Trying out some portraits

C & C please. Still can't seem to get that nice solid picture.

#1) Fill light would have helped a lot on her cheeks and left side.
#2) Looks a bit soft or OOF, especially on her right side.

Both have blown out highlights. I like the composition of both, but i would probably crop some of the top off on #1. Maybe about 50% of what's above her head. Plus or minus a little depending on personal preference.

For some reason, when I see the word "portrait", it raises the bar in my mind for what I'm about to see. I think you did an acceptable job technically. The second shot "might" be a tad soft, but not a deal breaker. The composition in the first shot is great, the boken interesting, the rim light on her hair, the catchlights in her eyes, all are very nice. She has catchlights in her eyes as well and a very nice and relaxed smile. But the word "portrait" didn't match HER. it had nothing to do with you, but it looks more snapshotish because of what she was wearing perhaps. An old t-shirt and hair that is just pulled back in a messy ponytail, and no make up made it look like she went through zero effort and hurt the image in my mind. None of those three things would matter on their own, I suppose, but put them together and that is what is wrong with this image, to me. It has nothing to do with your work, but it colors my perception of the "portrait" I am about to view.

Haha, thanks. My wife was a reluctant model as I basically dragged her out so I can practice my photography. So I guess that explains her wardrobe and such. I was more concerned about the technical nature of my pictures, so hopefully that is improving.

The background is way too blown out for me and she could have used some fill light in the first photo.

If you were shooting during the golden hour (it looks like you were due to the warm color temperature in the highlights) instead of having her face away from the diffused sunlight that comes from the golden hour I'd have her face it slightly at an angle so that her face gets that nice warm diffused light and you don't get blown highlights from trying to shoot her facing away from the sun with no fill light to control her exposure versus the backdrops exposure.

I think I used the on-camera flash for both pictures. Maybe not cutting it?

So in that environment, I noticed the camera was underexposing her face. So I bumped up the EV a bit. It was still underexposing her face but not as badly, but was overexposing the background quite a bit. So I used the flash to try to brighten up her face a bit.

Assuming that was the correct technique, maybe I need to let the camera meter for the background, and just use a more powerful flash to compensate?

The other thing is I might have just chosen a bad background. There's a really long white wall there along with windows on that building that are reflecting the light.

If you're using all natural lighting with no modifiers, then you should choose a darker backdrop than your subject, shoot during the golden hour with her facing the sun at an angle so that it fills in her face. I would never use the built in flash by the way.

If you want to get into flash photography my suggestion would be a Yongnuo Speedlite 560 ii, a Wescott Lighting Stand/Umbrella light kit they they have on amazon, and a set of rechargeable double AA's (4 needed for flash). With that a lone you'll be able to increase the quality of your lighting and thus pictures drastically.

The light kit would be an excellent source of key light for your subject and you can darken/brighten your backdrop raising or lowering your shutter.

Sovern wrote in post #15042639
If you're using all natural lighting with no modifiers, then you should choose a darker backdrop than your subject, shoot during the golden hour with her facing the sun at an angle so that it fills in her face. I would never use the built in flash by the way.

If you want to get into flash photography my suggestion would be a Yongnuo Speedlite 560 ii, a Wescott Lighting Stand/Umbrella light kit they they have on amazon, and a set of rechargeable double AA's (4 needed for flash). With that a lone you'll be able to increase the quality of your lighting and thus pictures drastically.

The light kit would be an excellent source of key light for your subject and you can darken/brighten your backdrop raising or lowering your shutter.

Thanks, this is very helpful.

Basically touched on above when wardrobe was mentioned, but its always good to try to notice details that might detract from your subject..for example, in the second shot, her shirt is all wavy, wrinkled and a mess..and there's some ripples goin on with her skin where her wrist touches her arm. So as not to get that effect, or the bulge of skin that also happens when any muscle or fat is pressed, I think its good not to have the person press too hard like that because it might detract from the subject.

Make sure you tell your wife you appreciate her being a model for you!

My biggest complaint with these "portraits" are that they weren't taken in portrait orientation. Turn your camera vertically (better yet, get a grip for your camera so you have a shutter release in portrait orientation as well as landscape). With art, empty space has its place. But with portraiture, unless you plan on filling that space later with text/other design elements, a good rule is to fill the frame with your subject, not with the background.