Some of my first portraits

Hi all!

I just got into flash photography the last couple of months. Been lurking around these forums for the last few weeks and finally decided to post.

These were all taken yesterday with a single speed light, YN467 off camera using cheap YN-603 triggers with a cheap amazon umbrella. Please let me know what you think and what I could improve on next time!

edit: figured out how to embed!

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/davidmtml/73724​81680/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/davidmtml/71872​51619/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/davidmtml/71872​51077/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/davidmtml/71872​50577/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/davidmtml/71872​50031/

Nice work Dave, energetic model, good sharp focus on the eyes.
Your background is a little distracting on a few like #7550 but the subject is nice and sharp, especially the eyes.

ps_n_dslr wrote in post #14579357
Nice work Dave, energetic model, good sharp focus on the eyes.
Your background is a little distracting on a few like #7550 but the subject is nice and sharp, especially the eyes.

Thanks.

I actually blurred the background more in photoshop on that one in particular...it was worse before!

nice sharp focus and colors

what was your flash power set to? I like that you didn't blow out the sky in the second pic.

PLLphotography wrote in post #14579416
nice sharp focus and colors

what was your flash power set to? I like that you didn't blow out the sky in the second pic.

I couldn't tell you exactly for each picture, but I was either 1/4 or 1/2 power for almost every shot.

doesn't look like it was terribly sunny. overcast?

about what time of day was it?

I used to have a strobe, and am reverting back to only speedlites for their portability, so still trying to work out the power difference between being used to the strobe

if I have one nitpik it's the first shot. one eye is in focus and the other falls just out of the focus plane. I do it all the time, as it's hard to really see on a small LCD screen. exif shows f/8, so maybe it's just my eyes. that should have been plenty enough dof to cover both eyes.

Dave: Great job on these! I recently bought a "budget" lighting setup that sounds quite similar to yours, and like you, it is my first foray into any kind of lighting more advanced than a speedlight mounted on the hot shoe.

Your pics #2 and #3 are exactly the primary thing I got the lighting setup for, hoping to make portraits pop a little more in less than perfect outdoor settings.

PLLphotography wrote in post #14579477
doesn't look like it was terribly sunny. overcast?

about what time of day was it?

I used to have a strobe, and am reverting back to only speedlites for their portability, so still trying to work out the power difference between being used to the strobe

Around 7:00 pm, was bright and sunny earlier but got real overcast as soon as we got to this location. Started raining not too long afterwards

PLLphotography wrote in post #14579482
if I have one nitpik it's the first shot. one eye is in focus and the other falls just out of the focus plane. I do it all the time, as it's hard to really see on a small LCD screen. exif shows f/8, so maybe it's just my eyes. that should have been plenty enough dof to cover both eyes.

Maybe I was frontfocused a little bit??

Very nice. Love her freckles.

plawren53202 wrote in post #14579511
Dave: Great job on these! I recently bought a "budget" lighting setup that sounds quite similar to yours, and like you, it is my first foray into any kind of lighting more advanced than a speedlight mounted on the hot shoe.

Your pics #2 and #3 are exactly the primary thing I got the lighting setup for, hoping to make portraits pop a little more in less than perfect outdoor settings.

Thank you!

It is really addicting isn't it??

Anybody else have any ideas for what I could do better??

Yea, Call it a day you did fine...Those are nice photos...Now go shoot and make a buck or two!...Seriously those are a really nice set. You should be proud of your work. Look forward to seeing more.

Nice work, the blending of flash and ambient well done.

It looks like you had a cooperative and cute subject, that always makes it a little easier.

Great job! Wow first time out and you nailed it! Don't you love how much more pop and easier pp is once you have more control of lighting? Beautiful everything in these photos! My only critique, which has nothing to do with your lighting or pp by the way, is that in one of them (not saying which) my eye is drawn to something other than what I think the intended subject is. Can you guess which one I'm referring to?