Natalia

[Deleted member 21335]

I originally posted these in the photos from film section, however, I would like some feedback on them as portraits regardless of media capture so have posted here too. I hope that's ok and if so, will just post them in this section in the future.

This is from the advert I put on FB looking for subjects to practise on. Shot on the Hasselblad 500c/m, 80mm F2.8 and Portra 400.

1.
Natalia by GazMortonPhoto, on Flickr

2.
Natalia by GazMortonPhoto, on Flickr

3.
Natalia by GazMortonPhoto, on Flickr

 

[minnnt]

Absolutely superb Gareth, the colours and bokeh are brilliant.

 

[JohnX]

You could probably do with some fill light, but more to the point I don't think you're paying attention to what's behind the subject.

The bokeh in the first shot is great, but there's that dark lump of tree on the right.

Second shot better, but I would have used a different aperture to blur out the background more.

Third shot - there's a tree branch growing through her head, and again, I'd have tried to get the background oof.!

I suspect you're concentrating so much on the subject, posing, getting the best from her, that you're blind to the rest.

Unless the background adds value or context to the subject, in my view it shouldn't be obvious.

Sorry if this comes over negative, especially as I'm aware from another thread that portraiture is your passion, but also (currently) your nemesis, but you asked for comment.

 

[Sharky]

Nicely shot i would just have changed a few things with them:

1. She is too square on for my tastes which makes her appear heavier than she probably is. Turn the body a touch and eye / face back to the camera, yes its a very classic pose but it does work well. Very nicely exposed, catch lights etc. though
2. Very nice pose but moving the arm behind the thigh has made it appear huge and very prominent. That is also because she is leaning back which has pushed her legs nearer the camera. Arm on top of the leg will thin it out and get her bum back and torso forward (even if it feels mildly uncomfortable it'll make a better image imo).
3. Lovely pose, shoulder down give the image a more dynamic feel, head excellent etc. The only thing is the tree running through her head.

Only other thing i would say is the choice of top she is wearing is too baggy and doesn't flatter her. She loses her feminine lines because it's straight up and down from the bust and below.

Loving all the colours throughout the images and very attractive lady

 

[The23rdman]

Perfectly lovely apart from a couple of postural issues. She looks a little ungainly head on in the first because she is arching her shoulders forward. I'm guessing she has her arms resting on something? I'd have shown that or asked her to sit up properly. Same with the second - she looks relaxed, but a bit slumped.

That's what comes of being married to a yoga teacher.

 

[Serendipitous Sid]

... I'd have shown that or asked her to sit up properly. Same with the second - she looks relaxed, but a bit slumped ...

In my experience, the best and also the most tactful way to get a woman to sit up properly is to ask her to park her arse right at the front of whatever she's sitting on and put her knees together. Nine times out of ten that will get her sitting nicely upright, ready for you to to modify her pose from a good starting point.

 

[Deleted member 21335]

Absolutely superb Gareth, the colours and bokeh are brilliant.

Thank you.

You could probably do with some fill light, but more to the point I don't think you're paying attention to what's behind the subject.

The bokeh in the first shot is great, but there's that dark lump of tree on the right.

Second shot better, but I would have used a different aperture to blur out the background more.

Third shot - there's a tree branch growing through her head, and again, I'd have tried to get the background oof.!

I suspect you're concentrating so much on the subject, posing, getting the best from her, that you're blind to the rest.

Unless the background adds value or context to the subject, in my view it shouldn't be obvious.

Sorry if this comes over negative, especially as I'm aware from another thread that portraiture is your passion, but also (currently) your nemesis, but you asked for comment.

Thanks for your comments.

Why do you say I possibly need fill light?

I would have loved a wider aperture but I was at the widest that my lens would allow (F2.8)

Yeah I know about the branch. :bang: I did only notice it afterwards and that's definitely something I need to pay more attention to. I think by using film, I was concentrating on other things and that one escaped me.

Nicely shot i would just have changed a few things with them:

1. She is too square on for my tastes which makes her appear heavier than she probably is. Turn the body a touch and eye / face back to the camera, yes its a very classic pose but it does work well. Very nicely exposed, catch lights etc. though
2. Very nice pose but moving the arm behind the thigh has made it appear huge and very prominent. That is also because she is leaning back which has pushed her legs nearer the camera. Arm on top of the leg will thin it out and get her bum back and torso forward (even if it feels mildly uncomfortable it'll make a better image imo).
3. Lovely pose, shoulder down give the image a more dynamic feel, head excellent etc. The only thing is the tree running through her head.

