Just started doing paid portraits...

[poke]

Hi all... I have just taken the leap from doing stuff for family and friends for free... to charging a fee. I am very nervous about the quality of what I am providing people, and I figured you guys would be sure to give it too me straight. I'm really sick of showing friends and family... and getting "Oh, thats really great!!". Sort of sounds a bit hollow after a while, especially when I don't think 99.9999% of it is great :D

This is from one of my recent shoots. Please critique away. Don't hold back, I've got thick skin :) and would rather hear the comments and learn... than live in ignorant bliss.

(No PS done on these yet)

#1
http://photo.pudltec.com/gallery/photos/medium/CRW_4236_RJ.JPG

#2
http://photo.pudltec.com/gallery/photos/medium/CRW_4276_RJ.JPG

[René Damkot]

#1 is out of focus (slightly). Very much okay apart from that.
#2 is nice, only the hand seems to be 'breaking off'.
Generally speaking: "Oh, thats really great!!" ;)
Then again, the customer should be happy with the shot, but you as well. At least it sounds as if you do not suffer from too little self-critisizm

[poke]

Thanks Rene. There are shots that I take that I say... hey thats not bad, but its really hard to know if they are up to par when people are charging for them... or if its just personal bias that makes you think they are ok :)

[JX]

Hi Poke,

In the first image the shadow on the boys face is a little dark. A fill flash or a reflector would have help to lighten the shadow. The fill flash would also help with putting a catch light into the boy’s eyes. I did a quick edit in Photoshop to show you what I mean.

[poke]

Thanks JX.. I will give it a go, and see if the mum likes it :)

[cjm]

Is it me or does the second one look like the gun barrel that James Bond always shoots at the begining of every 007 movie?

[poke]

Well... his mum is enough of a babe to be a Bond girl, so you never know :)

[tim]

To me they're good, and worth paying for, but there's not "wow" photo there for me. I'd probably have tried not to cut the top of his head off in the first one. Look at as many pro photos as you can and copy them - that's what I mean to do myself some time :)

[kawter2]

you definately need to use a fill flash.. IMO they are almost there!

[poke]

you definately need to use a fill flash.. IMO they are almost there!

LOL.. I had just bought a 580EX, and on the day.. it just totally slipped my mind. It permanently resides in my camera backpack now :) even if it does weigh a ton now.

[drewmk2]

"Well... his mum is enough of a babe to be a Bond girl, so you never know :)"

Well if you need a new subject...

[poke]

Oh... believe me I've been trying to convince her :D

[flyfisher]

Besides being a little out of focus I wouldn't cut off the top his head for this shot. I really like the pose in the second one , you are definitely on the right trac.

[drewmk2]

The second one is great. I love the pespective. I just dont like where the large shadow on his face is in the first.

[poke]

The second one is great. I love the pespective. I just dont like where the large shadow on his face is in the first.

I'll have a go at fixing the shadow in PS tonight when I get home... I'll post the results. Thanks for the feedback

[raztazor]

I like both of the photos. The 2nd one is my favourite from a composition point of view as the tube leads the viewer to the subject. On the 2nd, there's a shadow on the boy's right eye but you can fix that is PS and also maybe a tighter crop.