Trying me in Portrait

Hi,

I'd like to get more into Portrait photography.
This is one of my first portrait with the 85 1.8 and wanted some feedback and advice about how to improve.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/dominique_a/8​602312073/

A bit overexposed, I'm sorry to say. Try working on your lighting. This has the deer-in-the-headlights look of a shot taken with on-camera flash. This seldom works for portraits. The background is nicely un-distracting. So you've got that down.

Slightly overexposed, but nothing is blown out.

To work on the lighting, start working with off camera flash. That will help take the "flatness" out of the picture and light one side more than the other. A pleasing lighting ratio is 1:3 (one side of the face is metered at 3 stops brighter than the other). Start by going for that effect and then build on it with 1:4 ratios, multiple lights, and venues.

Thanks for sharing!

You are right guys, I used my 430EX II on my camera to shoot.
Thanks for you advice, I'll try to use them asap.

It appears that you were in a room with light colored walls; if you had just turned your flash head around to bounce the light off the wall behind you (or to the side) the result would have been much more flattering. Take a look at this website: Flash photography techniques (you can go through the techniques by following the list of links on the right side of the page).

PixelMagic wrote in post #15772786
It appears that you were in a room with light colored walls; if you had just turned your flash head around to bounce the light off the wall behind you (or to the side) the result would have been much more flattering. Take a look at this website: Flash photography techniques (you can go through the techniques by following the list of links on the right side of the page).

Thanks for the link.
In fact, I was outsde my girlfriend's parents house (next to the door).
I could'nt turn my flash behind (no wall to bounce the light) but I'll try next time to turn it above.

Just as an FYI, you can control your 430EX II wirelessly with your 7D. Get a cheap light stand, a cheap umbrella, and a cheap speedlight mount for the light stand and it ll make a world of difference in the quality of your shots.

Auen wrote in post #15775278
Just as an FYI, you can control your 430EX II wirelessly with your 7D. Get a cheap light stand, a cheap umbrella, and a cheap speedlight mount for the light stand and it ll make a world of difference in the quality of your shots.

Yes I know about this features on the 7D.
Thanks for your advice.

shoot RAW and use Light room, you could have that looking supremo in about 30 seconds.

Bruce R Leech wrote in post #15776385
shoot RAW and use Light room, you could have that looking supremo in about 30 seconds.

Sep. I'll try to process it again.

Good focus, sharpness, DOF selection though

You're about 1 stop overexposed...pull it back and you'll have the basic file for additional post processing.

If you authorize image processing I'll demonstrate what can be done.

PixelMagic wrote in post #15778925
You're about 1 stop overexposed...pull it back and you'll have the basic file for additional post processing.

If you authorize image processing I'll demonstrate what can be done.

Authorized.
Thanks in advance.

LeeRatters wrote in post #15778891
Good focus, sharpness, DOF selection though

Thanks but I have a lot to learn as you can see (and read ^_^).

blackjack999 wrote in post #15778941
Authorized.
Thanks in advance.

You can authorize all images you post by turning on the option in your user profile.

To do this, click on the User CP link at the top of the page (within the blue bar). Once there, click on the Edit Profile link witin the menu tree on the left side of the page. Toward the bottom of this page, there is a section labeled Additional Information - it's the first option.

Doing so will create text that displays just below your user name which says "IMAGE EDITING OK" like I have over there
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This text tells others that it's OK for anyone to attempt their own edits on your images.