C&C Please - My first senior shoot

Tim Kamppinen

So, I finally got to do a senior portrait shoot. Overall I'm really pleased with how they came out, but I'd like to hear what you guys think. Be honest, I can take it.

I feel like my weakest point right now is posing. I get a subject in front of my camera, get my lighting and exposure right, and all of a sudden I'm not sure what to do. I try to direct them but I have a hard time getting them posed like I picture it in my head... and when I want to try something beyond the "standard" poses, I have trouble coming up with an idea in the first place, and I tend to default towards shooting tight, mostly because it's easier if all I have to think about is getting their face in the frame and eyes in focus. I'd like to get better at shooting more loose, environmental shots.

With that comes my other problem: backgrounds. As you'll see in these photos, I don't necessarily come up with the most compelling backgrounds. The dreaded brick wall cliche is here in full force. So if you have ideas or tips about that, I'd love to hear it.

Anyway enough rambling, here are the shots:

1. His name's Paul.


2.


3. We did some shots with his sister. I graduated high school with her... she's getting married next August, and hopefully she's going to book me for her wedding.


4. He's a basketball player, and I wanted to do something a little different...


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


Did some lensbaby shots as well:

10.


11.

Mr. Quiet

Numbers 3 and 10 for me. I really have no critique to offer!

chrisdg

Nice set! 4 and 7 are fantastic. I suspect he might like the bball shots the best.

dmmattix

Mr. Quiet wrote:

Numbers 3 and 10 for me. I really have no critique to offer!

Ditto.

Technically the basketball pictures are great but then I am not a real fan of the 'action' Senior pictures, I guess that's what happens when you pass 60... The boy probably loved them.

I tend to never know what to do with the hands which is why I liked 10 so much I guess.

#2: the facial lighting looks a bit hot, I prefer the exposure of #1 as it gives a more 3D feel to his face.

I guess I will quit babbling one here.

Nice set and one the guy will probably like a lot. Now get the wedding and post what you take here.

Mike

divamum

4 and 10 for me. A couple of them look a little hot (although given that I was having colour cast problems in my own shots earlier, take that with a grain of salt). However, in 1/6/7 the highlights are burnedin enough that they call attention to themselves on this monitor and I find myself looking at them rather than the faces.

Great set, Tim - hopefully teh posing experts will have some ideas to help you get them a little more relaxed looking, but overall I think these are great and I'm sure they're pleased with them!

VayCayMom

The basketball shots blew me away, my eyes were so star struck I never saw the rest of them. I see no reason for the gal to NOT book you for her wedding.

rainbow

Love #4 & 5. #7 is almost there, but I do not like the facial shadows. This is from a father of a bb player, not so much from a portrait photographer (thus unable to comment on the others shots).

craig_d

1. Pretty blue color, nice lighting, but for some reason the thumb under his chin seems to call attention to itself.

2. The lighting seems to bleach out his face too much. Maybe the light on the left would have been better moved back (away from the camera) a bit, and the light on the right turned down a little?

3. Not bad, but they look too stiffly posed. The smiles seem to say, "How long do I have to stand still like this?"

4. This is beautiful. Pose, lighting, reflection, all magnificent.

5. Well done, but it doesn't grab me.

6. Nice!

7. Looks a little too dead serious for my taste, but the lighting is great. Would it have been a little better with the background more OOF?

8. The angled camera doesn't appeal to me, but as usual your lighting is terrific. Only in my dreams could I control artificial light as well as you do. His pose and expression in this shot look good and strike the right note without looking stiff.

9. Another one that just doesn't do much for me, though there's nothing at all wrong with it.

10. This is a Lensbaby? The radial blur is pretty subtle. Which is a good thing, I think. Nice shot.

11. Another one that just doesn't do it for me, I guess.

adbsgicom

Faves are 1, 4, 9 and 10. Nothing to really add to the c/c from above.
THe lighting on 4 is just wow! Very nice use of heavier contrast on the lighting in many of the shots to convey strength, and nice mix of looks and lighting.

lilmomma

I really like 4 and the action shots, and 1-3 also..not excited about the tilts in the later ones. But definately nice work!

D'Buggs

My pics of the litter.


These studio shots, me likes and I bet each and every *prominent* family member, will too. The blue BG wasn't working form me and his thumb sticking "out there", was very distracting.








Of the BB shoot, this is striking. I can see a poster on a wall with this one.



This is nice too but imo could have had a little more dof.



Good pic; I like the post work!



Of the "brick wall" shoot, this is my fave. The dof can be sliced with a butter knife and you hit it outta da park! Great camera control! You've taken "generic" and achieved WOWZA imo....



All in all, a very nice and well rounded set of shots... Something that the whole family will enjoy, I'm sure. Kudos'!

D'Buggs

divamum wrote:

Great set, Tim - hopefully teh posing experts will have some ideas to help you get them a little more relaxed looking, !

