Portrait with 300D + 50/1.8

[cloudless]

This is my first time to take portrait pictures with my new EOS300D, please critique, thanks.

http://cloudless.net/photo/2004_02_24_charmaine/03.jpg
http://cloudless.net/photo/2004_02_24_charmaine/11.jpg
http://cloudless.net/photo/2004_02_24_charmaine/20.jpg

See the complete gallery here:
http://cloudless.net/photo/2004_02_24_charmaine/page01.shtml

[Radtech1]

Hi,

I like #1 the best. Color is very nice, expression is nice. But, it looks like it needs to be rotated about 1.5 degrees counterclockwise. I know what you are trying to do with the empty space, but I don't think that that works here. There is no involvement with the space. The model is neither looking into it, or moving out of it. I think that this one would work better cropped into a portrait format.

#2 is only OK. You might want to adjust the color. Looks a tad bit too blue. If I had not seen the lush warmth of her face in #1, I would not know this, but after 1 this one is noticeably off.

#3 sits between the others on my list. Notice that the model is looking in the same direction as the empty space. In this case that makes the space involved in the composition. Lighting is also nice. Background needs to rotate 3 degrees clockwise. I think that this is your best example of getting what you were going after, but #1 is still my favorite.

Keep at it,

Rad

[manncer]

:wink:

I like the first one , but would like to see it cropped somehow, and have the columns behind her more out of focus, as well as losing the white iron post behind her right side. Number two bothers me because of the white "thing" seeming to come out of her stomach. I like 3 best, very elegant, but might crop out the dark area to the left of the picture.

The model is very photogenic
Thanks
manncer

[Ikinaa]

For me personally, third is best... but leave it as it is... don't crop out the left... it would remove the balance of the picture IMO

[ssim]

I like the informality of number 2 and number 3 is just great in my opinion. Number 1 is good but I've never been a fan of portrait type shots taken straight on. For me this one would have worked if she was turned sideways slightly and looking back towards the camera.

[cloudless]

Thanks for everyone's input. Now I realized I should rotate the pictures a little and adjust for a consistent white balance. After seeing more portrait works from other people, I found that the verticle format is often better for portraits, I should use it more often.

[dphoto]

Hey cloudless,

Now I get to critique your work... :) These are all nice shots. The color and lighting in the first shot is great! I would crop the extra off the top and left, and crop the right so that the image ends with the last column. I think your model's expression is best in the second shot. Both her pose and expression look very relaxed. I like what you tried to do with the background, but I think it is still just a little too distracting. You might need to crop or blur. In the third shot, I like the background lighting, but I think the model is a tad underexposed. Also, for some reason that face shot looks unflattering to me. I don't know if you have it in the original, but perhaps some more of her hair in the image would help? Anyhow, just a personal observation.

Overall, great work! :)
-Deva

[roanjohn]

WOW!!!

I like the first one the best.

The 2nd one has too much unwanted space. It needs a crop IMO.

The 3rd one wins most artistic.

Thanks for sharing.

Ro1

[timmyquest]

pretty typical reply:

#1 is the best

#2 is boring

#3 is cool...looks like she's worring about a child on drugs...or something.

I'd like to end with: This thread makes me want the lens even more.

[Dawg]

I really like the third shot, as for 1 and 2 I don't like portraits that look at me. Just even a subtle look away from the lens looks better.

Dawg :)

[KO_300D]

Great shots. Not too sure about #2 - it doesn't have the same impact as the other two.

Can't see why this one wasn't included though!
http://cloudless.net/photo/2004_02_24_charmaine/01.jpg

IMHO, for portrait shots vertical is preferred as opposed to landscape, however the landscape is nice enough to be a credit to the shots instead of having a detrimental effect. The only thing I'd suggest is to maybe have your subject involved in the background in some way to make it a more direct feature of the picture.

I hope I made sense!

[Bruce Hamilton]

#2 is boring

How can you take boring pictures, when you've got such a pretty subject? #1 could've used fill flash to light up the left side of her face.

[Tito948]

Very nice pictures. Very pretty woman. Nice job! I like them all.

Tito

[Leighow]

Everyone has said it all -- lovely lady.
One of my concerns about critiquing images is that my mindset is not longer my own ! It is a conglomerate of all the images and "imprinting" that I have undergone -- thanks to years of newpaper and magazine viewing, etc, etc.

With that as a warning, I continue this critique by saying that:
(1) I suspect that few "traditional" portraits are shot in landscape as that format introduces image areas that may take our eyes off the subject. On the other hand. However, the added detail in those portraits that are shot in landscape probably complement the portrait by telling us something related to the subject (e.g. a grand piano might be part of a portrait of a great pianist).

(2) portraits in portrait layout, tend to focus on the subject's head and on down to say the chest. But many like your 3rd shot may be a side shots. However, the light source itself is usually off-frame (see the nudes on this forum) and may be frontal light or side light.

(3) Portraits are often shot in square format and many will have to include a soft and quiet background as the subject will not blanket the entire frame. Even so, the intent is to keep the primary subject sharp and any secondary detail subdued .


Your images:
#1 is beautiful and natural light. It is a great recond shot of a time and place. It was not intended to be a graduation portrait and falls short because of the complex and distracting background.

#2 is a lovely and happy expressive face -- and is like #1 and suffers from background distractions.

#3 has the most mood as the light is from the side and the subject placement is almost off the frame and filled with mystery. But here too, the landscape format is your enemy. The lady appears mature here but the lighting tends towards green and hides some of her natural beauty.
Again this is a sort of candid shot but lovely in its own way. It does not give us a narrative --as would a shot with a graduation cap etc.

This image cries out for a square format. So here it is!


http://members.rogers.com/hleigh/21.jpg

[cloudless]

Leighow, thank you so much for the professional advice!


#3 The lady appears mature here but the lighting tends towards green and hides some of her natural beauty.


I shot in RAW and adjusted the WB manually, it looked very warm on my LCD monitor, but it seems green on a CRT. Looks like I need to get myself a better monitor soon.


This image cries out for a square format. So here it is!


Thanks Leighow, why didn't I think of that?! I should try more square/vertical format from now on.

I will take some portrait pictures of my 5-year-old nephew next, hope I will do a better job!

[Bytes U]

Charmaine is a gorgeous young lady and I think you did a great job of capturing her at (graduation day? (http://cloudless.net/photo/2004_02_24_charmaine/page01.shtml)). She appears very comfortable with you behind the lens and the university locale is spotless. Don't ever turn down a chance to practice photography with this cute model. :P

[kwunyip]

She's my girlfriend, of course, she is pretty

[dennykyser]

Nice Pictures, I like them in the order you have them.
Very nice DOF in the first one especialy. Good job

[Bruce Hamilton]

She's my girlfriend...
Don't you wish... :lol:

[kanwingshing]

Just one advice.... try to get her look AWAY from the camera.. not AT the camera. It's more natural that way.