First senior session C&C please

kitkos

I have finally gotten brave enough to post some pictures on here for some C&C.

My first senior portrait session.


I used one Nikon sb-800 on a light stand with a 42” umbrella for fill in images 1, 2, and 3. No flash in 4.


Nikon D700, 24-70mm, f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 200


I think I could have used a little more fill under his eyes (in 1 and 3) to help with the dark shadows, maybe a reflector?
Something I could do in post to correct this?

His skin tone in #4 looks gray/green to me and I can't seem to get rid of it.


Please feel free to suggest away, especially on the posing.

thanks,
Clayton

1.


2.


3.


4.

Bryce Wilson

Being as none of the people I consider to be experts at shooting seniors have weighed in, I will give you an honest perspective from my point of view as a soon to be advanced amateur.

The wardrobe selection, combined with the poses and lighting on numbers 1 and 2 remind me more of vacation snaps than senior portraiture.

Number two:

To me, it looks like a picture of a truck with a boy standing in front of it. The truck dominates the picture and the subject looks almost to be a prop, when it should be the other way around. Play with some angles and use leading lines from the truck to accent the subject so the subject is the dominate factor.

Number Three:

The subject fills the frame nicely here. Watch for chopping of hands and hands placed with the back straight on to the camera. I'm not a big fan of poses that expose the crotch.

Number Four:

Now we're talking. This is the strongest concept of the four you posted. I really like the idea and possibilities here. With a few tweaks you can have a real winner here. Needs a little more head room and a bit less on the bottom. The placement of the hand with the watch is unfortunate as is his slouch and again try not to have the crotch facing directly at the camera.

All that green around him is most likely the cause of skin color you're unhappy with. The other three may have a bit too much red tone in the face because of the shirt.

Please don't take this critique as a harsh rebuke, as your shots are better than the first senior shots I did. Because of a few talented people here that took the time to point out things I was doing wrong, I've improved, and it my intention to help you do the same.

Regards,

Bryce

kitkos

Bryce – thanks for your comments and suggestions. This is exactly what I was hoping for and will take your suggestions into my next shoot.

#2 - My subject just got his first car (SUV) and wanted a few shots of he and his new "ride".

I guess I am haven’t been around long enough to get some feedback from some of the so-called “experts”.

Clayton

Bryce Wilson

kitkos wrote: »

#2 - My subject just got his first car (SUV) and wanted a few shots of he and his new "ride".

I guess I am haven’t been around long enough to get some feedback from some of the so-called “experts”.

Clayton

Re: Feedback

Remember, it is near the end of July, great senior portrait shooters are all working their butt off right now. They just might not be dropping by on a regular basis right now.

Good shooting!

mercphoto

kitkos wrote: »

Bryce – thanks for your comments and suggestions. This is exactly what I was hoping for and will take your suggestions into my next shoot.

#2 - My subject just got his first car (SUV) and wanted a few shots of he and his new "ride".

I guess I am haven’t been around long enough to get some feedback from some of the so-called “experts”.

Clayton

My complaint about the SUV picture is you clipped the car. Given how the SUV is part of the story, being the first car, it needs to be completely in the image.

I like the idea of first-cars being in the senior picture. Then again, I'm a car nut.

I might go for a front three-quarter view of the car, getting more front bumper and less side. Put the boy at the nearest front corner. Maybe try a lower angle shooting up. In my head I'm thinking a shot that screams "big", "power". Also get less depth of field. That background is too in-focus. If you can, ditch the tree growing out of the roof of the SUV.

Hackbone

My main comment would be lack of light direction resulting in flat lighting. You have to have shadows and shading to create depth. Hold your fist up in front of your face and do a 360 and watch for some shading to appear on your hand then put the subject in the same position.

Second nit would be poor stance. Never have a subjects weight on the front foot as it stiffens the pose.

To show off the truck and the boy have him step forward about 10 to 15 feet. Then the subject becomes the main focus and the truck secondary and you still have a full shot of the truck.

On the last shot meter for the background and then bring you flash in to match the exposure.

Hope this helps.

kitkos

Thanks everyone for the comments. I will try to use the suggestions in my next shoot. Now I just need a subject. ;-)

zoomer

These look ok to me.
As mentioned watch cutting off hands and feet at the joint, if you want to cut things off do it in the middle of the limb. Remember to check your color with one of the eyedroppers somewhere in the processing.
For a first try....you are on the right track.