First ever portrait shoot

dod

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Name
Ebenezer McScrooge III
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As it says, first ever shoot with a professional model with Highland Photographers. Critique welcome :)

GM3_0708.jpg

GM3_0711.jpg

GM3_0781-2.jpg

GM3_0751.jpg
 


A spectacular "first ever"! (y)

My only suggestion would be to crop the talent
somewhat higher in the frame. I mean…

GM3_0708.jpg


 
thank you. That probably can stand a bit of a crop :)
 
Excelent fist effort.
Especially the third which ticks all the boxes.
Though there is an even better shot in it with a closer crop top and right.
 
Excelent fist effort.
Especially the third which ticks all the boxes.
Though there is an even better shot in it with a closer crop top and right.
like this?
jenny1.jpg
 

I would remove the screen entirely, even cutting minimally into the hair and dress. And cloning out anry residual grey.
This framing would be thought entirely acceptable in other forms of art. And was often used by the great masters.
With that gone, it becomes 100% stronger and changes the balance completely.
 
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thanks Terry, like this?

jenny 2.jpg
Camera​
NIKON D3S​
Focal Length​
200mm​
Aperture​
f/3.2​
Exposure​
1/100s​
ISO​
1250​
 
thanks for the feedback guys, never done this and definitely want to do it again :)
 
A nice set.

Not an expert but I think the third shot needs more light on the face,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Just MHO..
 
It's definitely more striking like that - but also more unconventional. There's definitely a place for a version which includes the grey frame.

Nice work, btw, just watch for a tendency to position the model too low in the frame. I still do it.

Unconventional in this case= good.
However it is not as unconventional as you think. There are plenty of examples of this framing from the 20's through the 60's and quite a number since.
Also the main subject cutting the frame is a common element in expressionist art.
In this case it even puts the eyes on a third.
Though the important factor is, that it works.
 
IMO, the first two images have too much flash/too little ambient. It can be done for intent w/ good results, but here I think it is less successful. Part of the reason is that it is small/hard/on axis... I would probably edit out the central catchlights. The other effect it has had is that it is "broad lighting" which isn't generally flattering. Generally, if the lighting is going to be on axis she should be looking towards the camera (i.e. the last image).

The last two are much more ambient and have worked better. Particularly the third which is primarily (all) ambient and has resulted in "short lighting" which is much more flattering and dynamic.
 
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Thanks [emoji846] 1,2 and4 are on camera flash, bounced off a wall. 3 is a soft box high left with a borrowed trigger.
 
Thanks [emoji846] 1,2 and4 are on camera flash, bounced off a wall. 3 is a soft box high left with a borrowed trigger.
If it was bounced, it doesn't look like you had a flag on the flash(?). It looks like there is a lot of spill coming from the camera position. I use my flashbender as a flag in these situations... or there's the DIY "black foamie thing" (a flag also blocks the on camera catchlight).
 
Flag? Thanks for the link, there was nothing on the flash
 
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Flag? Thanks for the link, there was nothing on the flash
A piece of card/foam between the flash and the model, I usually use a bit of foam and an elastic band to hold it on the flash. It stops the hard-edged shadows appearing and you get softer light as a result. The black foamie thing that Steven linked to can be used for this (it is what I use, but mine is white ...
 
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Very nice set these especially for a first try. The points regarding positioning have been well covered. Good eye contact and connection.
 
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