Senior Portraits

[SpenserHeaps]

A few of some friends who hired me to take theirs for our senior yearbook.

1. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067568-O.jpg

2. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067596-O.jpg

3. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067609-O.jpg

4. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067651-O.jpg

5. In this one he wanted one less traditional:
http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067639-O.jpg

6. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067705-O.jpg

7. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067797-O.jpg

8. http://spenserheaps.smugmug.com/photos/114067813-O.jpg

[goforphoto]

you did good. I think the first 3 are the better one of the series.

[SpenserHeaps]

i agree. she was the most into it. none of the others wanted to work very hard.

[goforphoto]

Guys don't normally like getting their picture taken anyway.

[cyclone]

Pretty girl on the first three. They would be better if she wasn't posed so square to the camera.

[saravrose]

really nice all around the girl is gorgous the only thing that bugs me is all the blue on the fifth shot.. the pose is really different and you did very well with the focus, DOF and colors on all of them but the BG is a bit distracting.. congrats.

[BLINN]

There nice shot..but the look more like candids....

[-=fnord=-]

I like the shots (no 2 most) girl is lovely.
I do agree that maybe turn the models upper body slightly to avoid the widest view being captured.

[goforphoto]

After looking again I noticed these are kind of soft you may want to use USM and bump the color sat 10percent or so to make them pop more.

[jamiepeter]

Pretty, very pretty. I only experimented with senior portraits once with my friend. She wasn't paying and I was just trying some stuff out. Unfortunately the light was bad so I had to shoot at ISO 1600 and it was just not good. And I was nervous as heck. I hope to attempt again soon with the same friend.

What was your light set up? Just daylight? Any reflectors? Did you use the nifty fifty, if not what lense? Sorry for the Q's just trying to learn!

[D. Craig Flory]

I don't care for the 1st 3 images because of the out of key top. Try to instruct clients what to wear, and not wear, when you meet for a planning consultation. I like #4 ... a good background with what he is wearing. If it was sharp it would be really good. #5 is a great idea. What was your shutter speed ? A faster shutter speed and better focus and it would have been dynamite. #6 is a nice pose. I'm posting my version of this one ... sharper and deeper. #7 & #8 were not created in optimum locations.

If you don't already, I suggest that you join the closest state or area professional photography association. You will get a wealth of information and ideas.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i93/DC47/114067705-OEnhanced.jpg

[SpenserHeaps]

Thanks for all the comments and advice.
What was your light set up? Just daylight? Any reflectors? Did you use the nifty fifty, if not what lense? Sorry for the Q's just trying to learn!
My setup was a 20D with 70-200 2.8L IS on a tripod with 580 flash for fill, but mostly just daylight.
#5 is a great idea. What was your shutter speed ? A faster shutter speed and better focus and it would have been dynamite. shutter speed was 1/500. it was really hard because he jumped off a bench and got quite a lot of height, so getting a sharp focus and good framing at the apex of his jump was really hard. we tried it a bunch of different times, and this one was the best, cropped from the original image.

As far as sharpness, yes they all look pretty soft but that is just in these resized versions. the originals are decently sharp and i sharpened them further for printing and the yearbook.

[WilliamL]

these are very good...

[JimCapaldi]

I like the first best because the model looked relaxed and posed very nicely.

[ABrownPhoto]

wow great shots!!!! all of them are great.

The girl is really pretty and you did a great job capturing her beauty!

The 1st guy has a natural pose and a great smile

The last guy has great BOKEH in the shots!!!!!

Some PP to add some contrast would improve them!

Awesome work