Would love some pointers on where to go

Really getting into taking pictures of people recently.
As you can see, I'm not that strong in the category.
Would love some feedback on this portrait + any other PP suggestions.

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I take it #1 is SOOC, and #2 is the PP edit, right?

#1 Looks like you missed focus.

If you did nail focus I think this picture would require little PP beyond tweaking in LR, DPP or whatever RAW processor you might use. It's already a nice shot, just under exposed I think. Even your PP is still under exposed a little.

After tweaking the RAW you could bring up the eyes a little more, but you don't want to risk making them look unnatural. I would think you would want to whites of the eyes to follow in with the rest of the shot. If anything you might consider just bring up the pupils slightly.

Kechar wrote in post #12258625
I take it #1 is SOOC, and #2 is the PP edit, right?

#1 Looks like you missed focus.

If you did nail focus I think this picture would require little PP beyond tweaking in LR, DPP or whatever RAW processor you might use. It's already a nice shot, just under exposed I think. Even your PP is still under exposed a little.

After tweaking the RAW you could bring up the eyes a little more, but you don't want to risk making them look unnatural. I would think you would want to whites of the eyes to follow in with the rest of the shot. If anything you might consider just bring up the pupils slightly.

I was shooting at f/2.8, I guess it leads to more chances of misfocus
will try to play with the exposure. I did notice his white collar would blow out a little if I bumped the exp up.

Blowing out the collar is not a huge deal.

Were you spot metering and center point focusing with AI-Servo off and focusing on the eyes?
You should be able to nail focus at 2.8 easily at 200mm.

Kechar wrote in post #12259194
Blowing out the collar is not a huge deal.

Were you spot metering and center point focusing with AI-Servo off and focusing on the eyes?
You should be able to nail focus at 2.8 easily at 200mm.

Spot metering yes on his cheek.. where should i properly meter from?


I should have been on AI-Servo as my camera is still on that setting.. I may be wrong though. The image did look pretty soft just thought it was the 200mm @ 2.8

Your at 200mm f2.8, but you're far enough back to get as much of him as you did.

Focus on the eyes. Especially with a small DoF. You want the eyes in focus!

If you were shooting that 70-200L f2.8 IS his eyeball should be smokin sharp I would think! Even if you were handheld the IS should really help in that respect. You probably had room to up the ISO a good bit too!

Nicely done - I like the edit too.

The whites of his eyes are a bit bright in the edit and I don't really care for the extreme eye position but a rather nice job. YOu might try turning his right shoulder a bit towards you so he isn't looking quite so far to the left.

The eyes should be in focus

maybe tone down the redness in his ears. The fold of skin on his neck is too prominant for me - my eyes go right too it. PP it a bit too.

Here is another attempt I played around with today.

NeutronBoy wrote in post #12265100
maybe tone down the redness in his ears. The fold of skin on his neck is too prominant for me - my eyes go right too it. PP it a bit too.

I noticed the ear too, how would I go by fixing this? layer it and what would I do after that?

i think I can clone out the flap of skin on his neck.

thanks!

the composition is there. add some 'preset's' to it. According to Disney ppl don't like normal/real. Give it the toy camera/vintage effect. Go the 50mm f1.4 picture sample archive; check out that BNEarle or Jordan Voth person.

^lol. I liked the 2nd pic and the PP after the original. The first I was thinking could use some work, unless you want to leave it original.