First attempt at portraits

photoj · May 14, 2008

The other night I took my first stab at shooting portraits. I'd like to know what everyone thinks. The background was just one of our sheets but other than that let me know what you think.

Also a shout out to my family for putting up with me as I am learning. Especially when I convert the kitchen into a studio.

Moogle Pepper · May 14, 2008

Not bad at all!

I think your wife needs more light, the right side and by her chin is really dark. But it is a good start!

Nikolai · May 14, 2008

Welcome to the wonderful world of studio portraiture!

Pros:

Nice family:-)
Great expressions
Nice group arrangement

Cons

Backdrop is too close and due to its unevenness is distracting.
Possible cure: iron; larger distance wetween the backdrop and your subjects (3-4 feet at least) + shallower DOF; careful post processing (large radius Gaussian Blur can do wonders:-)
Single light is too small for this group of 3, and it is positioned too close (to the boy), hence the strong light falloff across the group.
Possible cure: bigger diffuser (and possibly more powerful light ) positioned further from the group

All in all, pretty good for a first try!

photoj · May 14, 2008

Thanks

Moogle Pepper wrote:

Not bad at all!

I think your wife needs more light, the right side and by her chin is really dark. But it is a good start!

I agree but still I liked the shot overall.

photoj · May 14, 2008

distance of background

Nikolai wrote:

Welcome to the wonderful world of studio portraiture!

Pros:
Nice family:-)

Great expressions

Nice group arrangement

Cons
Backdrop is too close and due to its unevenness is distracting.
Possible cure: iron; larger distance wetween the backdrop and your subjects (3-4 feet at least) + shallower DOF; careful post processing (large radius Gaussian Blur can do wonders:-)

Single light is too small for this group of 3, and it is positioned too close (to the boy), hence the strong light falloff across the group.
Possible cure: bigger diffuser (and possibly more powerful light ) positioned further from the group

All in all, pretty good for a first try!

I was thinking along the same lines. I was actually using a second flash that day, just not on this particular image. I'll remember the comments for the next shoot. Thanks.

beetle8 · May 14, 2008

Nice family:-)
Great expressions
Nice group arrangement

I think even just a reflector on the left something as simple a white foam-core would've helped.
I really like your logo/avatar

Scott_Quier · May 14, 2008

Pros:

Nice looking family - you are blessed
Good expressions - you captured something there that is sometimes hard to get
Nice triangular grouping

Cons:

Light to close to group
Shadow on off side - second light or a large reflector would fix that.
Light too low - makes un-flattering shadows on faces. Raise it to about 56 degrees above your grouping
Move models from the background and/or
Open the lens a bit to decrease the DOF

joshhuntnm · May 14, 2008

I agree about the background. it should be easy to select and fix in ps. drop it to pure white, or blur it.

photoj · May 14, 2008

True

beetle8 wrote:

I think even just a reflector on the left something as simple a white foam-core would've helped.
I really like your logo/avatar

Yeah there needs to be more light on the left, Nikolai is right and so are you. I discarded one that had the better light on that side due to the fact that not everyone was smiling. AKA my wife.

As for the avatar, thanks. When I originally started my part-time, tax shelter, photo business I called it photoj.biz but many of the locals who were not very net savvy had trouble with the concept of a website that was not a .com. So this year when I re-registered I changed it. I kept the screen name for continuity and it fits. My name is Jason and I take photos, photoJ. Of course it has other meanings too, like photojournalism. The logo just kind of happened one day. It is one of the things I miss. I was branding the old site but the new name UKV Photos is harder to make a logo for. UKV stands for Upper Kanawha Valley. Still I need to come up with a new logo, for now I am just using the name. I have a few ideas but nothing has stuck yet.

photoj · May 14, 2008

Thanks...

Scott_Quier wrote:

Pros:
Nice looking family - you are blessed

Good expressions - you captured something there that is sometimes hard to get

Nice triangular grouping

Cons:
Light to close to group

Shadow on off side - second light or a large reflector would fix that.

Light too low - makes un-flattering shadows on faces. Raise it to about 56 degrees above your grouping

Move models from the background and/or

Open the lens a bit to decrease the DOF

I'd like to take credit for the grouping but this shot just happened. I had the gear set up and M was sitting in the seat playing his game boy. He got up, the other two came in and I turned around and they were all just posing for me. I shot the images. I was more working on learning the lights than the posing thing.

photoj · May 14, 2008

PS idea

joshhuntnm wrote:

I agree about the background. it should be easy to select and fix in ps. drop it to pure white, or blur it.

I stated to take it out but didn't wanted to see what folsk thought. I should get time to rework that tomorrow night, I'll repost the results.

jbakerphoto · May 14, 2008

Nice Pic....I am a big fan of the ghetto studio and have used it with varied success on my son many of times......Try it with a black sheet as well. I think the black sheet looks a little less like you are using a bed sheet and it does better in photoshop getting out the wrinkles.

photoj · May 14, 2008

Forgot something in the first reply

Nikolai wrote:

Welcome to the wonderful world of studio portraiture!

Pros:
Nice family:-)

Great expressions

Nice group arrangement

Cons
Backdrop is too close and due to its unevenness is distracting.
Possible cure: iron; larger distance wetween the backdrop and your subjects (3-4 feet at least) + shallower DOF; careful post processing (large radius Gaussian Blur can do wonders:-)

Single light is too small for this group of 3, and it is positioned too close (to the boy), hence the strong light falloff across the group.
Possible cure: bigger diffuser (and possibly more powerful light ) positioned further from the group

All in all, pretty good for a first try!

I forgot to say thanks in the first reply. Thank-you, I have enjoyed your work for some time it is nice of you to give me feedback.

photoj · May 14, 2008

sheet idea

unclejon wrote:

Nice Pic....I am a big fan of the ghetto studio and have used it with varied success on my son many of times......Try it with a black sheet as well. I think the black sheet looks a little less like you are using a bed sheet and it does better in photoshop getting out the wrinkles.

I have to admit this was a literal, ok I want to take a portriat session. I grabbed a sheet form the shelf, and some ducktape. I set up my gear and plopped poor M down on the chair and started snapping pics. He didn't mind I let him just playhis gameboy. The family shot happend when they saw what I was doing. I agree black might look better. When I remove the white in PS I will try black too.

jbakerphoto · May 15, 2008

photoj wrote:

I have to admit this was a literal, ok I want to take a portriat session. I grabbed a sheet form the shelf, and some ducktape. I set up my gear and plopped poor M down on the chair and started snapping pics. He didn't mind I let him just playhis gameboy. The family shot happend when they saw what I was doing. I agree black might look better. When I remove the white in PS I will try black too.

Yea I have been using a 5 foot wooden curtain rod across 2 chairs and then drapping the sheet over it and using some clothsline hooks which sometimes I cannot even find. Needless to say we have studio malfunctions sometimes....

First attempt at portraits

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