Only other thing i would say is the choice of top she is wearing is too baggy and doesn't flatter her. She loses her feminine lines because it's straight up and down from the bust and below.

Loving all the colours throughout the images and very attractive lady

Thanks for your comments and pointers. As above, yes, I realised about the branch but unfortunately, too late.

Perfectly lovely apart from a couple of postural issues. She looks a little ungainly head on in the first because she is arching her shoulders forward. I'm guessing she has her arms resting on something? I'd have shown that or asked her to sit up properly. Same with the second - she looks relaxed, but a bit slumped.

That's what comes of being married to a yoga teacher.

Thanks Dean. She is keen to shoot again as she liked the results. Some good points here to try next time. And think I will also try them on digital instead of film.

 

[Deleted member 21335]

In my experience, the best and also the most tactful way to get a woman to sit up properly is to ask her to park her arse right at the front of whatever she's sitting on and put her knees together. Nine times out of ten that will get her sitting nicely upright, ready for you to to modify her pose from a good starting point.

I'll try that next time, thanks Dan.

 

[JohnX]

My comments re fill light. It's really aimed at shot 1.

A reflector down and to the models right would have helped lose the shadows under her chin and the right side of her face, allowing a little better exposure balance of her face overall. It may be it was the effect you were aiming for, but I feel the left side of the models face is a little over-exposed?

 

[Deleted member 21335]

My comments re fill light. It's really aimed at shot 1.

A reflector down and to the models right would have helped lose the shadows under her chin and the right side of her face, allowing a little better exposure balance of her face overall. It may be it was the effect you were aiming for, but I feel the left side of the models face is a little over-exposed?

Thanks for clarifying. I quite like the transition actually from light to dark, but I do appreciate your comment.

 

[Deleted member 34016]

I like these, the shallow dof @ f2.8 works very well Gareth

Les

 

[Serendipitous Sid]

What I meant to ask but forgot to is if you lack the confidence or experience or whatever to direct subjects and that's what you want to master, why are you making your life more difficult still by shooting these on film with a bloody 'blad?

 

[Deleted member 21335]

I like these, the shallow dof @ f2.8 works very well Gareth

Les

Thank you Les.

What I meant to ask but forgot to is if you lack the confidence or experience or whatever to direct subjects and that's what you want to master, why are you making your life more difficult still by shooting these on film with a bloody 'blad?

I don't lack the confidence to direct subject, just the experience, which is why I want to practise. But also composition and bringing the best out in the subject for the photo. I want to get away from just boring portraits, but that's the hard part that will probably only come with years of experience.

And I like shooting with the hasselblad. It's such a great camera. But going to shelve it for a while and just use digital I think.

 

[Nguss]

Personally I think the lighting on all 3 is excellent. For me the first is the best, and I don't really mind the shadow transition. The second, I think the posture looks a little awkward, but also and this is probably a personal thing, but her leg is half cut off. The last, again the tree thing has already been mentioned, but also her hand is missing, which I noticed more than the tree trunk. Also the skin tones on all of three and the colours are lovely.

 

[Deleted member 21335]

Personally I think the lighting on all 3 is excellent. For me the first is the best, and I don't really mind the shadow transition. The second, I think the posture looks a little awkward, but also and this is probably a personal thing, but her leg is half cut off. The last, again the tree thing has already been mentioned, but also her hand is missing, which I noticed more than the tree trunk. Also the skin tones on all of three and the colours are lovely.

Thanks for taking the time to comments.

 

[Nguss]

Welcome, I really like your stuff.

 

[sunnyside_up]

Nice shooting Gareth. I'm most fond of number 2. I struggle with outdoor portraits, so I'm not one to judge, but I think you're very talented and they are all great captures.

 

[Deleted member 21335]

Nice shooting Gareth. I'm most fond of number 2. I struggle with outdoor portraits, so I'm not one to judge, but I think you're very talented and they are all great captures.

Thanks for the kind words, Bethy. It's encouraging. I just need to shoot more regularly.