Photoshoot in the morning

Hi Guys


I am looking for some constructive feedback here and also ideas about post-processing for the pictures. I took some shots at around 11AM in the morning. The challanges I faced are as follows.

• Tourists around the area and I tried to use a shallow DOF to blur them out, this meant on my 1.8 50mm lens, the brightness was washing out the pictures and removing details.
  
• No reflector (Ordered one now).
  
• No light meter (thinking of buying one but not sure if there are cheaper alternatives than sekonic)
  
• Fiddling with settings by me, anytime we changed the location, this means that I need to work out what setting to use as my camera meter wasnt effective.
  

I am crap without wacom, thus I could not spend a lot of time on the pic for the sakes of myself , but first pic could be saved, if not for massive highlight loss.

I feel that the pose in the first is awkward, and I don't really like the crop. Everything is blown out, with some work it can be an OK picture as shown before me. The second picture (for me) would go into the trash bin. Again, the crop is odd and you are using direct flash. She also has a tower growing out of her head. The people are very distracting. The background is too in focus. I would use a longer focal length next time to help minimize the background.

You should diversify your lens lineup. You have an 18-55, 17-50, and a 50mm.

You are out practicing, keep at it!!! Everyone here will help you along the way .

OP does not have "image editing OK on" as of this post we should respect that

damn, didn't check. sorry, OP! :]

I agree with Ratjack. I'm guessing that the only reason to compose #1 like that with all the empty sky is that you haven't yet learned how to choose a focus point near the top of the frame? I don't know what camera you're using, but for what it's worth, I use Custom Function C.Fn-13 (1) to put the focus points on my joystick (multi controller) which makes it easy to switch when things are moving fast or other situations where I need an off-center point.

As for "No light meter", look at this: Post #47 & then read this: Need an exposure crutch?

PhotosGuy wrote in post #16610331
I agree with Ratjack. I'm guessing that the only reason to compose #1 like that with all the empty sky is that you haven't yet learned how to choose a focus point near the top of the frame? I don't know what camera you're using, but for what it's worth, I use Custom Function C.Fn-13 (1) to put the focus points on my joystick (multi controller) which makes it easy to switch when things are moving fast or other situations where I need an off-center point.

As for "No light meter", look at this: Post #47 & then read this: Need an exposure crutch?

Hi,

I have a Canon 500D, I dont understand what you mean by choose a focus point near the top of the frame, I use evaluate metering and basically focus on the red dot onto the eyes of the subject, so I try to aim the red doting light on the eyes of the subject.

Do you have any tutorials on how to do this ?
I tried to read the post on what to do without a light meter, is really hard to digest. I think a light meter might just work best for me, also it poses another problem, what about if you are using a flash, the problem with the flash is that there is nothing to measure/meter until it fires.

Also on the question of diversifying my range of lens, for now I want to focus more on portrait type shots, what other kind of lens can I go with to suit this ? 18-135mm lens, will this be any good ?

Thanks in advance.

platforminc wrote in post #16613155
I have a Canon 500D, I dont understand what you mean by choose a focus point near the top of the frame,

Google: focus points "Canon 500D" = https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=1Ke1f5VMATU

My 1-cent flash "meter" in images 5S & 6S works on the same principal: Simple 2 Light Portrait Set-up

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Budget? The 50mm f/1.8 is cheap. IMO the 85mm f/1.8 is better.