Senior Pictures

uhs_senior · October 28, 2008

I have had some of my pictures taken by my mom and posted them to my facebook and myspace profile for my friends to give me some opinions. One friend said that the pose that I had was kind of a "girly" pose. What do you think? The set of pictures can be found at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007493&l=584cb&id=1378990392 (You don't need a facebook account to look at them.) I will also post the picture in question here.

I am not finished taking pictures and will probably go back out a couple more times. Let me know if there are any changes that would produce a better picture?

Thanks in advance.

Wineman · October 28, 2008

Your friend is right
the photos on the river dont really help you, apart from the first, the poses are a bit girly... And i say that with the outmost respect. The rest of the pics are OK.

Good luck!!!

Z.

jayegirl · October 28, 2008

I am impressed by your willingness to get great pictures for your mom and yourself. Look here: http://jkmann.smugmug.com/gallery/6057673_NvijZ
for great tips.

I agree about working on the poses, wish I had some ideas but I haven't been too good at that myself. I had to take my son's pictures but hadn't found DGRIN at the time! They at least let me gauge my progress!
http://jayegirl.smugmug.com/gallery/1356887_RJu2v//64105248_7sr5U

zoomer · October 28, 2008

Sorry man, but I agree this is a bit of a girly pose.
Pretty much sitting poses without a girl have to be done just right for them not to look a little unmanly.
Try to put a little attitude into the shots..
Good luck!

WingsOfLovePhoto · October 28, 2008

I agree, kinda girly. I like the concept of the stream pictures but your poses aren't right for it. I like the school jacket but standing in front of a dense bush doesn't really allow for much bokeh or interest. Try to find a place that has different depths of things. Never stand exactly square to the camera. And as a guy don't clasp hands. When sitting you could try having one knee bend and the other curled under with your arm resting on the knee or your hand holding the front of it. Good luck, keep trying, you want the perfect senior picture to remember this time in your life!

uhs_senior · October 28, 2008

Thanks
Thank you for all of your great advice. I will try to take some more pictures and see how they turn out.

Keep the ideas coming please.

du8die · October 28, 2008

I guess I don't know what a "girly" pose is.

Of your set on Facebook, I like #15 the best.

That having been said, there are two things that I'd go after technically that would improve your shot. First, there is a very strong shadow under the right arm. It's pretty distracting. If you're shooting in strong light, but by a tree, be sure to watch the shadows and hot spots on the face and body. It seems that going out in the morning or the late afternoon helps this out a lot.

The second is this is a semi-full length shot, but the feet are cut off. I think if you can watch those things, it will greatly improve your shots.

Here's my rule of thumb. If you're going to chop off an arm or a leg, do it intentionally. If you don't have a reason to do it, don't do it.

You're well on your way. Keep it up, and keep us posted on the progress you're making. The people around here are extremely helpful and (for the most part) encouraging in their criticism.

uhs_senior · October 28, 2008

Thanks
I too liked number 15. I will try what the people on here suggest. I found that they are all reasonably nice in criticism that will build you up, not take you down. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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As for a girl type of pose, I really don't know what they meant either. I wanted some input on that. I think that they are meaning because of the way that I am sitting down (and some commented on the position of my hands).<o:p></o:p>

du8die wrote:

I guess I don't know what a "girly" pose is. Of your set on Facebook, I like #15 the best.

That having been said, there are two things that I'd go after technically that would improve your shot. First, there is a very strong shadow under the right arm. It's pretty distracting. If you're shooting in strong light, but by a tree, be sure to watch the shadows and hot spots on the face and body. It seems that going out in the morning or the late afternoon helps this out a lot.

The second is this is a semi-full length shot, but the feet are cut off. I think if you can watch those things, it will greatly improve your shots.

Here's my rule of thumb. If you're going to chop off an arm or a leg, do it intentionally. If you don't have a reason to do it, don't do it.

You're well on your way. Keep it up, and keep us posted on the progress you're making. The people around here are extremely helpful and (for the most part) encouraging in their criticism.

Cantfeelmyfingers · October 28, 2008

your head tilt is what's giving the 'feminine' look... In the photo you had posted, your head is tilted towards your 'higher shoulder' (the shoulder in closest to the camera, in this case..) giving you an "S" tilt... If you were to tip your head the other way, creating a "C" tilt, it's much more masculine and will completely change the look of your pose.

Scott_Quier · October 29, 2008

Check out The Zeltsman Approach to Traditional Classic Portraiture, paying particular attention to Chap 4 and 5. The photos are quite dated, but the concepts are, I think, timeless.

