not a pro just need some CC

These were made for a girl whose graduating from highschool after a really rough life and being raised by her aunt who gave her some much needed guidence... they have no money to spend on photos (so I am not taking work away from a local photog) so I did these as a favor to my daughter who asked me to help them out... just some honest CC would be nice... thanks...

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I think the skin tones need work plus get close to your subject(s)....too much pointless background going on. Don't be afraid to get up close and fill the frame. Then if you want to do some person in their environment type shots, pick good locations and compose wisely.

On the bottom shot the right side could be cropped more, however she's looking off at god knows what. She's not in the picture so to speak. She's totally divorced from the gentleman...her eyes say nothing...her face says nothing...if anything she looks worried.

Which brings me to watch how you pose your subjects. I know its a bit difficult to juggle all the many things that need attention while your concentrating on just pulling off a shot, but its necessary. Maybe making a checklist might help in it becoming second nature.

Sounds like its a kind and generous thing you're doing. Best of luck.

Thanks GtrPlyr... yeah I have alot to learn... these are just a few we took... so you think I need to leave more of the background scenery out? and what can I do to improve the skin tones? she is very fair skinned and I seem to have trouble with this...

focus.pocus wrote in post #12542803
Thanks GtrPlyr... yeah I have alot to learn... these are just a few we took... so you think I need to leave more of the background scenery out?

You're welcome.

In a word. yes. Usually when you look at pictures taken by an average person, ya know, snapshots, you'll always see the people they are taking a picture of being in just a small portion of the entire picture.

However, like I say. If you have a nice location that is interesting and can add to the story of the shot, then by all means do it.

Maybe her alone or with her boyfriend together on the proverbial wooden bridge over the stream or on a bench under next to and under a tree in the fall whose leafs are turned colors, if it was that time of the year for example....maybe a a gazebo...whatever in a park or some place like that. Take the shots so you grab the surrounding environment but obviously not so far away that you can't tell who your people are, right. Then move in closer and have them take up more of the frame...a third...a half....then get up real close...fill the face and bust in the frame,(vertical shot) then fill the face in the frame...


Here I did a quick crop of how I'd view the images for example, working with what you got.

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the people in the BG on the second picture are slightly distracting, the third is a little underexposed and you might want to play with the temp on that one in PP. I agree with GtrPlyr on cropping. The first two are exposed perfectly IMO.

The middle one is too busy. Try cropping in. Also, I'd shorten the focal plain to draw the eye more to the girl (in all). The grads smile looks a little strained in all of the pictures, let her know it's okay to smile (joke, catch her when she's not posing, etc.). First shot is a keeper. Did you pose her with the boy looking in different directions or is that some subliminal messaging from the grad? Nice thing you're doing.