First serious portrait work

Moab Man

Senior Member
Appreciate feedback on this photo. Indoors flash portraits are not my thing so any feedback with suggestions as to how I might correct it would be greatly appreciated.

Exif
D600
f/7.1
1/200
ISO 100
Tamron 90mm
Bounced off 2 umbrellas


MikPortraitDay90Web.jpg
 
Last edited:

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Nice lighting and catch lights in the eyes. The only thing I see you could do would be to blur the background creases and maybe vignette it a bit darker to emphasize your subject.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Thanks Marcel.

I threw up a sheet out of the closet. When I do this for real, in a week, I have a real backdrop to set up.

Thank you again.
 
Last edited:

Krs_2007

Senior Member
Yep, I think it would help to pull her away from the backdrop. Also, was there any post processing done on this. I am seeing a tint of yellow across her shoulders that I dont see on her arms. Could be a reflection or WB.

I like the eyes, the pose and framing. The only thing I would suggest is crop to remove her knew in the bottom right.

All in all looks good and something I need to get off my butt and try.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
Something I learned from a friend... meter for the subject, then put a light on a lighter background like that to get it to slightly overexpose. It helps the wrinkles/creases in any background disappear, although with the lighter attire, maybe a darker background? Also, for portraiture, I agree with Marcel's comments about a bit more vignette.

GREAT lighting on your model! Make sure you get the chatter rolling so they come across "natural" in their pose!
 

RON_RIP

Senior Member
Some photographers use a small step ladder to gain a little height one the subject so that they are looking up slightly at the lens. this can catch there eyes a little better. Pretty good lighting though.
 

Jonathan

Senior Member
For me, it's too stiff and stark. You've got her face nicely but seem to have lost her body, which seems posed in an awkward (to her) way that doesn't flatter. Maybe the dress is wrong, too. I agree about losing the background creases (looks amateur). I know I don't do this for a living but someone on here (wud?) suggested natural poses are better and I agree. I was asked a few months ago to take some snaps of my newly born nephew in my house. The mother started posing and I broke and said no and got everyone to joke around. The result isn't great but is better than the ones she wanted. I guess that, in my head, capturing the moment captures the essence of the person in that moment. Unless, of course, a striking face or character lends itself to a more formal pose.

A thought, did you spend any time making her at ease or did you go straight into the shoot?

Overall, I like but I think it's too stiff, and the lighting reflects that. I'd crop this to head and shoulders and I'd be happy. But, like I said, I don't do this for a living so be happy coming right back at me.
 

Mike D90

Senior Member
I think the yellow on her shoulders is reflection from her hair. To me this is a great shot. All I would change is maybe have her holding a small flower bouquet just to give her hands a more natural pose instead of them placed together on her lap. Or just crop a bit higher.
 
Last edited:

Moab Man

Senior Member
I appreciate all of the feedback.
@Jonathan @Pretzel I agree on the stiffness. My daughter was really angry and still mad at me because I had got on her last night and wow did it transfer to this morning and you can see it in her "I'm helping but I don't have to be happy about it!" I reluctantly used her because I needed to work out my lighting so I just had to deal with the angry I don't want to be here poses.

Agreed on that backdrop, looks horrible. Didn't want to break out and set up the big eight foot across backdrop. Had to settle for the closet folded sheet - I can fix that pretty easily.

I too thought I was seeing a tinge of yellow on the shoulder. It was her hair. I meticulously removed/lessoned that same yellow cast from in her neck area, but left the shoulder to see if everyone else was seeing the same as me. I was afraid I had stared at it too long and was imagining the yellow cast.

My biggest challenge, with her, is keeping her eyes open. I easily shot 50 photo's and got four with her eyes open. The rest she looked stoned or were flat closed. To get the few with her eyes opened required her opening her eyes stupid big and I would catch them on the closing blink. She can't keep her eyes open with a flash for nothing.
@mikeD90 I like the idea of a flower. She fiddled with her hands not knowing what to do with them and she is comfortable with me.

Any thoughts on the position of her inside of the framing of the photo? I though she might need a little more space above her head and body positioned a little more to her right inside of the photo area.

Again, thank you everyone for input.
 

Jonathan

Senior Member
Space is perfect for me.

Thank you for taking my thoughts in the spirit intended. Quite a rare attitude, even on this great site.
 

RON_RIP

Senior Member
I think you should reframe exactly as you suggest and eliminate that little bit of knee that is showing. the flower would be a great touch. The framing can be opened up with that lens by taking one step back. I would be very hesitant to tackle portraits but you have jumped in and are off to good start.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Space is perfect for me.

Thank you for taking my thoughts in the spirit intended. Quite a rare attitude, even on this great site.

You're very welcome. I hate it myself when people ask for feedback and then try to argue for what they did after THEY requested the feedback.

I felt the stiffness you saw, but wasn't sure if it was just me because I was the target of her anger or if it was really coming through. I have done outside portrait work with her before, and she is fabulous to shoot, but obviously not when she is angry.

Thank you again.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
The framing can be opened up with that lens by taking one step back.

