Getting paid to take pictures...Critique wanted

[Axton]

I'm just starting out trying to skillfully produce portraits to hopefully begin getting paying customers.

What do you think of these?
Would you pay money for them?
Any you see that I should hesitate putting in a portfolio?

PLEASE let me know your thoughts on lighting, composition, poses, etc.

All poses were planned. I'll take any feedback- anything that would help me improve...

http://birnstill.com/pics/Img_3763rt.jpg

http://www.birnstill.com/pics/Img_3777rt.jpg

http://www.birnstill.com/pics/Img_3905rt.jpg

http://birnstill.com/pics/IMG_4021rt.jpg

http://birnstill.com/pics/IMG_4028rt.jpg

http://birnstill.com/pics/IMG_4033rt.jpg

http://birnstill.com/pics/IMG_4040rt.jpg

http://birnstill.com/pics/IMG_4045rt.jpg

[I Simonius]

I'm just starting out trying to skillfully produce portraits to hopefully begin getting paying customers.

What do you think of these?
Would you pay money for them?
Any you see that I should hesitate putting in a portfolio?

PLEASE let me know your thoughts on lighting, composition, poses, etc.

All poses were planned. I'll take any feedback- anything that would help me improve...


not an expert but thoughts anyway:e.g. see below
first one crop a little tighter? I like this one the most for potential I just think reposing and tightening the composition a little would be good

to my eye there ar etoo many distracting elements ( her Tshirt strap next to the black male's top leaves a line of flesh and distracting lumps of his top,+the 3 differnet blacks, i.e.the velvet, his shirt and her trousers)but I do really like the lighting

The second shot works well, but with all the other shots I would try to get some fill light to remove the shadow from the nose that they all have to a greater or lesser degree

[Robert_Lay]

This has to be the most impressive collection of very professional portrait work ever posted in one posting on POTN.

I don't like the color balance on #1. All of the backgrounds and lighting are excellent. Poses are excellent.

Image quality and sharpness are superb.

Congratulations!

[p3photogal]

I think that in 1 you might have wanted to be further over them or to the right so that her eyes aren't reaching as far as they are. Her eyes are GORGEOUS and the lighting is beautiful...just the strain in the angle i would change.

[Axton]

not an expert but thoughts anyway:e.g. see below
first one crop a little tighter? I like this one the most for potential I just think reposing and tightening the composition a little would be good

to my eye there ar etoo many distracting elements ( her Tshirt strap next to the black male's top leaves a line of flesh and distracting lumps of his top,+the 3 differnet blacks, i.e.the velvet, his shirt and her trousers)but I do really like the lighting

The second shot works well, but with all the other shots I would try to get some fill light to remove the shadow from the nose that they all have to a greater or lesser degree

Thank you for your input. Good idea with the crop and I'll be more alert to the elements in my photos when there are diff. colors/shapes, etc. Great feedback. Thanks again.

[Axton]

This has to be the most impressive collection of very professional portrait work ever posted in one posting on POTN.

I don't like the color balance on #1. All of the backgrounds and lighting are excellent. Poses are excellent.

Image quality and sharpness are superb.

Congratulations!

Thank you for your comments. I've seen your work/posts and regard you as a very talented, knowledgable asset to this forum. Much appreciated. Photos were taken with halogen worklights & S3 IS. (first one with homemade ringlight).

[Axton]

I think that in 1 you might have wanted to be further over them or to the right so that her eyes aren't reaching as far as they are. Her eyes are GORGEOUS and the lighting is beautiful...just the strain in the angle i would change.

Good point. great feedback. I'm trying to soak up as much as I can to be as good as I can be. Thanks!

[odvdveer]

I find it a bit distracting that the man in #1 is wearing a black shirt, his head is "floating" in the picture, and some woman might not like the wrinkles in the forehead in such a pose, otherwise it is a very nice picture. I like the rest.

Olga

[cdmonkey]

These are great, although I do think some look a little over pp'd

[Axton]

I do think some look a little over pp'd

Which ones in particular? After processing them for a while, i begin to lose objectivity....

[cdmonkey]

I think the skin looks a little plastic/waxy. its not to much, mostly number 2 and a bit in 1. it could be the jpg doing some nasty things.

This is just a small crit as I think they are great shots.
Carl

[Robert_Lay]

A good way to resolve the issue of what the jpg compression is doing to you would be to provide a full detail 100% crop of just his right ear in #2. That looks waxy in the original post. If it continues to look that way in the 100% crop, then it's on you. However, if it disappears in the 100% crop, it is due to the posterization that typically occurs in jpg compression.

[Flo]

I love the positioning in #1.......the lighting is wonderfully done....although my screen shows a tad too much pink on her cheeks, corner whites of her eyes and his cheek? I am probably off........