Portraits for critique

Hi,

I tried to do some portraits of coworkers a couple weeks ago. I had some trouble to get the light the way I wanted. It was a very good experience for and a first experience at photographing adult people. I know they are not perfect but I would like to know what you think.

umbrella camera left. reflector camera right. "hair" light camera right a bit behind the subject. The "hair" light didn't have any modifier on it. To me the "hair" light is too stong.



umbrella camera left but more on the side of the subject. reflector on the right and probably not as close as the first picture.



Similar setup. umbrella left reflector right.



Not sure what the setup was but it feels like main light (umbrella) was camera left but close to the camera and righ on the subject's face. I think I used a gold reflector fairly low. I used my second light with a red gel to light the black background and give it a redish color.



BAckground is a blue wall. The umbrella is camera left (again!) and if I used a reflector it was far enough that it didn't seem to do anything. Note that this girl shved her head because her mom had chemotherapy I found it very difficult to deal with a bald woman.



Thanks
--
Ghislain

--
Jürgen aus Boden, Schweden.

I used 2 SB800 as slave and one on the camera as trigger

Just one left, one behind and the "trigger" push down



--

Some of my pictures with the D2X

http://www.xs4all.nl/~roadrats/D2X/D2X.html

and with the good old D100

http://www.xs4all.nl/~roadrats/Nikon/Nikon.html

Before I critique, I'd like to know (really) what you think of them. Critiquing your own work is very necessary for learning.

MM

MarkMcCombs said:

Before I critique, I'd like to know (really) what you think of
them. Critiquing your own work is very necessary for learning.

MM

Click to expand...

Well, let me start by saying that this was my first time trying to get something decent. The goal was to get some experience in lighting and posing. Here's what I think of them.

1. Hair blown up with spill of light on the side of the face. The rest of the lighting seems fine to me.

2. The fill is not strong enough and the main is bit too much on the side of the subject.

3. Need to smooth the skin but the lighting seems fine to me.

4. Here the catchlight is low but the shadow of the nose is at the max. I think the fill (gold reflector) is too much.

5. Looks a bit soft. But i like the result.

Basically, should I continue to work on portraits or am I wasting my time and I should be doing something else?

Thanks,
--
Ghislain

Just give up.

Come on....Who gives up on the first try? I have been doing it for years and I still don't get it right all the time- or even most of the time. If I were you, I wouldn't crop so close, at least not until you are more comfortable with the lighting. Back up and try to get them in a more relaxed pose. Take a few tests and then move in.

Whatever you do, don't give up. Play with it as if it were a game. It is a hobby isn't it?
--
I wish I had something clever to say.

1. Trying a flatter lighting on the lady. She has a rough complexion which suffers from anything but flat lighting. Pehaps some diffusion might also help.

2. A kleenex tissue is the photographer's best friend in portrait shooting. It will reduce or eliminate glare from shiney skin.

3. What were the purpose of the portraits? If it was business related, perhaps a more convential pose or cropping might be in order.
--

Retired Navy Master Chief Photographer's Mate - 30 years service. Combat Cameraman, Motion Picture Director and Naval Aircrewman. I have done considerable comercial photography including advertising, weddings and portraiture.

Thanks for your comments. I think you are right about cropping. I tend to crop very close. I did take some shots like half body length but since I couldn't get them in a relaxed posed it didn't work well for me. I think to make them relaxed I have to be relaxed myself and I wasn't since it was my first time and I really wanted to make it a good one.

I might have a chance to take pictures of some of them again. This time I'll try not to do it in an empty room at work. I would actually like to do it at their place so they are more relaxed and I'm more relaxed because I'd get more time to do the pictures.

JaydonArcher said:

Just give up.
Come on....Who gives up on the first try? I have been doing it for
years and I still don't get it right all the time- or even most of
the time. If I were you, I wouldn't crop so close, at least not
until you are more comfortable with the lighting. Back up and try
to get them in a more relaxed pose. Take a few tests and then move
in.
Whatever you do, don't give up. Play with it as if it were a game.
It is a hobby isn't it?
--
I wish I had something clever to say.

Click to expand...

--
Ghislain

I wish I could do something like this. How did you direct the model to take that pose?

Jurgen Larssson said:

--
Jürgen aus Boden, Schweden.

Click to expand...

--
Ghislain

Richard Crowe said:

1. Trying a flatter lighting on the lady. She has a rough
complexion which suffers from anything but flat lighting. Pehaps
some diffusion might also help.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I didn't think of that. I guess I didn't really see it until I got on the computer. One big thing I learned is that I should take my time looking at the test shots on the camera's LCD to look at the details. I didn't do it. I guess I was stressed by the time.

Richard Crowe said:

2. A kleenex tissue is the photographer's best friend in portrait
shooting. It will reduce or eliminate glare from shiney skin.

Click to expand...

Could you tell me which picture I could have use it?

Richard Crowe said:

3. What were the purpose of the portraits? If it was business
related, perhaps a more convential pose or cropping might be in
order.

Click to expand...

There were no real purpose. I just ask them if they would be my models so I can practice since my wife doesn't want to pose for me.

--
Ghislain

--
Jürgen aus Boden, Schweden.

I like #1 and #4. Keep it up.

Most of the pictures have a bit of shine to the nose and to the forehead.

Unfortunately, many pictures would improve if the subject wore some basic make-up or at least some skin colored powder. This most often true with females but, is occasionally true with males. However, it would be a cold day in hell before most men would put powder on their face.
--

Retired Navy Master Chief Photographer's Mate - 30 years service. Combat Cameraman, Motion Picture Director and Naval Aircrewman. I have done considerable comercial photography including advertising, weddings and portraiture.

Ghislain Carrier said:

Well, let me start by saying that this was my first time trying to
get something decent. The goal was to get some experience in
lighting and posing. Here's what I think of them.

Click to expand...

Ghislain Carrier said:

2. The fill is not strong enough and the main is bit too much on
the side of the subject.

Click to expand...

Bingo, good job! Need catchlights to be more prominent, in BOTH eyes almost equally, IMO. As for main light position, think of carving the features of the face, but try to stay away from a strong nose-shadow.

Ghislain Carrier said:

3. Need to smooth the skin but the lighting seems fine to me.

4. Here the catchlight is low but the shadow of the nose is at the
max. I think the fill (gold reflector) is too much.

5. Looks a bit soft. But i like the result.

Basically, should I continue to work on portraits or am I wasting
my time and I should be doing something else?

Click to expand...

Keep working at it, looking at really good portraits done by others and what makes them good, and then try to copy these. Yes, COPY! Then you can develop your own style if you want.

Ghislain Carrier said:

Thanks,
--
Ghislain

Click to expand...