First Try: Family Portaits and Modeling Photos

[jtimmons]

Here is my first attempt at this sort of photography.....
Please give me as much critique and criticism as possible!!!!!

I am thinking about doing a wedding for a friend of mine in December. She doesnt have the money to afford a photographer, but I am nervous...

My Uncle's family portrait
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Christmas Card Pictures

(7)

(8)

Avery's Pictures for Acting Agency

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Take it for what it's worth because I'm certainly no expert.

I like the color and I love the rustic background.

I personally don't care for the poses where the subjects are looking away from the camera with the exception of #13. Maybe it's because they don't look natural, not certain. However, I like all of the ones where they're looking.

I would also like to see more closeups, or some cropping samples on these.

I like the first Christmas picture a lot. The second one doesn't capture the detail that the first does. (Can you tell I like closeups?)

Overall, nice job!

 

[dburg30]

Any chances to get links to more origianal size / not so compressed pics?

I'm trying to decide if it's my eyes this AM, the amount of compression used, or if your lens soft focuses.. I'm sure it's due to the compression.

I'm for sure no expert either, but while I love, as the other poster did, the 'setup', there's just something with the color and something else 'missing' to me.

 

[jtimmons]

It is as you said, the compression of the picture, they are very crisp and clear on my computer (taken with a D50.) I did saturate the pictures just a hair, but Im not sure if that is what is causing the dislike in the color.

 

[crazydadguy]

It seems like there is a color cast difference between photos 5 and 6, and photos 9 and 10. Is this intentional or a result of post processing?

 

[Geoff_M]

Except for photos 5, 7, 11 and 12, I'd crop them a lot tighter. I understand you want to show the rustic background (nice, btw), but I think you're showing a little too much of it at the expense of your subject(s). As far as exposure/lighting goes, they look pretty good, except for #5 (too dark), and #8 (direct flash look kills it for me).

 

[jtimmons]

This was my first time shooting RAW also (forgot to mention)....

I did the post processing on each individual picture until I got what I liked....obviously I'm not that good at matching them picture by picture.

P.S. what tips do you have on making all of a set look similar in color and exposure when shooting in RAW.

I did like the warmer color of #10, but number 5 and 6 was unintentional.

JT

 

[jtimmons]

Crazydadguy...

DIdn't notice how dark #5 was, thanks for pointing that out...

#8 wasn't taken with a flash, the majority of the light was from a glass door to the right of the picture (thus the bright edges on the leather chair and faces) but I did increase shadows and highlights in Picasa, could this have made the effect of a direct flash???

 

[MICKEY88]

I agree with 2 points already made,



1. crop closer, but not with the camera, it's always good to shoot wide and then crop via pc, gives you more latitude for cropping to different sizes...plus you can always crop a lot easier than adding body parts in if you accidentaly chop one off..

2. eyes are very important an occasional shot looking away is OK, but usuallyy it's good to have the person looking into the camera, espacially with model shots, when viewing a portfolio eyes are very important, you never want to see that much of the whites of the eyes..

3. in shot 1, there is something about 2 pairs of legs being horizontal and
one vertical that just doesn't work for me personally

 

[SharonLowe]

This was my first time shooting RAW also (forgot to mention)....

I did the post processing on each individual picture until I got what I liked....obviously I'm not that good at matching them picture by picture.

P.S. what tips do you have on making all of a set look similar in color and exposure when shooting in RAW.

I did like the warmer color of #10, but number 5 and 6 was unintentional.

JT

For all the photos taken at the same place and in the same light, you should be able to match the white balance (tint and temperature) and possibly the exposure. I use ACR in CS but from another post, you use Picasa so I don't know what raw processor you are using or its capabilities. There are other things in CS3 that I know would work too but again, I can't speak to Picasa.

I agree with other comments - too many looks outside the frame - makes the viewer wonder what is over there; some look sharper than others - you are shooting raw so you will need to do some sharpening but don't overdo it - try to keep it off the skin; get closer so we see more of the people and less of the surrounding; Christmas tree photos - cut but the first has large overexposed areas and a funny color and the second is too flat and far away. Pictures for acting agency - they will want head shots, straight on, and all shots should be her looking a the camera - moods are okay but they too will wonder what she is looking at. Final point - dark clothes and dark hair need other light to bring them out. It looks like it could have been an overcast day which made everything blend and look flat. You need to use fill light and also try for better natural light - filtered shade is the best - some sun but not overhead and harsh.

You've done a pretty good job, especially for a first time. Doing good portraits takes a lot of work so keep practicing and look for books you can read about posing, lighting, etc.

 

[Miss Kelly]

Cute poses, but they all appear blurry or out of focus to me. I looked at your EXIF data and your shutter speed was too low. My hands are terribly shaky and I have to have my shutter at least 125 or higher.

 

[jtimmons]

They are not blurry at full resolution, I used a tripod. The blurryness is caused by the compression at photobucket.

JT

 

[jann1033]

i know nothing about posing shots etc so i just agree with the others but the only thing i thought of was in the shot number 4, the angle is not very flattering for the woman. it's hard to think of everything but i was thinking more about posing at the wedding, you don't want them to hate the photos due to showing off some less than flattering trait like we all have. is there anyone else who could help you with the wedding btw? that just seems like such a big important undertaking it would make me really nervous to be responsible for the whole thing.