I got into photography, because I wanted to take amazing portraits...

*EDIT* I keep getting critiques on a 2 1/2 month old thread, so have updated it with the newer pics as well. Enjoy.

Just beginning:

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first two are okay.. if you had a reflector or something it could have been lighted better.

next two pics look bad with the pop up flash.

Hey ZenFox, can you post your EXIF data? They all seem OOF (out of focus). #1 and #2 are not bad considereing you lighting issues, but if they had some fill flash it would help a lot. #2 the face seems out of focus as does #3. What mode are you shooting in?

dwarrenr wrote in post #10731598
Hey ZenFox, can you post your EXIF data? They all seem OOF (out of focus). #1 and #2 are not bad considereing you lighting issues, but if they had some fill flash it would help a lot. #2 the face seems out of focus as does #3. What mode are you shooting in?

Sure.

#1 - 50mm
Exposure 0.001 sec (1/2000)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
Aperture Priority Mode

#2- 17-55mm (i thought it was 50)
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture f/6.3
Focal Length 43 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
Aperture Priority Mode

#3 85mm
Exposure 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 85 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash On, Fired
Manual Mode

#4- 85mm
Exposure 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture f/2.2
Focal Length 85 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash On, Fired
Manual Mode

what are your focal points? auto?

seems like the first image you were metering the bright background rather than the girl. esp at iso 200 1/2000... u could have been at iso 100.

3 and 4 are out of focus. set your focal point to center and focus on your subjects eye.

Yep, I left focal point on auto.

#1, the tree is in better focus that she is

#2, decent shot, needs fill flash. Watch your backgrounds, looks like odd tree limbs are growing out of her.

#3, blurry - shutter too slow

#4, blurry, better shutter perhaps camera shake?

ZenFox wrote in post #10731835
Yep, I left focal point on auto.

do a single point focal point, and focus on your subjects face/eye... if you leave it on auto it will try to balance the whole scene. for portraits you want your subject to have the proper exposure.

and it looks like you were doing it in broad daylight.. maybe try it when the sun is down a little or cloudy.. at wide open 1.8-4.0 on a 50mm the sun will overexpose everything.

Composition is good on the first two but the 2nd two are out of focus. Did you shoot the second two in aV mode or something? With your fast 85mm f/1.8 lens you should have been able to shoot the second series without a flash. Just bump the iso up until the images are in focus, also look at using a tripod as well. Aside from that the first two look great and they will look even better once you get your 430EX. The second two just seem to be improper settings on the camera causing blurred images.

All of them are soft. On the first two, it looks like the camera focused on the tree. The third one is blurry because of camera shake, and I don't know why the last one is blurry. If you select your own focus point and manually set your exposure settings, you will be able to greatly improve your shots.

OK I'm pretty sure I know what happened with the last two now. I was using the flash, so in manual mode the shutter speed wouldn't go higher. I wasn't able to hold the camera steady enough, and the end result: Blurry pictures.

Maybe...#3 was shot at 1/80...possibly some motion blur, but the second was 1/160th...unless you have really shaky hands, that would not be due to motion blur.

I like #2 best #1 looks good just the sky in background looks a little hot.

best critique thread title ever

rioni wrote in post #10984119
best critique thread title ever

Haha, I have to agree.

I wouldn't worry about these too much. The poses look forced, and the second model doesn't look very comfortable. The main thing is to keep shooting, and try different techniques.

Do watch these videos immediately:

Peter Hurley on headshots:

http://www.youtube.com …I&feature=playe​r_embedded

On directing models:

http://fstoppers.com …ednesday-rundown-9-15-10/

Watch these, go shoot, then watch the videos again. Try to figure out what these guys are doing that you aren't getting, and you will improve.