STICKY:  How to photograph a high school Senior - Part 2

bryzf1 wrote in post #19002811
Man, honestly when I first started in this thread back in like 2014/2015 I was so hesitant to post, I felt like me work was garbage compared to the work posted here. I just kept at it and starting only comparing my work to my previous work instead of everyone else. It helped me a ton and I feel like I've improved leaps and bounds in the last 5 years, but still need so much more work! Now I just need to improve my landscape work to get on your level!

It took me a long time to get to that point, but that's what it's really all about, being better than the last time. When we get complacent and stop "working" to get better, that's when we fail ourselves. Similar to TRhoads, my "field of expertise" def isn't portrait work!! lolol. I spent nearly two decades doing motorsports before remotely considering portrait work. I have good sessions, some great sessions, and from time to time, some not so great sessions, lol. But I'm comfortable enough in my skillset to post my work, and tough enough to handle good constructive critique.

Along the lines of the conversation, I understand my "style" isn't for everyone, Not nearly as slick, shiney, and polished as a lot of images posted here, but like it's been mentioned, my customers dig it, and it pays the bills, lol.
Here are a couple from a session this past Saturday.

rowdy wrote in post #19003110
Along the lines of the conversation, I understand my "style" isn't for everyone, Not nearly as slick, shiney, and polished as a lot of images posted here, but like it's been mentioned, my customers dig it, and it pays the bills, lol.
Here are a couple from a session this past Saturday.

That style works for that environment though...so it is good that you can see that it needs to fit the genre...cool session I am sure.

agreed! It definitely works and you're showing him off in his environment which is what it's all about!

I haven't posted here in over a year. Here are few that I've taken 2019. I'm not a big portrait photographer, I mainly do sports. However, 95% of my senior portraits are HS athletes.

1.

tmalone893 wrote in post #19003312
I haven't posted here in over a year. Here are few that I've taken 2019. I'm not a big portrait photographer, I mainly do sports. However, 95% of my senior portraits are HS athletes.

1.

2.

3.

Obviously the two young ladies are very pretty, and you've captured them well, but number one is crazy good! IMO. Love the lighting.

rowdy wrote in post #19003586
Obviously the two young ladies are very pretty, and you've captured them well, but number one is crazy good! IMO. Love the lighting.

Thank you very much!

fantastic shots! Love them!

I've always wanted to try my luck at a composite. I want to make it clear I did not profit from this photo as I started with one of the free templates from Shirk Photography website. They had a nice tutorial that shows how to get started doing this kind of work.
I have a student in my tech class that is graduating this year and I wanted to do something nice for him. I think this shot turned out well. Now that I see how everything works, I plan to shoot all my background layers myself and see if I can create my own templates.
Let me know what you think?

I think you did well layering him "inside" what ever that spray is, I just think the spray is too distracting. Your technique looks good.

Pigpen101 wrote in post #19006582
I think you did well layering him "inside" what ever that spray is, I just think the spray is too distracting. Your technique looks good.

Thanks, the template was called powder explosion. The school colors are green & white...

When you get finished with it, the last step I always do a black to white gradient map set to soft light at 20-25%. It seems to make everything blend together a bit better. Great job though I think. I've bought a few from Shirk myself.

rjharris wrote in post #19006634
When you get finished with it, the last step I always do a black to white gradient map set to soft light at 20-25%. It seems to make everything blend together a bit better. Great job though I think. I've bought a few from Shirk myself.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try that!

bsiegler wrote in post #19006569
I've always wanted to try my luck at a composite. I want to make it clear I did not profit from this photo as I started with one of the free templates from Shirk Photography website. They had a nice tutorial that shows how to get started doing this kind of work.
I have a student in my tech class that is graduating this year and I wanted to do something nice for him. I think this shot turned out well. Now that I see how everything works, I plan to shoot all my background layers myself and see if I can create my own templates.
Let me know what you think?

Hosted photo: posted by bsiegler in
./showthread.php?p=190​06569&i=i81722301
forum: People

To be your first attempt, I think you did great. Save this one and as you work on new ones, look back and you’ll be surprised how much better you have become. I always look at my earlier photography and I’m shocked of the past and present pics.

Please don't misunderstand me. I think you did a great job, it's the template that I question.