Studio Portrait Shots - Comments?
Discussion
Mad Dave said:
Interesting. Thanks. I find, composition-wise, that to be the weakest image - maybe i've just got too ingrained with the 'rules of thirds'! 
Cheers for your comments. Thats actually my girlfriend, the other girl is a friend of one of the other guys on the course.
Sorry, I ain't no pro . . . just a laymans comment.
I find it interesting that it is regarded as the weakest image. I must learn more.
Sorry Mad Dave, you're right. You do deserve feedback, for taking the time and effort to post your portraits up for criticism.
Only my opinion, and I'm most certainly no expert.
#1 Nice shot, little brighter perhaps, and a couple of skin blemishes (chin and chest) distract my attention away from the eyes. Is only one eye in focus? Nice catchlights, pretty face. A sweet overall look.
#2 Good job with the hairlight. Shoulder is a little blown out. Captured a strong expression, great eyes. Like this a lot. Hair a little messy though.
#3 Nice pose. Bracelet is a little distracting. Eyes need a little punch adding in photoshop to make them more alive. Nice catchlights. Try a little softening of the skin to remove/reduce the freckles a bit.
#4 Pose doesn't really work for me in this one. She looks like she's sticking her head into the picture and you've snapped before she got herself fully into the frame. Nice capture of all the colours in her hair, although again there's a few hairs that need brushing into place a little more. Great eyes again, nice and wide open. I'd enhance the eye colour in this one, to make them a little brighter and more saturated.
#5 Nice shot. Lovely focus on the nearer eye. Angle is too low though, with too much nostril showing. Either change the angle slightly, or in this shot you can lighten the nostril to make it less of a distraction. Nice teeth....would have liked them in focus too. Couple of hairs on the face need brushing back. Good pose and crop on this one.
I'm guilty of all the above in probably most of my shots...trouble is I only notice them afterwards. I try to fix what I can in Photoshop afterwards.
Overall a great set, and very brave to post up on the web for comments. Hope you take my thoughts in the constructive way in which they are intended.
LB
Only my opinion, and I'm most certainly no expert.
#1 Nice shot, little brighter perhaps, and a couple of skin blemishes (chin and chest) distract my attention away from the eyes. Is only one eye in focus? Nice catchlights, pretty face. A sweet overall look.
#2 Good job with the hairlight. Shoulder is a little blown out. Captured a strong expression, great eyes. Like this a lot. Hair a little messy though.
#3 Nice pose. Bracelet is a little distracting. Eyes need a little punch adding in photoshop to make them more alive. Nice catchlights. Try a little softening of the skin to remove/reduce the freckles a bit.
#4 Pose doesn't really work for me in this one. She looks like she's sticking her head into the picture and you've snapped before she got herself fully into the frame. Nice capture of all the colours in her hair, although again there's a few hairs that need brushing into place a little more. Great eyes again, nice and wide open. I'd enhance the eye colour in this one, to make them a little brighter and more saturated.
#5 Nice shot. Lovely focus on the nearer eye. Angle is too low though, with too much nostril showing. Either change the angle slightly, or in this shot you can lighten the nostril to make it less of a distraction. Nice teeth....would have liked them in focus too. Couple of hairs on the face need brushing back. Good pose and crop on this one.
I'm guilty of all the above in probably most of my shots...trouble is I only notice them afterwards. I try to fix what I can in Photoshop afterwards.
Overall a great set, and very brave to post up on the web for comments. Hope you take my thoughts in the constructive way in which they are intended.
LB
Luca; Many, many thanks for your comments. I really appreciate them. I also agree with you on all of your comments, and just the same as you, only tend to notice these things afterwards Chances are that i've got some shots in the pile (I shot 4 films) that rectify some of the points you make. The 'bracelet' shot im a little disappointed with, I think it makes a nice shot but I stupidly focussed on her left eye (e.g the one thats further away) so the other eye is out of focus - a shame.
Thanks for taking the time to type all that out Luca, and I have taken your comments in the constructive manner they were intended.
Chances are that i've got some shots in the pile (I shot 4 films) that rectify some of the points you make. The 'bracelet' shot im a little disappointed with, I think it makes a nice shot but I stupidly focussed on her left eye (e.g the one thats further away) so the other eye is out of focus - a shame. Thanks for taking the time to type all that out Luca, and I have taken your comments in the constructive manner they were intended.
Hi Luca,
Good job on the lighting and tones of this photo, the mood is good and well conveyed. I just feel that the model looks a bit uncomfortable in this pose, the feet in particular.I also think it might have been nice she wasnt wearing a bracelet and that arm just receded nicely into the shadow. All IMHO.
I find portaits almost impossible as there are just too many variables! I too only notice the mistakes afterwards, im sure everyone (pro's included) do...
Nice work mate.
Matt
Good job on the lighting and tones of this photo, the mood is good and well conveyed. I just feel that the model looks a bit uncomfortable in this pose, the feet in particular.I also think it might have been nice she wasnt wearing a bracelet and that arm just receded nicely into the shadow. All IMHO.
I find portaits almost impossible as there are just too many variables! I too only notice the mistakes afterwards, im sure everyone (pro's included) do...
Nice work mate.
Matt
luca brazzi said:
Martin,
Great pose. Love the eyes!!! Mouth slightly open is good. Great shot, although a little too much grain added in my opinion. Bet it'd look great on a canvas.
LB
Luca,
This is a cropped section of a scanned print originaly taken on a Mamiya RB 67. It is a section of about 3" square from a 10x8.
Martin.
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff