1) watch your cropping/framing! all but 1 shot has the tops of their heads cut off. Cutting off the the top of the heads is fine as long as it is deliberate. In you case you need to cut off more to make it "deliberate" or keep the whole head
2) skin tones are changing from shot to shot. I don't mind a color cast like the last shot..again..as long as they are deliberate. try to keep skin tones uniform within each kind of processing
3) number your shots so it is eaier to refer to them btw..shot #4 is tosser imo. She looks awkward and the hair is flying everwhere and shot lacks contrast overall.
4) I am digging the last shot! they look very confortable and it is well processed!
Thank you for the feedback! As for the skin tones I am not sure what went wrong there.. maybe my white balance? I was also fighting against harsh light seeing as they wanted to go out at noon, which might have played a roll as well.
Remember that you can adjust your white balance in post processing, at least if you shoot in RAW.
As far as lighting goes, 3 and 5 seem to be the best, while for the others the light on their faces seems flat.
If you're going to do a lot of outdoor shooting, you might want to take a look at Available Light. I don't have much experience, but it seemed to contain useful advice.
You have a decent start here. Just some thoughts just take if for what you feel suits your needs.
1. seems a little soft focus. Watch you hair.......you need light direction or light coming in from a direction. This gives shading to a face and creates depth.
#2 has LOTS of potential but again no light direction to give it depth.
3. You have some light direction coming in from the viewers right, good. Hands are awkard and cut off. With the hands out in front like that you make her body thicker which is a no no for a lady.
4. Never have a subject place their weight on their hand or arm. It is a game of just barely touch the fingers and heel of palm to the face. When they rest their weight fully it fattens up the face. Hair is a little wild and bra strap showing.
5. A subjects body generally should be turned a little. This slims the body some. Remember bright areas come forward first while dark areas receed. The white pole competes for attention with your subject.
6. Lots of potential with this one. Exposure seems to be off some. The skin seems to be off. Seems like the shot was under exposed and you tried to bring it up with the brightness or levels adjustment.
Again take from this what you want and keep on posting and learning.
Thanks! Really appreciate the advice. I am pretty new to portraits so I still have alot to learn. Not to mention my current set up is not the best for the pictures I was taking.
First I'd focus on learning to pay close attention to the light you have to work with, and getting the most out of it. Once you have a better understanding of that (I'm still very much working on that myself...), then worry about improving your setup (if you still think you need it )
A good start, bring the exposures up and the skin tones should even out, expose for the face.
I am guessing you don't know much about post processing...if so read up on how to do levels adjustments.
I don't care that you cut the tops of their heads off:).
I really like that first shot...once the exposure is corrected that is going to be nice.
First I'd focus on learning to pay close attention to the light you have to work with, and getting the most out of it. Once you have a better understanding of that (I'm still very much working on that myself...), then worry about improving your setup (if you still think you need it )
Yeah light is definitely my huge issue right now (trying to control it). Not to mention I just got an external flash so I was messing around with those settings the whole time :P. Overall I need to work on my skills more but it was good practice and they loved the pictures so everyone comes out with a win in my book :]
A good start, bring the exposures up and the skin tones should even out, expose for the face.
I am guessing you don't know much about post processing...if so read up on how to do levels adjustments.
I don't care that you cut the tops of their heads off:).
I really like that first shot...once the exposure is corrected that is going to be nice.
Would you recommend using a grey card to make processing easier to get the white balance just right?
I have lightroom 3 and CS4, I have slowly been learning more about the programs
No don't get a grey card, that just complicates thing further.
Get a good book on how to process in Lightroom, I use Scott Kelby's book....don't struggle through trying to figure it out on your own. Learn about levels and histograms that is where you will learn to get proper exposures....Do Not judge exposure from how they look on your screen.
Keep things simple until you gain more knowledge.
I agree on the grey card....not for now. You should get in close to your subjects face and meter off that. If you don't want to get that close hold your hand up in the same light and meter off that. Remember if you have a bright bkg it will get blown out when metering on the face but the face is the most important part. IF you can set your Kelvin tempertaure in your camera try to set it to 5200 and see what happens.
Comments
1) watch your cropping/framing! all but 1 shot has the tops of their heads cut off. Cutting off the the top of the heads is fine as long as it is deliberate. In you case you need to cut off more to make it "deliberate" or keep the whole head
2) skin tones are changing from shot to shot. I don't mind a color cast like the last shot..again..as long as they are deliberate. try to keep skin tones uniform within each kind of processing
3) number your shots so it is eaier to refer to them btw..shot #4 is tosser imo. She looks awkward and the hair is flying everwhere and shot lacks contrast overall.
4) I am digging the last shot! they look very confortable and it is well processed!
14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
85 and 50 1.4
45 PC and sb910 x2
http://www.danielkimphotography.com
As far as lighting goes, 3 and 5 seem to be the best, while for the others the light on their faces seems flat.
If you're going to do a lot of outdoor shooting, you might want to take a look at Available Light. I don't have much experience, but it seemed to contain useful advice.
1. seems a little soft focus. Watch you hair.......you need light direction or light coming in from a direction. This gives shading to a face and creates depth.
#2 has LOTS of potential but again no light direction to give it depth.
3. You have some light direction coming in from the viewers right, good. Hands are awkard and cut off. With the hands out in front like that you make her body thicker which is a no no for a lady.
4. Never have a subject place their weight on their hand or arm. It is a game of just barely touch the fingers and heel of palm to the face. When they rest their weight fully it fattens up the face. Hair is a little wild and bra strap showing.
5. A subjects body generally should be turned a little. This slims the body some. Remember bright areas come forward first while dark areas receed. The white pole competes for attention with your subject.
6. Lots of potential with this one. Exposure seems to be off some. The skin seems to be off. Seems like the shot was under exposed and you tried to bring it up with the brightness or levels adjustment.
Again take from this what you want and keep on posting and learning.
www.cameraone.biz
I am guessing you don't know much about post processing...if so read up on how to do levels adjustments.
I don't care that you cut the tops of their heads off:).
I really like that first shot...once the exposure is corrected that is going to be nice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
http://500px.com/Shockey
alloutdoor.smugmug.com
http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
Yeah light is definitely my huge issue right now (trying to control it). Not to mention I just got an external flash so I was messing around with those settings the whole time :P. Overall I need to work on my skills more but it was good practice and they loved the pictures so everyone comes out with a win in my book :]
Would you recommend using a grey card to make processing easier to get the white balance just right?
I have lightroom 3 and CS4, I have slowly been learning more about the programs
Thanks!
Get a good book on how to process in Lightroom, I use Scott Kelby's book....don't struggle through trying to figure it out on your own. Learn about levels and histograms that is where you will learn to get proper exposures....Do Not judge exposure from how they look on your screen.
Keep things simple until you gain more knowledge.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
http://500px.com/Shockey
alloutdoor.smugmug.com
http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
www.cameraone.biz
@Hackbone I will have to try that out, I will let you know how it turns out!