Please Critique this Portrait

[serissolutions]

Nooob here...
Just learning how to take portraits. Please critique and please BE picky. I want to learn how I could make my shots the best they can be...

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/images/Portraits/Daniel.jpg

[KevC]

Hm. I see you got the dramatic side lighting going on. If that's what you were going for, then you've got it. However, it seems like the creases in the background are a *tad* distracting. And with dramatic lighting, I'd make the background a little darker.

Other than that, it looks good. Maybe invest in a reflector to get rid of the shadows, but the shadows give the kid a well defined chin.

Look here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61063
and here: http://www.photo.net/portraits/intro

Good luck! And keep making pictures!

[serissolutions]

Yes I was going for a little more dramatic look.
For instance, in this one he is holding the blade of his Samurai sword against himself. I call it "Meditation".
I think this calls for dramatic lighting, maybe not the first shot.
Yes the backdrop is wrinkled. I just hung it minutes before I shot the pic!I will iron it out. Thancx for the observation.

Critique on the B&W? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/images/Portraits/Meditation.jpg

[serissolutions]

anyone?

[shiningstardv]

Well, I'll give it a go. In my personal opinion, the "dramatic lighting" is a bit too much. I find it distracting, as my attention is drawn to the lighting and not the subject in the portrait. My suggestion to you would be to lessen the contrast between the lighted and non-lighted sides of the subject's face.

[serissolutions]

everytime I do a portrait I get that same feedback. But for some reason I keep doing the side light thing...
OK I will diffuse the lighting on that side as wel as the other and try again.

I assume that hard side light take the photo out of the portrait category and makes it more of an artistic shot?

[OviV]

I agree on the other comments about the lighting. I think it is o.k. to have contrast between the lighted side and the dark side but the light is a bit too harsh to the point of blowing out the face. On the second picture, it is hard to tell that it is a samurai blade that he is holding. I would say, show the handle or the tip of the blade and maybe have it angled so that it reflets some light.

Ovi

[kawter2]

Is it just me? it seems either severely out of focus, or you have a really long shutter speed, the subject is to blurry (IMO) for a portrait

[jgbeam]

I think it's a bit overexposed otherwise the lighting probably would be ok but not my first choice for this shot. It seems a little soft. Was this intentional? Usually young people don't benefit from soft focus. Too much black shirt. Crop the bottom. The crease in the background is distracting. You need to reduce DOF with a larger aperture or move the background away to blur it out.

Keep shooting!

Jim

[serissolutions]

Is it just me? it seems either severely out of focus, or you have a really long shutter speed, the subject is to blurry (IMO) for a portrait

I softened the image to eliminate traces of acne. Does it look soft or out of focus?

[serissolutions]

I agree on the other comments about the lighting. I think it is o.k. to have contrast between the lighted side and the dark side but the light is a bit too harsh to the point of blowing out the face. On the second picture, it is hard to tell that it is a samurai blade that he is holding. I would say, show the handle or the tip of the blade and maybe have it angled so that it reflets some light.

Ovi

Better? Blade is dark but maybe the pose is better?

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/images/Portraits/sheath.jpg

[blackviolet]

you need to move your subject away from the backdrop. your b&w conversion also seems a little bit flat - notice in your last photo, the eyes are immediately drawn to the bright area of his face (which is very small, comparatively speaking...). also, it looks to me like his pose is a tad uncomfortable - sulking over a bit.

instead of softening the whole picture, you might try 'healing' just the areas that need it. you're getting there - keep posting! personally i like image #2 - if we could just see it was a blade.

btw... are you using a halogen worklight off to the side?

[Avalonthas]

Your black and white shots are definnetly much better then ur color shots, much more dramatic.

1st pic:
For your first head on portrait shot I would recommend getting rid of the backdrop creases (iron should take em out good), and also to sit straight since ur head is crooked.

2nd pic:
Reduce the creases again since its somewhat visible in the top right corner. And also include ur entire head in the shot, cuz its weird when its cut off.

