First attempt using flash on a sunny day

Not bad..my personal preference would to be turn the power down on your flash so it doesnt look like you are using flash...and maybe open up the exposure on the background and perhaps since you are showing so much of the background as if it is an element in the photo...it should be more in focus.....more depth of field..

nice exposure, I think its a flattering balance.
but the things you missed out on are very important when youre out there doing this.

DarenM wrote in post #16218808
Not bad..my personal preference would to be turn the power down on your flash so it doesnt look like you are using flash...and maybe open up the exposure on the background and perhaps since you are showing so much of the background as if it is an element in the photo...it should be more in focus.....more depth of field..

Thank you for the reply. I don't completely like the framing but I tried a 1x1 crop and it looks pretty nice so I might go that route.

ohhbekay wrote in post #16219581
nice exposure, I think its a flattering balance.
but the things you missed out on are very important when youre out there doing this.

Thanks!!! What things are you talking about?

the settings you said. if you wanted to blow out the bg more

ohhbekay wrote in post #16219980
the settings you said. if you wanted to blow out the bg more

Ah right right.. yeah I walked out my door with it @ 100 iso not planning on changing it - I think somewhere along the way I set it at Auto and forgot to change it back! A 1x1 crop looks nice, although I really try not to crop my photos. Will pay more attention next time!

I understand haha. we all do it. I just dont want that to blow your next time maybe thats all.

I like the light and colours

I like the balance. Not too crazy about the pose though and her shirt looks like it's falling off. I like the flower idea, but I think I would have incorportated her left hadn in there some how. Overall though I dig it.

The 'view of the face' is critical with portraits...full face, 2/3rd's and profile...
If you turned her head slightly away from the camera, you would have a great profile. You don't want to see the other eye.
Learn how to use your high speed sync for a shot like this and you can shoot wide open.
Light placement, choice of background and posing all come into play as well.

PipesInTune wrote in post #16227598
The 'view of the face' is critical with portraits...full face, 2/3rd's and profile...
If you turned her head slightly away from the camera, you would have a great profile. You don't want to see the other eye.
Learn how to use your high speed sync for a shot like this and you can shoot wide open.
Light placement, choice of background and posing all come into play as well.

I have to agree on the flash - high speed sync for closeup work is a wonder. Power drops off fast though. Simply expose for the BG and let the flash fill the foreground. Adjust FEC to taste.

Looks Great to me. You have a very even exposure on the highlights. And your background is not distracting. Great capture

first time but you're using it with ND's already. great job!

I like. Nice and three dimensional.