1st portraits

These were taken with a Fuji P&S box..F-440..set up on a tripod, we took them after dark, using a set of light diffusers i made from window screen frames and
nylon taffeta, the lights are cheap Wally world clamp lights with Soft white
75 w bulbs, and one 1000 W halogen lamp.

Opinions? Thanks in advance!

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please resize them to 800wide.

rules of this forum are 800pixels/res at the longest dimension

i'll comment on them after you resize, when i can see them all. thanks

For shots like this the eyes have got to be sharp. You need to use a tripod here I think?

As MattyB says, you've posted your pictures much too big. It's not at all easy to critique a picture that doesn't fit on my screen and I've no inclination to download and resize them just to view them.

Woops! Sorry! hang on...

Ok..screwed that up but good, huh?<LOL>

That's much better zopy I can see them in their entirety now and, although they're somewhat soft, I quite like them. Your subject has an interested expression which You've succeeded in capturing nicely.

I don't usually tend to favour cropping the top of portraits as much as you've done in your first picture but it seems to work in this instance.

Thanks snapman..I am the Uber Noob..I'm learning boat loads, and slavering in anticipation
of aquiring a decent camera. (20 D on the way..)

I messed around with my dads cameras years back, (Minolta X-700) but wasn't really interested until recently.

My model in these is my oldest daughter, and that child loves to be in front of a camera..
I'm blessed to have three cute daughters who like to ham it up!

I'm really pleased with my dirt cheap lighting solution..

You are so fortunate in having your daughters who'll gladly pose for you and, wow, you're also so lucky in having a 20D on its way to you. I want one but not until I've got hold of one of the new Canon 24-105 f4 IS L lenses. Do remember that a camera is only as good as the lens attached to it, so try to get at least one good one.

Razar sharp pictures are all the thing these days but I feel it's something of a shame that more people don't appreciate that a portrait often looks nicer and can be so much more flattering if it's softer.

I know what you mean about soft portraits..it is a bit passe..but I like it..especially for little girls who won't quite be still.. <LOL> The portrait mode of this little camera adds a bit of softness..

I'm not sure what lenses are coming with the camera (for review) so I'll have to see what I get. What I want is a Nifty Fifty, and like a 50-200 or thereabouts to start with. I've already located myself a nice 2x teleconvertor, and I'd like to have a decent Macro, or at very least an extension tube or two..

With the teleconverter, do read the sticky!

If it's a Canon or Sigma teleconverter, then it won't physically work on the 50 and 50-200 lens.
Also, you'll lose 2 aperture stops which will render your 50-200 quite useless without AF.
Third, the 1.4x teleconverters have better image quality than the 2x ones.
So ... read the sticky before spending any money here.

Best regards,
Andy

Thanks Andy, I will look it up.

Andy, that was some good info..I'm prolly gonna buy the thing anyway its a kenko..for like 30 bucks. Besides, they have a bunch of good minolta lenses, and I have a pair of X-700s on the way,
one for me to play with and one for my little brothers birthday, he's in a Photojournalism class
at school and needs a good SLR film box.. <excuses>

I think i found a new hobby..reading "stickies"!

"What I want is a Nifty Fifty, and like a 50-200 or thereabouts to start with. I've already located myself a nice 2x teleconvertor, and I'd like to have a decent Macro, or at very least an extension tube or two.." Yep you've got the bug.

I'd raise the lights so that they fall off from the top down, but that is just me. I do like the first one.