Amateur Portrait Work

[SWPhotoImaging]

I am attempting some basic portrait work. This is a very early try at correct lighting and lacks any "interest" other than a mother and daughter "mugging".

http://volcano.photobucket.com/albums/v11/sdwike/Portraits/Nikki-Rhonda1c.jpg

Comments welcome.
(Lighting by Home Depot)

[ssim]

I quite like this shot. If I were to do anything with it I would crop it as to me there seems to be too much background on either side of the subjects. It could probably be cropped to a vertical pose.

The lighting is nice and soft and that works for me.

[G3]

Nothing at all wrong with the mother and daughter's pose or expression. This would have been better shot in a vertical format. It needs a little more contrast between the daughter's sweater and the background. Maybe either a lighter colored background or a lighter colored sweater. Perhaps a little top-lighting from above and right or above and left for hair highlights and to provide a little extra separation from the background. Frontal lighting level is good.

[Ryan@40]

I second the cropping, or third ;), suggestion, the main focal point for me are their faces, and the background seems excessive.

Perhaps a circular crop.....

Mark

[scotgasch]

Just a general "rule" for portrait posing.....typically when posing couples (or two people for those of you in Miami Dade County) the eyes of one person sould line up with the mouth of the other in vertical format...in horizontal then the eyes should line up with the nose. Like I said this is just some textbook posing guides...you picture is quite nice and should be cropped vert.

[scotgasch]

Here is a retouched and cropped version of you photo. Nice expressions.


Oh yeah also added a background.

http://www.scotsdigital.com/fixed.jpg

[figment]

Nice source, great commentary and great retouching!

[xxlt]

sdwike@hotmail.com ~~~Hello..That's one Very lovely photo! Sure would like to know what lens you used. 8)

bill from Ohio w/DRebel

[Meerkat17]

Great work, it now looks the part.

Am I right in assuming that you have whitend the teeth also?

David

[scotgasch]

yes, whitened the teeth, softened under the eyes, lightened the eyes, removed some charactor lines on the neck , and an overall soften.


Oh yeah, and removed the fly-away hairs!!!

[SWPhotoImaging]

scotgasch:

I just may post all of my raw images here and wait for the experts to fix 'em up, so I can download them and frame them.

Nice work. I have since done similar editing on the original, but mine isn't as nice as yours.


xxlt:

I used a Canon 28-105 USM II lens. I don't care what anyone says, this is a very nice lens, just limited in reach and low-light abilities.

[scotgasch]

That exact lens just about stays on my 10D....it's a good one....in fact I have two. It's the lens I mostly use for weddings.

[scotgasch]

By the way,

I charge 35 an hour for digital retouching.... :lol:

[tpinchback]

Nice retouch! Did you soften the whole pic?

[scotgasch]

Yes I did an overall soften with the exception of some key areas.

[HeatherJL]

I liked the original, but I REALLY like the touch-up work by scotgasch. :)
Would you mind posting your workflow?

I am most interested in what method you used to replace the background.

Thanks!

[scotgasch]

Basically I used the magic wand and the lasso tool to select the two women. I right clicked (pc) on the selection and selected layer via copy. I then dragged the copied layer onto a background of my choice. Then did a little clean up work with the erasure and touch ups (see previous reply).

Sorry not very detailed but I am headed out the door. I f you want I can go into more detail later.

[BJClarke001]

Scotgash: Very nice job on the re-touch of the portrait photo. Would you mind telling us what software you are using to do this quality of work?

Brad

[scotgasch]

photoshop 7 :D

[Lisard]

very nice portrait. What kid of lighting you have used?