OK - you asked for it

uhs_senior wrote:

I am not finished taking pictures and will probably go back out a couple more times. Let me know if there are any changes that would produce a better picture?

The following is an attempt to help build you up and improve your technique - not tear you down. So, please take these comments in the spirit in which they are intended. WARNING - I really didn't pull any punches with this....

Some thoughts in no particular order:

Basic composition - Specifically, all your photos are very centered - your face is in the exact center of each of the photos. Investigate (google is your friend) the "Rule of Thirds".
Applying the Rule of Thirds will provide a opportunity to include more of the environment in your photos. If kept a bit OOF, this will add significant interest to the portraits.
Watch your light - looking at your gallery:
- #11 - you are in complete shadow except for your right elbow
- #12 - Same thing except it's your knees this time
- #13 - demonstrates a need for some fill flash to tame the high contrast in this shot;
- #17 - your background is much brighter than you are - drawing attention from you to the background. To fix, use some fill flash to balance the light on you with that in the background. Done right, you can get the light such that your background is somewhere between 1/2 and 1 1/2 stops darker than you are - much better for a portrait.
Hands in the pockets (see the first couple or three in your gallery) usually doesn't work. It can sometimes work to have one hand partially in the pocket and the other either hidden or doing something. This usually works best if the model is turns a bit from the camera.
#7 would work quite well with minimal adjustments: different placement of the model in photo and some better light (light here is quite flat and un-interesting).
Suggestion for a re-shoot of #17: Move camera back from the subject and fence to allow for a full-body shot. Model places one foot on the first (lowest) rail of the fence. This will force the model's body into the "C" figure referenced by CantFeelMyFingers.
#18 - the fig leaf pose when out with Adam & Eve. See comments above for some ideas on hand placement.
Postures where the model is square to the camera are usually not what you are wanting. It's more "acceptable" for a guy than for a gal, but you can get a lot more interest/tension/dynamics in a photo if you turn the model from the camera just a bit.

I see huge potential in these photos and, in some, the choice of photo location. You have a begining foundation and you have decent exposure. Those are hard to get.

Now all you just need to file off the rough edges - a little post processing TLC, a little more attention to pose/posture, lighting, and backgrounds and you'll have a home run on your hands. Really looking forward to seeing/watching your progress - so please continue to post as you go along!
HTH

uhs_senior · October 29, 2008

Thanks for the tips.
Thank you for your for all of the tips. I will try these next time I go out.

Scott_Quier wrote:

The following is an attempt to help build you up and improve your technique - not tear you down. So, please take these comments in the spirit in which they are intended. WARNING - I really didn't pull any punches with this....

Some thoughts in no particular order:
Basic composition - Specifically, all your photos are very centered - your face is in the exact center of each of the photos. Investigate (google is your friend) the "Rule of Thirds".

Applying the Rule of Thirds will provide a opportunity to include more of the environment in your photos. If kept a bit OOF, this will add significant interest to the portraits.

Watch your light - looking at your gallery:
#11 - you are in complete shadow except for your right elbow

#12 - Same thing except it's your knees this time

#13 - demonstrates a need for some fill flash to tame the high contrast in this shot;

#17 - your background is much brighter than you are - drawing attention from you to the background. To fix, use some fill flash to balance the light on you with that in the background. Done right, you can get the light such that your background is somewhere between 1/2 and 1 1/2 stops darker than you are - much better for a portrait.

Hands in the pockets (see the first couple or three in your gallery) usually doesn't work. It can sometimes work to have one hand partially in the pocket and the other either hidden or doing something. This usually works best if the model is turns a bit from the camera.

#7 would work quite well with minimal adjustments: different placement of the model in photo and some better light (light here is quite flat and un-interesting).

Suggestion for a re-shoot of #17: Move camera back from the subject and fence to allow for a full-body shot. Model places one foot on the first (lowest) rail of the fence. This will force the model's body into the "C" figure referenced by CantFeelMyFingers.

#18 - the fig leaf pose when out with Adam & Eve. See comments above for some ideas on hand placement.

Postures where the model is square to the camera are usually not what you are wanting. It's more "acceptable" for a guy than for a gal, but you can get a lot more interest/tension/dynamics in a photo if you turn the model from the camera just a bit.

I see huge potential in these photos and, in some, the choice of photo location. You have a begining foundation and you have decent exposure. Those are hard to get. Now all you just need to file off the rough edges - a little post processing TLC, a little more attention to pose/posture, lighting, and backgrounds and you'll have a home run on your hands. Really looking forward to seeing/watching your progress - so please continue to post as you go along!
HTH

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