My first headshot, critiques welcome.

bloomphotog

Went to a TFP group shoot and got some great shots. This was one of my favorites and I would love to get some feedback.

Setup: D700, 80-200 2.8 | 1-Light: 72" Softbox, no reflectors.

rwells

First headshot Did I read that right?

She & the shot are beautiful

I wouldn't change a thing! Well, maybe clone out the stray hairs.

Looking forward to more of your work.

bloomphotog

rwells wrote:

First headshot Did I read that right?

...well, okay. My very first studio headshot was taken about 30 minutes prior. This was just my overall favorite. I shoot sports primarily, but am trying to expand a bit. This was literally my first shoot with studio lights. I don't even have a flash yet. With fast glass and the D700 it's not exactly required.

Thanks for the feedback!

rhondavid

Beautiful girl, great pose, perfect lighting and WOW!!

divamum

Love the shot - gorgeous model and great picture.

My only nit is the skin processing, which to me is a little overdone (bear in mind I tend towards the less-is-more principple, so only one opinion, ymmv etc etc etc). It's the right side of her face (camera left) which bothers me, I think.

Sounds like a great first outing!

LukeWoodford

beautiful shot, can't really fault it. Great job.

Khristen

Very Good Work!

Tim Kamppinen

Very nice! Only thing I might change is to crop it vertical...

D'Buggs

divamum wrote:

Love the shot - gorgeous model and great picture.

My only nit is the skin processing, which to me is a little overdone (bear in mind I tend towards the less-is-more principple, so only one opinion, ymmv etc etc etc). It's the right side of her face (camera left) which bothers me, I think.

Sounds like a great first outing!

I agree.... If you look closely enough, the two sides don't match up. WTS, it's a shot that still fills me with envy; the lighting is awesome!

bloomphotog

Thanks for feedback, everyone! Check out a higher quality version here: http://bloom.smugmug.com/gallery/8436618_Sf3bh#556774658_FAzR9-O-LB

There is a lot more skin detail. Also, if you look around that gallery you'll find the original. I think you'll be shocked at how extreme the photoshopping was.

kwcrow

Simply amazing! I think you should change from sports to portrait photography, and I haven't even seen your sports photography.

kwcrow

Wow, You are very good with photoshop and morphing. ( http://bloom.smugmug.com/gallery/8436618_Sf3bh#556774685_YBmvn ) You gave her a smile, shrank her ears. gave her a narrower face and neck, a more V shaped chin. Enhanced the eye makeup and shape of the eye, enhanced her skin. Even hinted at giving her larger breasts. Super job!

Howitzer

that really is stunning work. I really couldnt take my eyes off the photo, you did an unreal job photoshopping her.

bloomphotog

Thanks so much, everyone! I have another group portrait session this weekend, I will have to post up with a new before/after.

Here's another, much more normal, before/after from the same day:

divamum

Bloom -

Having seen your wedding thread (and for the record the photos in that thread are absolutely magnificent - gorgeous work), and realizing that you're not quiiitteee the keen-amateur-taking-their-first-steps-into-semi-pro/pro-work you seemed to be, I am commenting again, particularly having seen the before/after links you posted.

Reading other responses I know I'm in the minority, but I have to come out and say it: I find the PP in your original post seriously overdone. She's a beautiful girl to begin with, and of course some retouching is both necessary and appropriate, but I just don't care for that much, or that particular "plasticated", elongated look. Sure, we all know that the media manipulate images in this way, but outside that context (ie if it's not a magazine cover or intended as such) I find it kind of disturbing. Btw (and I should have mentioned this in my first response since I spotted it then), to me the "perfect" skinwork is actually on her left shoulder - it's clearly been worked on, but is absolutely beautiful texturing and much more natural looking, like the very best of magazine retouching.

Anyway, that's just my overinflated 2c, worth exactly what you paid for it, from other responses clearly most other people don't share my view, and as a relative n00b to all this and NOT a pro my opinion is somewhat moot anyway, but I just had to come out and say it.

You're a fantastic photographer and your *skill* with PP is unequestionable - I'm sure you'll go far based on what you've posted here

PS For the record, I prefer the look on this second set of photos - obviously a lot of pp, but I find it somewhat more natural looking and the PP doesn't call attention to itself unless you've seen the original.

Howitzer

I like this one too.. really great work.. my only complaint... that dam string under her right arm.. my eyes keep going right to it.

marikris

bloomphotog wrote:

Also, if you look around that gallery you'll find the original. I think you'll be shocked at how extreme the photoshopping was.