No expert but what I find that 'works', is time.... From toddlers to beauty's, they just need time sitting/posing for the camera to take the edge off and become relaxed. Having them review shots is good too. It seems to draw them in in understanding what it is we're trying to achieve and heightens their awareness. Having a big mirror available for 'practice posing', helps too - It's hard for people to visualize what they look like when they can't see what they're doing. This way, they get in tune of how their faces 'feel' when that magic smile appears. But time is also a nemesis. After all, time is $$$.

Tear sheets seem to work also. This seems to give them a goal to achieve (just like having them proof some shots during the shoot). Everyone likes a good PARTAY - Music is good! Filling a room with something that's liked is very fitting, as long as it brings out the emotion the photo is striving for, ie; if the customer doesn't like opera, chances are this reflection will show in the end results,,, but should help the photo IF that is what's trying to be conveyed...

mmmatt

4 is MONEY Tim... that is spectacular! 10 is also very, very good. All are nice though!

Matt

Jacobovs

My vote is with mmmatt. I love 4, it's dramatic without being cliche or looking like a pose. I love 10 also. Your focus is directly on his eyes and that makes the shot.
Nice job.

jeffreaux2

4, 6, 7, 10, and 11 are winners for me.

1- The pose doesn't look natural. It's tough work to bring hands up near a face for a portrait....and pull it off well. I usually avoid it, but applaud you for giving it a go.

2 and 3 - The crossed arms dont work for me. He looks as tense with the arms crossed as he does with his hand under his chin.

5.....Would have worked better with no tilt......NOW....in the basketball shots he looks VERY natural. He has something to do with his hands! I do like the tilt in 6.

7- arms crossed again...and Im not feeling the skin tones here.

9- Im not a fan of shooting (firing squad style) aginst a wall. For a better look, try shootind more parallel to the wall and throw in some wicked shallow DOF. Kinda like you got in 10.....but in a 3/4 or full length shot.


Great job!!!

...and...

Thanks for sharing!

DavidS

Very nice! I love #4!!!

CCoop

Love, love, love the sports shots, and so will he (and his parents). #1 ... not so much, the thoughtful hand to chin seems unnatural, especially versus the sports shots. Great work and really nice. ccoop

Tim Kamppinen

Wow, thanks for all the great and detailed feedback, folks. Gives me a lot to think about and work on for next time. Which is good, because I saw this guy in the store today and he told me that he "found me another customer"--a senior girl in his class whose parents are friends with his parents...

adbsgicom

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

Wow, thanks for all the great and detailed feedback, folks. Gives me a lot to think about and work on for next time. Which is good, because I saw this guy in the store today and he told me that he "found me another customer"--a senior girl in his class whose parents are friends with his parents...

Sweet!!! Congratulations on a very successul launch of a new part of your biz.
Friend here gave some mini images to a first customer meant for her to IM to friends. That little extra netted her some referrals when she was getting started.

D'Buggs

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

... I saw this guy in the store today and he told me that he "found me another customer"--a senior girl in his class whose parents are friends with his parents...

And you seem surprised... GO FOR IT!

Mr. Quiet

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

Wow, thanks for all the great and detailed feedback, folks. Gives me a lot to think about and work on for next time. Which is good, because I saw this guy in the store today and he told me that he "found me another customer"--a senior girl in his class whose parents are friends with his parents...

Go for it, and let us see the pic too

Shima

Gotta say I would have never guessed that this was your first senior shoot, great job! Love them, good colors, lighting, etc.

Swartzy

Some nice shots here Tim. I do like the basketball #4 very well! Posing....you may already have this but if not here is the google search and download the first .pdf for a representation of ideas.

The trick to posing is all about interaction with your subject. Envision what you'd like them to do, then "show" them the exact look as you describe. The crossed arms are not a real favorite as it comes across as defensive in pose. Also, don't be afraid to try radical angles...get up on the ladder..lay on the floor, put your camera over your head with a tilt to the composition. You'll be amazed at how funky but very cool shots will appear when stretching out.

Here is the link:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Posing+guide&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

D'Buggs

Swartzy wrote:

Here is the link:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Posing+guide&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

NICE!!
Everyone, check-n-save.

binghott

chrisdg wrote:

Nice set! 4 and 7 are fantastic. I suspect he might like the bball shots the best.

just WOW. i wish i had photos of myself that looked that cool.

Hackbone

Tim, I really like your lighting and use of the kicker!!!! Great job. Some seem alittle hot but that is personal preference. Try not to show the back of the hand....too broad and fat looking. Remember guys like to lean on something so use that in posing. Leaning on knees, floor, wall, bat, etc.

Gary Peterson Photography

Wow...
#4 rocks, he is going to dig it for sure.

jmphotocraft

Everything is great except for 11 and 1. 1, the pose is pure cheese. 11, I don't like the strange blur. The basketball ones are awesome. I dig the cross-lighting. Silver umbrellas?

dawssvt

#4 is AWESOME! The studio shots turned out great as well. Nice work!