Sammi - Senior Portraits

du8die

About a year ago, I did senior pics for Caitlin. Actually, I think that was my first dGrin post. Her cousin, Sammi called me up and asked if I would do her senior pics this last weekend.

Here are a few of our favorites. This is the first time I've really pushed the PP. I've always been timid about it - but I figured I'd try and see what she thought. She LOVED it.

Setup - 40d / Tamron 28-70 2.8 on most. Lit with ambient and a 420ex on a shoot through umbrella. I was having TONS of trouble with the umbrella. Either all or nothing. That's one definite area of improvement for me.

CC Encouraged and Appreciated!

1) I need to lighten up the right eye - noticed that one yesterday.


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7)

Agnieszka

Hi there

Really digging #1, it's a cute shot, I think some of the people might think the skin got over processed .. but I like it

I think #2 could use a bit of a light vignette & the same skin processing ... I think the pose (probably mostly the jacket) makes her look a bt chubber than she really is, but it's a nice shot.

The flash #3 is a bit too strong for my taste ... how about pretending it's sunset, and giving the pic more of a warm (sunset) tone?

#4, hm a bit of a tough crop, not sure I like the arm ... :cry

#5 cute!! Love the tilt, the fall is fun, so is the pose.

#6 also a cute shot, I like the processing too ... just wish she would have her chin a tad higher up (have her head lean a bit more towards the tree)

#7: nice

Mr. Quiet

The first one takes the cake! I love that shot!

jeffreaux2

C&C...

1- I like the color balance here. The skin tones are very nice. Overall though, the "smoothing" of the skin seems over done, and the blacks are completely plugged. She has blue eyes....but not with the contrasty processing used here.

2- Nice lighting here. Might be better with a bit cropped from the top, and also if her right hand werent competing with her face.

3- This suffers from a bad case of flare from your flash. Were you using a hood?....was it on correctly? The petal type hoods (Like the one supplied with the Tamron 28-75) are only effective if correctly oriented. Even with a hood, this can happen from time to time. The cure is to adjust either the camera angle or the lightstand. The color of her arm at bottom right is much too red. Toss it.

4- Similar to the first on the processing.....yet the framing here isnt done as well. Her head seems to be "hanging" in mid air with no strong base to support it. Framing so that a bit of her shoulders was evedent would have cured the issue.

5- She should be the star of the show....and the brightest point of this photograph. Try this again in photoshop in two layers. One adjusted as shown and the other with the exposure pushed to brighten her up. Use a mask to blend the brighter layer with the darker used as a vignette. Not only lines, but light can also lead the eye.

6- The blacks are plugged here as well. Pay special attention to the position of hands when they are in view in a portrait.

7- It appears you attempted a rule of thirds composition....a good thing....but the background.....and in particular the horizon should also follow suit. A ladder...used by you....could have helped you to frame this such that the horizon would not run through her head AND assist you in setting up for a rule of thirds with the BG.


Hope that is helpful....thanks for sharing.