Good grief, lol, her face is totally reshaped. That is crazy work! I can't liquefy to save my life. Well the healing brush is pretty user friendly

It's a beautiful image and I even love the horizontal orientation.

bloomphotog

divamum wrote:

Bloom -

Having seen your wedding thread (and for the record the photos in that thread are absolutely magnificent - gorgeous work), and realizing that you're not quiiitteee the keen-amateur-taking-their-first-steps-into-semi-pro/pro-work you seemed to be, I am commenting again, particularly having seen the before/after links you posted.

Reading other responses I know I'm in the minority, but I have to come out and say it: I find the PP in your original post seriously overdone. She's a beautiful girl to begin with, and of course some retouching is both necessary and appropriate, but I just don't care for that much, or that particular "plasticated", elongated look. Sure, we all know that the media manipulate images in this way, but outside that context (ie if it's not a magazine cover or intended as such) I find it kind of disturbing. Btw (and I should have mentioned this in my first response since I spotted it then), to me the "perfect" skinwork is actually on her left shoulder - it's clearly been worked on, but is absolutely beautiful texturing and much more natural looking, like the very best of magazine retouching.

Anyway, that's just my overinflated 2c, worth exactly what you paid for it, from other responses clearly most other people don't share my view, and as a relative n00b to all this and NOT a pro my opinion is somewhat moot anyway, but I just had to come out and say it.

You're a fantastic photographer and your *skill* with PP is unequestionable - I'm sure you'll go far based on what you've posted here

PS For the record, I prefer the look on this second set of photos - obviously a lot of pp, but I find it somewhat more natural looking and the PP doesn't call attention to itself unless you've seen the original.

So what I am hearing is that you don't necessarily like the style, but the technical qualities of the work is great? Cool. I know everyone has different tastes, and mine may in fact be a bit more on the magazine-cover side of the fence. Truth be told, I usually avoid heavy re-touching(take a look at my wedding work), but for this particular portrait I wanted to go in a different direction. The model had already received her slightly-edited version for her own use, and her shot was a great candidate for some serious PP. I think it can stand as a good piece of work it it's own right.

bloomphotog

marikris wrote:

Good grief, lol, her face is totally reshaped. That is crazy work! I can't liquefy to save my life. Well the healing brush is pretty user friendly

It's a beautiful image and I even love the horizontal orientation.

I used to re-touch faces/teeth for an orthodontist company. That experience lends itself to photography quite well. Thanks for the feedback! ( I LOVE landscape orientation for portraits, I think it's a bit closer the the human eye's perspective.)

divamum

I guess what I'm saying is this: IMO the best PP work - no matter how extreme - is where I think "Wow, she's gorgeous!" rather than "Wow, what amazing photoshop work!". I want it to be transparent, in the sense that I don't notice it first; if I "see" it, it's too much. To some extent that is a matter of taste, but I think it's a point worth considering.

Thanks for sharing your work, and also for taking my comments in the philosophical spirit they were intended rather than as a slam - believe me, if/when I ever am able to consistently take photos like the ones you've posted, I'll be a very VERY happy camper, so know that my reservations were expressed on the understanding that I think your work is great!

bloomphotog

divamum wrote:

I guess what I'm saying is this: IMO the best PP work - no matter how extreme - is where I think "Wow, she's gorgeous!" rather than "Wow, what amazing photoshop work!". I want it to be transparent, in the sense that I don't notice it first; if I "see" it, it's too much. To some extent that is a matter of taste, but I think it's a point worth considering.

Thanks for sharing your work, and also for taking my comments in the philosophical spirit they were intended rather than as a slam - believe me, if/when I ever am able to consistently take photos like the ones you've posted, I'll be a very VERY happy camper, so know that my reservations were expressed on the understanding that I think your work is great!

Got it. Cool beans.

By the way, here is a quote from the model on my wall at ModelMayhem, it was literally just posted:

"speachless... love love love it. amazing picture. everyone loves it thanks again so much i love what you did with me lol "
http://www.modelmayhem.com/1190591

I guess all that matters is that she is happy with it, too.

lisarhinehart

PP expert

bloomphotog wrote:

Thanks for feedback, everyone! Check out a higher quality version here: http://bloom.smugmug.com/gallery/8436618_Sf3bh#556774658_FAzR9-O-LB

There is a lot more skin detail. Also, if you look around that gallery you'll find the original. I think you'll be shocked at how extreme the photoshopping was.

Shocked-- yes, completely. So is this what they do to all those celebs? lol

bloomphotog

lisarhinehart wrote:

Shocked-- yes, completely. So is this what they do to all those celebs? lol

Yep, exactly what "they" do.

bloomphotog

I'm beginning to think I hijacked my own thread by posting that before photo.....oh well. .