Oh how I would have loved to, LOL. If you could have seen me. Rather than taking my setup outside to my studio where I do video, I just set it up in the social visiting room. I was literally climbing up the couch (don't tell the wife) and then squatting low as I had run out of room to back up any further. :)
 

Krs_2007

Senior Member
Oh how I would have loved to, LOL. If you could have seen me. Rather than taking my setup outside to my studio where I do video, I just set it up in the social visiting room. I was literally climbing up the couch (don't tell the wife) and then squatting low as I had run out of room to back up any further. :)

Hello, don't tell the wife.... Did you forget she is a member here?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

WayneF

Senior Member
My biggest challenge, with her, is keeping her eyes open. I easily shot 50 photo's and got four with her eyes open. The rest she looked stoned or were flat closed. To get the few with her eyes opened required her opening her eyes stupid big and I would catch them on the closing blink. She can't keep her eyes open with a flash for nothing.

Guessing, but it seems reasonable. Was that using the Nikon Commander and TTL? Commander seriously causes blinking. It is NOT her, it is most people, and you were lucky to get four. :)

The easy answer is to use FV Lock. Push the FV Lock button and it does the command flashing and preflashing, and gets the blinking over with, and "Locks" that flash exposure. Then in a couple of seconds, you push the shutter button to to simply do the final flash and take the picture, no blinking. Read the camera manual (FV Lock) and learn about the L shown at bottom left of the view finder to tell you when exposure is locked (it times out with the viewfinder timeout, and becomes unlocked). You need to know that L. You can keep shooting as long as you have the L (locked).

Lighting ratio is a choice, and apparently your choice was to have none. Equal flat lights is the common beginners mistake. There is hardly a trace one of any shadow anywhere in your picture (I am speaking of the pleasing gradient tonal shading on the face - there is none). Such shadow gradient toning is intentional to show shape and adds interest - called lighting ratio.

It would improve your picture artistically if the light on camera left was turned down, at least -1.5 EV. I say left because her face is turned to camera right. This would darken her right cheek, to become "Short Lighting", which would help quite a bit. Equal lights is normally NOT a plus. :)

Assuming Commander (?), put one light in Group A and one in B, so they can be controlled individually. Then in Commander menu, set compensation for the one group on camera left to -1.5. Maybe -2 EV. This depends on spill. If using shoot-through umbrella, tremendous room spill, and maybe -3 EV. I would use reflected white umbrellas, up close (Technically, the fill light goes back very near the lens axis, often behind and above the camera). If in a large room with distant walls and little spill coming back, then less ratio holds accurate, maybe -1.5 EV, but spill weakens ratio.
 
Last edited:

Moab Man

Senior Member
Tonight, I sat down and played with WayneF's suggested adjustments to my lighting. The suggestions were really spot on. The funny part is the teenage demographic. I dialed in the shadows, and got pleasing results. However, in focus group testing - a bunch of teenage girls, they all liked the super bright over the cascading shadows. And I repeatedly heard, "that's how all the cheerleader photos are done." Why fight it, if that's what girls are liking then that's what they like. The photos are for the girls, not me.

So I think this is where I'm going to settle. For the girls, I think I will go with the super bright, but with the real backdrop.

Then, for the boys, I will use what I learned from WayneF regarding lighting adjustment and shadows. I don't imagine the boys will be into the super bright cheerleader look.

Everyone's help has been greatly appreciated and what I am learning from everyone will go towards a good cause. A friend here on the forum asked why my sudden rush and drive to learn the portrait flash stuff and I figured I might as well share with the rest of you as you may be wondering and in the end I will never get to show my work.

I was hired to travel to Idaho and shoot a "prom" at a "school." This school is private and has a combination of abandoned kids as well as we'll say trouble challenged kids that they are trying to get back on the straight and narrow. A local church here in Utah, that is sponsoring this prom, saw my outdoors portrait work and wanted to hire me to shoot the kids all done up for the make shift prom they are throwing them. Ideally, we will be shooting outside. However, I hope for the best and plan for the worst. Worst being that the weather does not cooperate.

First, these kids have been crapped on in life every which way imaginable. They do not know this prom is happening for them. The church here wants this to be something very special for these kids and I don't want the kids let down on my end. Like I said, the prom is a surprise and they have no clue. All the formal wear and everything is being brought for the kids. A couple chef's are coming in to cook them a five star meal, etc... And I'm going to shoot the kids all done up.

Second, if the weather does not cooperate, I need to be prepared to shoot indoors. My local camera shop that does my print work threw in a large backdrop for me to use and is giving me all prints at cost for these kids. Although, I don't think they will charge me anything.

Third, man this is costing me a fortune LOL. I told them I couldn't accept their money as I could use any brownie points available towards getting in good with the big man upstairs :) . Yet being prepared for indoors shooting meant I had to purchase knew equipment for indoors flash photography - specifically umbrellas.

With all that said, I need to work my bottom end off to learn flash indoor portrait work. If the weather God's are good to me, then I will be in my element - outdoors. Otherwise, I will be prepared for the worst.

And the reason my work will never be seen? It's for the protection of these children. Each kid will receive their own picture and then I will be destroying everything. Van Gogh cut off his year, I will destroy all my work :( . What must be done must be done.

So once again, thank you everyone for your input. From the technical skill advice; to the it's just my opinion. All comments have helped immensely.

 
That is wonderful. And also a good reason to learn something that is not normally in your realm. I hope you are training the LADY to be a good assistant. My wife used to work with me when I shot weddings many decades ago. She would set up equipment while I set up people and would then go get the next set of people ready for me when I got through with the photos I was taking. MAde it go so much smoother. Same would hold true with what you are shooting.
 
Top