First portrait attempt

[cnevill]

This is my first time posting and would love to hear any commets

[April Does Photography]

This is my first time posting and would love to hear any commets

Details? what kind of camera, lens, filters, lighting, film. I would love to know

[cnevill]

Details? what kind of camera, lens, filters, lighting, film. I would love to know

Cannon Rebol SLR, 2 strobe set-up, edited in photoshop

[CarbonTerry]

Nice use of colors, well exposed, good contrast/saturation. Great pose and expressions. Super make up. Good choice of lighting for youngsters but I would have liked a “wee bit” more modeling in the face.
For my taste the soft focus is slightly over done and/or the eyes are “too” sharp. A little compromise between the two. (but that’s just me!!). My biggest thing would be that the b/g is lit too flat. A nice soft glow around the shoulders would have separated them from the b/g.
A slight hair light will make a big difference.
Given all of that….any parent would be glad to have this pic on their wall/mantle.
Keep up the good work.

[cnevill]

Nice use of colors, well exposed, good contrast/saturation. Great pose and expressions. Super make up. Good choice of lighting for youngsters but I would have liked a “wee bit” more modeling in the face.
For my taste the soft focus is slightly over done and/or the eyes are “too” sharp. A little compromise between the two. (but that’s just me!!). My biggest thing would be that the b/g is lit too flat. A nice soft glow around the shoulders would have separated them from the b/g.
A slight hair light will make a big difference.
Given all of that….any parent would be glad to have this pic on their wall/mantle.
Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the commet, I'm very new to this so when you say that the background is lit too flat what do you mean and what would be a correction to that. Thanks Again

[CarbonTerry]

I have crudely cut out the subjects for the example

[CarbonTerry]

A hair light will add a nice sheen/glow. the blondes hair is looking a little "mousey" as my wife calls it. If you do not have enough lights to add a hair light you can make one out of a large card covered with aluminum foil and suspended overhead and slightly behind where the models will sit. Angle the foil so that ot reflects your main light 'spill" onto the hair. make sure that NO LIGHT falls on the face from the hair light. you may have to have some kind of horizontal pole arrangement to clamp the card to hold it in place. That's a lot cheaper than buying another light.

[April Does Photography]

Cannon Rebol SLR, 2 strobe set-up, edited in photoshop

What about background? I am truly impressed. Can you explain a little more about photoshop? I have several editing programs but none with the capability you are showing in this protrait. Well Done!!

[April Does Photography]

Cannon Rebol SLR, 2 strobe set-up, edited in photoshop

What about background? I am truly impressed. Can you explain a little more about photoshop? I have several editing programs but none with the capability you are showing in this protrait. Well Done!! And what type/make of strobes were used. And Price?....

[cnevill]

What about background? I am truly impressed. Can you explain a little more about photoshop? I have several editing programs but none with the capability you are showing in this protrait. Well Done!! And what type/make of strobes were used. And Price?....

The background is just blue paper drop, the editing program I use is adobe, and the strobes are just inexpensive 45 watt into umbrella's. I am unsure of the actual cost cause it was equipment that my sister had from years ago. Thanks again for the commets

[CarbonTerry]

You have done well with minimum equipment. Have you had any formal training?

[cnevill]

You have done well with minimum equipment. Have you had any formal training?

No formal training just alot of research and trial and error

[CarbonTerry]

fantastic!!!!! you have a great eye for composition!!!! You notice that I cropped a little different than you had. That put the eyes of both girls close to the intersections of the rule of thirds.
Keep on submitting

[cnevill]

fantastic!!!!! you have a great eye for composition!!!! You notice that I cropped a little different than you had. That put the eyes of both girls close to the intersections of the rule of thirds.
Keep on submitting

Thanks again for the review and advice, more to come

[jar_e]

Very nice colors and a nice composition here. Though I'm not usually a big fan on soft focusing, this one is alright, though the eyes do seem a tad sharp!

Great shot though regardless,

Jared

[JK_Photo]

I love the composition here and the colour contrast.
I'd say that for my taste it is oversoftened. IMO softening is not really necessary on subjects of this age. They have flawless skin to begin with.
If you were going for a dreamy effect I guess it's OK but I still think less is more in this case.
If you could add a gradient to the BG so it glows light to dark maybe it would have a more appeal (the BG that is, as Carbon Terry mentioned).
The hairlight is a good idea, too.
Great start for a newbie!
cheers.

[Trevor Ash]

I think this is a great portrait but I don't like the bright blue background. Did you have other options for a background?