with the theme in mind, for me i think the skin tones are to soft in the first post- combined with the smile - image doesn't say horror novelist.

second post I think that captures theme better.

after looking more at first picture something else bothers me.. the large black space over her shoulder.


--- In my mind if shot was taken further back, and you cold see her arms and perhaps she was holding a chef's knife just in frame.. then smile and soft skin tones would work

[Steve U]

G'day Jayson, I like the two portraits and the selctive DOF and focus on the eyes. As for a horror fiction author, rather than the cool blue tones maybe a warm red would make it more menacing.
Your friend the writer looks very much like Tara Moss an Canadian/Aussie, Crime/Horror writer who was also a very successful model, your friend ticks similar boxes.

[Jayson]

Thanks Kombi and Steve for your critiques! I chose the processing color because it was more of a darker color that I thought worked. The first picture was cropped that way. I don't have a whole lot of room in the area we photographed in and I used the 85mm on a 7D, so the headshot is all I had for that one. Second photo I used the 50mm. The first picture we had a couple that worked, but that one seemed to portray her personality a little more. She was wearing very red clothing and lipstick. I didn't think it worked in the photo, but here is another of the second shot with the split tone, but with more of the colors she was wearing. I also didn't soften this as much as the others and added some grain.

[Jayson]

Steve, I am sure my subject would be flattered by you saying she resembled Tara Moss. I will have to let her know. She is very shy and doesn't really like her picture taken all that often.

[ahab1372]

I would not go for the super soft light and skin tones. She looks beautiful and I think does not need flattering. With the horror story background, I think the picture should be crisp and a bit more edgy - but that is maybe just my personal preference. Look at some of Sean's portraits, I like the clear and crisp lines, no softness there. Have them pop against the dark background. For a mysterious glow (if that is desired), add that around the hair, not in the face itself. Or keep part of the face in the dark? I cannot give much advise on how to achieve that, though (is Sean around?). Some light needs to come from the back I guess.
Have you thought about some accessoires that can add to the expression you want to achieve (earrings etc.)?
I do like the black background for sure.

Take this more as a viewer's that a photographer's opinion, my track record in photography is very short
Hope this still helps :-)

Arnt

[ahab1372]

--- In my mind if shot was taken further back, and you cold see her arms and perhaps she was holding a chef's knife just in frame.. then smile and soft skin tones would work

Or a skull, snake, lizard, witchcraft book, blood stained shirt (too much? I don't know what kind of horror stories you have in mind). The accessoires could go in the same direction