Candid portrait - comments, suggestions welcomed

themittythemitty Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
edited January 2, 2008 in People
Hi all - I'm posting my first picture here, although I've lurked for quite a while. I find myself focusing more and more on this type of photography, and I'd like to get a sense for how I'm doing, and what I could do better. So, with that in mind, here's the picture - shot with the Sony a700, the old beercan lens (70-210 f4) and bounced flash.

austin%201.jpg

Comments

  • shatchshatch Registered Users Posts: 798 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2007
    Welcome to Dgrin! Love the shot. Look forward to seeing more.
    My Blog about Life:
    Some of My Photos:     app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
  • themittythemitty Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited December 22, 2007
    Thanks Shatch!
    shatch wrote:
    Welcome to Dgrin! Love the shot. Look forward to seeing more.

    Glad I found this place - nice to see more of a focus on photography for a change.
  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2007
    Hi and welcome! Love the composition on this shot, but it appears somehwat soft. His eyes could use more light, and there is some redness on his face. But that's just me!!

    Keep posting thumb.gif
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited December 22, 2007
    ShepsMom wrote:
    Hi and welcome! Love the composition on this shot, but it appears somehwat soft. His eyes could use more light, and there is some redness on his face. But that's just me!!

    Keep posting thumb.gif


    yes, welcome-

    what marina said and just a little bit of work cleaning up his face (just my thoughts)-

    a very nice portrait-
  • bauermanbauerman Registered Users Posts: 452 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2007
    I think that is a well done portrait. I do not think that it is soft - the eyes are sharp to me and that is where I would want the sharpness as well. This shot just has a shallow depth of focus - its not "soft".

    I also like the tight crop and the red background - those work well to me. I could be wrong but he seems to be 'pursing' his lips a little bit - it might work better with a more natural position of his lips. When you bounce flash sometimes you can use a bounce card as well attached to the flash head to throw just a touch of light directly at the subject - get rid of the minimal shadows around the eyes.

    Good work - post more.
    Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to this country and to mankind is to bring up a family. - George Bernard Shaw
  • themittythemitty Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited January 2, 2008
    All - sorry about the delay in responding to this, I've been out on vacation for a couple weeks.

    Thank you for all the feedback and comments. I really appreciate it, especially the info about getting more light around the eyes.
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