Some shots from engagement session...

[Carlos05]

Just wanted to post some pictures of an e-session I did for some friends of mine. I have never shot "people" before so it was definitely a learning experience for me. I tried doing all the research before hand but if there is one thing I wish I could have had...I wish I had a flash. I used some homemade reflectors but flash could have really helped in some situations. Hopefully, if I get some more request, I can justify spending the money and learning but for now I will wait.

Anyways, here are a few photos...I would really appreciate any critiques or comments on how to improve both composition and PP. I tried posting this over in the wedding section but got no responses :( Hope these aren't terrible or anything...thanks!


http://CLOlivares.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p773025637-4.jpg

http://CLOlivares.zenfolio.com/img/v8/p723049178-4.jpg


http://CLOlivares.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p877090084-4.jpg

http://CLOlivares.zenfolio.com/img/v5/p799771821-4.jpg

[Sisyphus]

Certainly not terrible. On the contrary. The light seems pretty bright, especially the first photo, but you've done a pretty good job avoiding or correcting for harsh shadows. Yet there are blown areas, especially the sunny side of the man's face and arm, but it doesn't ruin the photo. The second shot is cute, too. Shooting people in dappled shade can be rough as you have shadows going every which way, but it works here okay. The final two shots are alright -- they don't do much for ME, but I'm sure they would be meaningful to the couple, as would all four photos.

[Meaty0]

Flash is not really going to improve things here. What would really help you is a huge diffuser and someone to hold it over the subjects. This is really hard light you've photographed them in. It makes your subjects squint and produces harsh, unflattering shadows.

If you can't find a helper and a diffuser, then move your subjects into shade, with no dappled light. A reflector will help..but you'll need a helper again. Try to avoid dappled light too...it just creates distracting hotspots in the final images. If you can, try to shoot in the first and last hours of daylight.

Having said all that, your last image is a winner!!

[Robert_Lay]

All 4 shots are great, but I like the last two the best, because they set a stronger mood. Engagement is the last thing coming to mind with the first two.

Also, the lighting could be improved upon by finding Open Shade and utilizing that as a softer light.

What is Open Shade, and How Does It Improve Outdoors Portraits?

Open shade is the shade created by a structure that blocks the direct rays of the sun but at the same time allows the bright sky itself to illuminate the subject.

Examples of Open Shade ---
Your subject is near enough to a large structure that he or she is completely in the shade of that structure. At the same time, there is little or no blocking of the open sky above the subject. In other words, if the subject were under a canopy or roof that blocks the sky, that would be shade but not "Open Shade".

What are the Advantages of Open Shade?
-- The fact that there are no direct rays of the sun falling on the subject means that there will be lower contrast light falling on the subject. The light that illuminates the subject will be from a large expanse of blue open sky and will be diffuse or soft, in comparison with the direct rays of the sun. The effect on the image will be that the facial shadows will be lighter or softer and more detailed, and the highlights will be softer and more detailed.
-- Portraits made in Open Shade will be less contrasty with softer shadows and with more detailed highlights rather than having deep black shadows in the eye sockets and under the chin and nose.
-- The subject will be able to pose without squinting.
-- There will usually be a background for the shot that is not white and blown out.
-- The camera's AutoExposure system is less likely to be confused by the extreme range of brightnesses in the scene and will be more likely to command a correct exposure.

What are the Disadvantages of Direct Sunlight?
-- A subject illuminated by direct rays of the sun will have very high overall contrast. In fact, the range of brightnesses on the subject will typically be greater than can be captured without special processing.
-- The subject will usually find it difficult to keep his eyes open without severe squinting, the shadows will be so deep and black as to be featureless or without detail.
-- The highlights of illumination on the subject will often be such a bright white that they will be featureless or without detail.
-- There will be very few elements of the subject having mid-range tonal values - everything will be either overly bright or overly dark.

What is the Quickest Way to Recognize an Overly Harsh or Contrasty Lighting Environment?
-- Look to see if the subject is casting a deep black shadow on the ground. If so, he is in the direct rays of the sun - not in Open Shade.

[tonydee]

#1: I think it's a nice result... lighting on the faces isn't great, but the overall feel is very upbeat. Shame one of the dogs is obscuring her face, but not too much.

#2: Would have liked the white fence a touch higher in the frame, and her included from mid-thigh... I think a step back would have helped get about the right angle in. Definitely some lighting issues, as the contrast of tans looks much greater than in #1.

#3, #4: Both nice and simple... can't fault either for what they are, which would be something I'd appreciate if I were them. Particularly like the highlights amongst the shadows in #4.

Nice work,
Tony

[Carlos05]

Thanks so much for the comments...its exactly what I needed.

I understand what you mean by the harsh lighting and now that I think about it, I should have thought more about it when I was taking the photos because they were squinting at times. We did the session around 530pm and I was more concerned about losing light and dealing with those set of problems rather than thinking about having too much light. The first pic was one of the first we did and when I look through all the other pics that were taken 30-45 min later, the lighting was better. In terms of lighting, is this a better example?

http://CLOlivares.zenfolio.com/img/v8/p355889673-4.jpg

http://CLOlivares.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p606382722-4.jpg

The 2nd pic of the original photos posted was their idea and I knew the dappled shadow (new word to me) was going to be a problem. I tried using a ND filter on light room to help balance out the lighting between the 2 of them because either the guy was too dark or the girl was too bright. Speaking of the difference in skin color, she is pretty tan in real life and the guy not so tan. I probably can still work with the filter so I will try it later.

As far as the dogs, it was requested by both of them to have pics with their dogs because they are very important to them. The wedding photographer they hired up in Dallas is going to provide "official" engagement shots and so this was more about casual /candid shots of all of them in addition to giving me the chance to try something new.

Again, thanks for the help and if I ever get the chance to do something like this again, I hope you don't mind me asking more questions to improve...

[Flo]

Wonderful series..and that last one is a framer for sure...excellent in the sunshine and shadowless faces. Good looking couple!

[Robert_Lay]

I think the problems in these last two frames are as follows:
In the first of these two, the lighting is still a problem, because the shadow really chops up the girls face. If you are going to have that kind of shadow on her face, then it has to be softer.

The other problem with the first of these two is that it should have been cropped to a portrait orientation.

I have trouble finding anything wrong in the last of these two. It belongs right up there with #3 and #4 in the first group.

[Meaty0]

Like Bob said, the last shot of the two above is great. Great pose and slightly softer dusk light. The second last one has an issue with composition in my humble opinion. I don't mind the landscape format, but I'd rather have the couple looking into the frame, rather than out of frame, i.e., have the empty space to the right of the image rather than on the left.

Love their dogs too..wish they were used more :-(

[Carlos05]

Thanks again! I'm going to continue learning from you guys and everyone else here and hopefully I'll have another chance to do something like this so that I can try to hopefully get better.

[Meaty0]

Follow Bob Lay's comments closely! He knows stuff!! :D

[DrFil]

err...why does it say Content Protected by Owner on each of the pictures? I can't see any of them.

[Carlos05]

My apologies about that...I was messing with a new lightroom action that adds borders and watermarks and I uploaded it to replace the current pictures on my website inadvertently deleting the pictures here. I will go ahead and replace them.

[grimm5577]

the only "problem" i see (which isn't much of a problem) is that in the example posted the ladies face seems to be caught in the shadow of the mans face. which leaves the lady either looking like she is dark or the man looking like he is blown out. if you had a flash it would have been great to use it as fill light to reduce the shadows.

[DrFil]

i like the pictures with the dachshunds. the first picture is good but you should've had the girl move a bit forward so she had some sun on her face as well instead of being in the shadow of the guy.