1st ever portrait

[claire007]

hi everyone as you can see from the title its my first attempt at doing portrait can you tell me what you think and what can i do to improve.

thks
claire

 

[h.r.ford]

Hey great first try. Here's my 2p:

You've flashed him and thereby really flattened the picture and left bad shadows. Natural light or well set up studio lights really are better than an on board flash fired directly at a subject because as you see here you've lost the features of his face.

That being said I like the angle you've chosen and you're eye contact is fantastic, I really feel like he's looking at me. I would give his eyes a little selective USM though.

 

[BRASH]

Nice composition but have you done some PP on his face? It loks lik a fair bit of smoothing of some sort has gone on.

 

[InaGlo]

Hi Claire
Welcome to TPF.

Further to what has been said above,
I think your PP needs a little practice as the skin does look patchy but not bad for a first portrait... you kept the eyes nice & sharp!