A couple of models...C&C please

Hey Folks!
Well I've finally muddled my way through most of the TFP shots that I've done over the last couple of weeks and I'm starting to work on the final prints now. The shots below are of two of the models of worked with...the first one is just getting started and the second lady is a "vet" to the modeling business.

Since I'm still learning all of this, I would be grateful for any comments, hints, suggestions, what works, what doesn't, etc., etc.. Both images were shot with my Rebel XT with a Tamron 28-80mm. The first shot I used my new generic 150ws monolight with a 16" softbox as the main, my Metz Mecablitz 30 BCT4 fired into a silver/gold umbrella a fill and my cheapy Bower for backlighting. F/5.6, 1/40 sec (handheld) at ISO 100. On the second shot, I used natural light and just the Metz fired into the same umbrella (for a little "mood"), f/10, 1/125 sec (also handheld), ISO 200. Both shots have a fair degree of PP and were beaten into submission in Photoshop.

Please feel free to be honest, brutal and detailed!

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First of all, I am not a portrait photographer by any stretch of the imagination so consider these as amateur comments. They are both very good, but I see a couple areas for improvement. On the first one, the lighting is good except that the detail is is lost on her hair because of it being too dark. The second one has some shadows on her face that are too dark. Also, I am thinking that it would look better if the crop at the bottom were different. Her arm is cut off just above the hand and I don't think that cutting off the body at the hips works well. Maybe half way between the hips and knees would be a better crop. I think that the model needs to find something to do with her right hand.

1.
I don't know if it's been done on purpose but it looks soft to me. I'd prefer to see strong, crisp image. I like the lighting and the pose though.

2.
I like it. Nice location. Nice shot.
IMO the shadows are too strong.
Good job mate

1) - The lighting on the model from camera right appears very blue compared to camera left.

2) a reflector or gelled light is needed on the model's face, per Bill's comment. Also to handle that shadow on her right underarm area. Not sure how I feel about the hair hanging in front of the model's face - sort of distracting.

Keep working it.

Kirk

I recommend not using photoshack or photobucket to share photos. Image quality is severely compromised which is why especially the first photo looks so soft and almost OOF.

Her right shoulder/arm looks awkward to me on #1. Otherwise both look like very good shots.

Thank you to everyone and special thanks to Bill about the lost detail in the hair in #1...I missed that (hence the reason for the C&C request!).

#1 is a tad bit soft....most of that was actually from pp. The model in that image is only 16 and as such has a little bit of a complexion problem and since I just got Portrait Professional, I wanted to give it a run thru. I may have to back the settings off just a tad bit more. I'll also adjust the crop a bit to take care of her awkward right arm.

On shot #2 there I had done a couple of different things with the lighting during the course of the shoot. I had actually liked the shadows on that particular shot as I thought it gave her look a little more of a "moody" look but I'll go back and take a second look at it.

Here's another shot from that same set... different lighting (no flash on this one) and different outfit on the model.

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Hi Jim,

#1 looks a bit flat to me... the frontal posture, lack of midground. The grey background forms a purple-tinged halo around her head (I've checked the colouration in the Gimp - it's not just a optical illusion) formed by the gradient doesn't seem uniform, and creates a tension. I also think her forehead's too bright for comfort, her facial is smoothed and brushed to the point of being a bit too soft and detailless. She appears to be looking above the camera and ruining the eye contact - emphasised by the whites of her right eye showing underneath, and I'm not sure about the framing with the right arm disappearing. Whilte the exposure throughout much of the picture is good - I just can't comfortably look at this picture.

#2: Looks "kill bill" to me - very self-conscious power-pose and gaze, especially with the head angled down and the purposeful squint. You've emphasised this with the path and grass angling in and the central positioning - well done. Definitely caught an attitude. Still, I think the hair over the eye compromises the shot, the shadowed left side of her face is too soft, and even the lower right side of her jaw is soft enough to make me wonder if she needs to shave. The underarm doesn't add much (in general I'm not adverse to a bit of underam, shaved or not - but with the arm down it's more wrinkles). Bill's spot on saying her front hand should be in the shot. The left arm seems to make a confusing contribution to the overall statement... there's definitely a potential "I'm ready for action" message in there, but she's leaning back ever-so-slightly which brings in a suggestion of "holding my tummy in".

#3: I'm more comfortable with the less posed look here, but the sunglasses are too much for me - it robs the viewer of any ability to connect deeply with the model, and there's not enough in the rest of the shot to be a subject in itself.

Regards, Tony

The blue sky in #3 looks like a painted wall. It is a "funny" blue in the context of the rest of the lighting and is too uniform from top to bottom. Also, the forced smile just looks ... uh, how shall I describe it ... how about "forced". It doesn't flatter her nose and overemphasizes some creases around the mouth.

Most of that was probably caused in pp. I really wasn't happy with the background in the original shot and I did a lot of burning and such to bring it closer to what I had wanted...and it was probably the burning that caused the purplish tint. When I go to do the final prints on these, I'll certainly re-address that and pay closer attention to the color variations there.

The softening too was a result of post...again this model was only 16 and has a bit of a complexion problem. When I go to do the final prints, I may have to address this manually. I agree that it does look over-processed.

Yea...I didn't want to say anything about that as I wanted to see if anyone else caught it, but it was distracting me too. Also the model made a comment about it when she saw the proofs so that will get "touched up" a bit when I do prints.

I guess I probably should have had a reflector in front of her to ease up the shadows just a tad, but we were shooting these in a park right on Lake Erie. It was only like 52 degrees outside that day with a pretty strong breeze coming in off the lake and this poor lady was freezing her butt off so I was trying to work as quickly as I could to get the shoot done. It's something I will certainly keep in mind for next time though.

I kind of have mixed feelings about that. The sunglasses were the models idea but I didn't really object to it. To me sunglasses are kind of like hats and such that they can add a different feel to the shots...a little character if you will. I can see your comment about the lack of connection with the model but I think there's also a degree of subjective context there. If this were an advertising shot for "Rayban Sunglasses" for example (which clearly it's not) with the exception of the sky, I think the shot would have worked perfectly.

Just thinking outside of the box a little here .

I agree on the sky...I'm still fudging with it. I may just go out the next semi nice day we have and shoot a different sky and then slice it in later. As far as the models smile goes...this was actually towards the end of the shoot and as I said to bill, it was only like 52 degrees out there that day and we were right up on the lake. The smile probably was more than a bit forced as the poor lady was -very- cold by this point. I wouldn't be suprised if she was actually gritting her teeth by this point! LOL!!! I was wearing a coat and was just comfortable...I know she had to be quite frigid.

Anyways, thank you everyone for the comments...I'm truly grateful! Definitely some things there I will keep in mind for the future! I have a second mono light on order and I have two more shoots lined up so I'll have plenty more questions and stuff to review over the next couple of weeks or so.

Peace,
Jim

not bad.. for starting out.. the jpg compression is a bit too high I think..