I just can't seem to get this portrait thing right. How do you guys think these look.
If they suck,,,,,,,,,,,tell me.




http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/treetabbyMedium.jpg


http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/trentonwaterMedium.jpg

#1 seems way oversaturated. The girls face looks red. The lighting appears ok?
Greg

If they suck,,,,,,,,,,,tell me.


Tyson, they suck. :D Just kidding. The one thing I notice is that the eyes don't look that sharp in either one. I do like the pose of the first one though.

Not feeling #2 as a portrait shot but, #1 is right on track. I agree with Greg on it seeming oversaturated and there seems to be a bit of reflection in her glasses. Also might crop it in a little tighter on the sides.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/tabbyfenceMedium.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/tabbygroundMedium.jpg

I can't complain with the last two. I think they are pretty good. Her face may be a little dark on #1. But you are on the right track.

#1 is a nice pose. I'd crop it in tighter and desaturate a bit. Maybe a little more DOF. It also looks like it's under exposed in the crook of her neck and there's a little hot spot on her right shoulder.

I like #4.

:: Ding, Ding :: I think we have a winner :D I really like that last one in the grass Tyson :D

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/tabbytree2Medium.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/blacf.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/trentonttMedium.jpg

The last few are much better, Tyson. I suspect with your first two shots the focus wasn't on the eyes, as scroller mentioned in passing.
I'm running into a bit of the same when taking pictures of the granddaughter. Sometimes she squirms or moves just as I'm taking the shot, throwing off the focus.
John

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/dogMedium.jpg

a few things I notice...

1) focus issues - make sure you hit the focus. It's gotten better throughout the set, but there's no excuse for missing the focus when you have a subject standing still

2) color - this will just come in time with more photoshop work. I only know what I do about color correction now (which still isn't that much) by doing it a LOT.

3) tough lighting - looks like many of your subjects are backlit, or even shadowed with the bg in the light. lures the attention away from them, and towards the bg

4) angles - try not to shoot up at your subject. I've mentioned this before, as it gives an up the nose angle which is not flattering to many subjects. The only time i like seeing this is with wide angle shots encompassing the entire body. Also when you shoot up, you have yo deal with the sky. On most days, that means blowing it out. There's a neat trick I learned to drop the exposure on the sky a couple stops below what it is without affecting the model if you want to hear.

5) DOF - isolate your subject. busy backgrounds will be much less cluttered when they are blurry.

6) lighting, again - go to the camera store and buy a cheap flash. Fill flash on outdoor portraits is wonderful because it allows you to get some light into their eye sockets, and to give them a little catchlight in their eyes, such as the following...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/414862964_e5b32ab5e7_o.jpg

really not an amazing shot, but see how much of a difference it makes around the eyes? and that nice little pop it gives them?

good luck with everything, hope what I said makes sense and helps you out.

You da Man Brent. I am listening for future referance.
Greg

This one had some fill flash. Just the on board flash.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/sparkstyson/wifetabbyMedium.jpg

I need a new lens!!

a few things I notice...

1) focus issues - make sure you hit the focus. It's gotten better throughout the set, but there's no excuse for missing the focus when you have a subject standing still

2) color - this will just come in time with more photoshop work. I only know what I do about color correction now (which still isn't that much) by doing it a LOT.

3) tough lighting - looks like many of your subjects are backlit, or even shadowed with the bg in the light. lures the attention away from them, and towards the bg

4) angles - try not to shoot up at your subject. I've mentioned this before, as it gives an up the nose angle which is not flattering to many subjects. The only time i like seeing this is with wide angle shots encompassing the entire body. Also when you shoot up, you have yo deal with the sky. On most days, that means blowing it out. There's a neat trick I learned to drop the exposure on the sky a couple stops below what it is without affecting the model if you want to hear.

5) DOF - isolate your subject. busy backgrounds will be much less cluttered when they are blurry.

6) lighting, again - go to the camera store and buy a cheap flash. Fill flash on outdoor portraits is wonderful because it allows you to get some light into their eye sockets, and to give them a little catchlight in their eyes, such as the following...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/414862964_e5b32ab5e7_o.jpg

really not an amazing shot, but see how much of a difference it makes around the eyes? and that nice little pop it gives them?

good luck with everything, hope what I said makes sense and helps you out.

Brent, How do you handle flash fill outside when someone wears glasses? You can't really bounce flash?????
Greg

tell 'em not to wear glasses?

:)

tell 'em not to wear glasses?

:)


LOL! That's exactly what I thought.