3rd pic:
Once again the creases. I like the idea of this shot however I would try shifiting it more to the right so it starts at the base of the sword or ur left hand thumb, so that u see alot more of the sword on the left side of the photo and so ur head is more in the center and more of a focus point in the chest/head area.

[serissolutions]

btw... are you using a halogen worklight off to the side?

I am using a mechanics (garage) light on a tripod. There are 2 lamps on each one, each lamp is over 500 watts. I also use a translucent umbrella on it. See below:

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/studio.jpg

On the hard light side I was using 1 500 watt lamp and another one (on the chair, back shown on pic) with a 42 inch diffuser.

I will have another dual lamp and translucent umbrella today. Woo hoo! My wife is gonna kill me.

BTW I am not a professional photographer. This is my hobby, thats why I dont spend alot on lighting. Too expensive! But this does the trick and its far cheaper. (dual light $30 walmart, 42" translucent umbrella $12 with shipping Ebay)

[serissolutions]

Your black and white shots are definnetly much better then ur color shots, much more dramatic.

1st pic:
For your first head on portrait shot I would recommend getting rid of the backdrop creases (iron should take em out good), and also to sit straight since ur head is crooked.

2nd pic:
Reduce the creases again since its somewhat visible in the top right corner. And also include ur entire head in the shot, cuz its weird when its cut off.

3rd pic:
Once again the creases. I like the idea of this shot however I would try shifiting it more to the right so it starts at the base of the sword or ur left hand thumb, so that u see alot more of the sword on the left side of the photo and so ur head is more in the center and more of a focus point in the chest/head area.

1st pic:
Crooked head is bad? I thought it looked more natural. Please explain.

2nd pic:
I thought cutting off the head made it more artistic and less "posed". Am I wrong?

3rd pic:
Yes shifting it would have been better. Good idea...

Anyone please comment on the above...

-Albert

[elbirth]

I don't have too much to say that hasn't already been said, but I wanted to comment on the first in particular about the softness of it. I agree with kawter2 that the first picture looks extremely out of focus, not just soft.
I'm assuming you use Photoshop to do the blurring? You said you were trying to reduce the appearance of acne. Blurring is not the way to go with something like this. In Photoshop, you should stick with using the Clone Tool to remove individual instances of skin imperfections, rather than simply blurring the entire image. If you have Photoshop CS (and I think Photoshop 7 had it?) use the Healing Brush instead of the Clone Tool, as it can be much more natural looking in its results.

[serissolutions]

Is this better?

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/images/Portraits/Yellow_Chair.jpg

Background improvements
Better aperture setting
Even lighting
natural pose
Softened not out of focus

Comments?

[elbirth]

that looks much better. I'm personally not a fan of a softened look in these types of portraits, but you did a better job on it than before.

[Geeeyejo]

How about a portrait of the gal in the light set up pic? Like last best too...

[elbirth]

How about a portrait of the gal in the light set up pic?

I second this :D

[serissolutions]

How about a portrait of the gal in the light set up pic? Like last best too...

OK I'll get that next... Your wish is my command!

[serissolutions]

How about a portrait of the gal in the light set up pic? Like last best too...

OK here ya go! This is the shot I took with the lighting set up I posted previously.
I didnt post this pic before because the shadowing on the face was not good.
Let me know what you think.

There was no touch up on this pic. Its as shot.

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/temp.jpg

[elbirth]

Geeeyejo, maybe you should request pics more often, then we can see more :)

nice shot, the lighting is interesting. I'd like it more if she filled the frame more (which would naturally require some cutting off of her legs... ) but he feet seem to just disappear into the darkness. Interesting expression on her face, as well

[serissolutions]

Yes, I have a couple that fill the screen more but none that are great.
She was not paying attention when i took the shot so thats why the expression is interesting.

Its hard to get her to pose. I would like for her to do some tasteful nudes that are not revealing, just suggestions of the female form but she refuses.

heres a closer shot. Not a good one but ok...

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/studioshot.jpg

Close up:
http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/images/Portraits/Mystery.jpg

http://www.serissolutions.com/photos/images/Candid/Victorias_Secret.jpg

[elbirth]

nice :)
you may not think they're great, but they're still not bad at all. Need to get her to smile :)