portraits need critique

[charlie_merrifi]

I feel as if i am going backwards. I know practice makes perfect but what do you think. Maybe someone can do an edit on one or two of them and see if you can fix them.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/stick_flicker/IMG_2666.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/stick_flicker/IMG_2674.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/stick_flicker/IMG_2676.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/stick_flicker/IMG_2689.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/stick_flicker/IMG_2691.jpg

[LeuceDeuce]

You're lights are too close for a group shot. Take them back further, and pump up the power for a more even distribution of light across the group.

Watch the glare from the glasses too.

[charlie_merrifi]

thanks thats a good idea. Trying to get use to these new lights. I was also noticing a dark band on the pictures. left on some bottom on others. What would cause this.

[Bill Boehme]

Also, the muslin background is too close and has too much light on it. The creases don't look good. The people are staring too intently at the camera except for the kids who seem more relaxed.

[Clint]

Get further away from the back drop, one of my tips would be, do not fold your back drop, ball them up in a ball. Pull the lighting away from the subject and do you have an over head light? that would get rid of the shadows.

[charlie_merrifi]

had shoot thru umbrella right side slightly out front, and reflector umbrella on the left a 45 degrees

[rebeler]

Iron the sheet in the background it's very distracting to me otherwise I like the photos's

[Roy Mathers]

I think these need a bit of work, along the lines of the previous posts. The things that stand out to me are the bad reflections in the glasses, people's eyes looking everywhere but at the camera - and that creased background. And, in the first one, I think the dogs are far too dominant in the picture. Keep practising!

[nightcat]

The photos are well done, but that sheet has to go!

[breathless]

<snip>... I was also noticing a dark band on the pictures. left on some bottom on others. What would cause this.

Flash sync would cause this. Maximum flash sync on most dslr cameras are 1/200th, or 1/250th of a second. Check specs for your camera, then shoot at flash sync shutter speed or slower speeds when using flash.

[Bill Boehme]

One final thought: bad necktie! My eyes keep coming back it it like magnet. The color of the shirt also seems to be a bad choice. It clashes with the blue suit (red and blue, or shades of those colors shouldn't be used together). The shirt color is also bad because it seems to be too close to the skin tones and overpowers them.

[rhys216]

When the Op increases the distance from the subjects and the backdrop, could he not light the background with a speedlight with a diffuser on hidden behind the subjects to blow out any other creases and shadows that may still be visible, or be used if space between backdrop is an issue?
Could the light that bounces off the background also be used as a hair light if the ceiling is white also?

[Flo]

Holy Resurrection!