Older Couple: Hi, Everyone. Just coming off shooting a couple along with their individual portraits this past weekend in my basement studio. The following are the results. As I'm...

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

Hi, Everyone.

Just coming off shooting a couple along with their individual portraits this past weekend in my basement studio. The following are the results. As I'm pretty new to portraiture, C&C is welcomed and appreciated.

My setup is with 3 Yongnuo speed lights and triggers - one with a soft box, the other with an umbrella and the last as a hair/backlight. The BG is a stand with a tie-dyed grey muslin. Lensed with a Nikon 85mm G 1.8 on a D7100 Body.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

David

wayne-03 Loc: Minnesota

Nice job.

djtravels Loc: Georgia boy now

Although I'm just a snap shooter, I'd say you got the lighting right. Poses... good. Maybe whiten the teeth some.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

She looks yellow on her left cheek. Did you use a CTO filter with the umbrella?

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

>>Maybe whiten the teeth some.<<

Good suggestion. I agree. And I will.

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

>>Nice job.<<

Thanks!

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

OddJobber wrote:

She looks yellow on her left cheek. Did you use a CTO filter with the umbrella?

No, no filter. It may be that because it was edited on a Mac that the color temperature difference between a Mac and a PC may have caused the slight discoloration.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Well, processing on a Mac has nothing to do with the yellow cast. A calibrated monitor is a calibrated monitor. If your system is color-managed, then the device is immaterial.

These are pretty good. A small point - It looks like the camera is a bit low as in all three, they appear to be looking slightly down. For the head and shoulder images, we want the camera at LEAST at eye-height and preferably a bit higher.

Also, looking at the catchlights and shadows, your main light is too low. Not a horrible mistake, but it does need to be higher as that will place the catchlight properly ensure that the nose shadows fall down, not horizontal.

In the couple photo, leave just a bit of space above the man's head.

Be careful using a hairlight on men with this guy's hair - and I am one of them - as it accentuates how thin the hair really is.

Good start.

Learn retouching if you are serious about portraits as with these, the job is half done.

jonsommer Loc: Usually, somewhere on the U.S. west coast.

You've done lot's of things right, and I agree with the other comments that have been made, but I've got to comment on their cheesy smiles, well, hers seems more genuine, but his seems like 'OK, I'm having my portrait done so I'm supposed to smile, even though I don't feel like it, say cheese'. If you look through a bunch of portraits (500px.com is a great place to start) you'll notice that big smiles are very rare, most often the women have their lips parted just enough to see a little bit of teeth, the men usually have their mouths closed. This does at least three things for your portraits, 1, crooked teeth don't become a distraction, 2, you don't have to go back in post and whiten them, and 3, your portraits will look much more natural and realistic, cuz full blown big huge smiles like this couple is showing just doesn't happen very often in real life.

Jon

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

jonsommer wrote:

You've done lot's of things right, and I agree wit... (show quote)

I agree with this. I don't do portraits, and have no studio gear, so I can't really comment on that, although the lighting looks pleasing enough to me. My first thought on looking at them was that his smile was over the top and forced. The lady doesn't seem as bad, but both shots of the guy have the same feeling.

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

CaptainC wrote:

Well, processing on a Mac has nothing to do with t... (show quote)

Thanks, Cliff, for your feedback and suggestions -- truly constructive criticism and much appreciated.

Camera placement was limited to the height of the tripod and the guy was over six feet, so I was having to tilt up slightly to shoot him. Probably I should have subjects sit rather than stand to correct this . . . either that or handhold the camera.

As for the lighting, it's an 8 foot ceiling, so the angle (placement) of the light (and the umbrella) was somewhat limited because of the limitations of the room height relative to his. Again, maybe solved by having the subject sit.

Not meaning or trying to defend my position, simply identifying the limitations I was working with. Again, thanks for your comments and criticism. Your knowledge and expertise are greatly appreciated.

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

jonsommer wrote:

You've done lot's of things right, and I agree wit... (show quote)

Thanks, Jon, for your feedback and input. All entirely valid. (Actually, I was having him say, "Cheeks," rather than "Cheese" as was suggested in an article in PetaPixel) Either way, it didn't work.

As the subject tends to be a rather serious individual, it was difficult for him to "perform" and do what is not typical of him. We were trying to get him to be "lighter" than is his usual demeanor. Next time, I'll know better. ;-)

Again, thanks.

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

Bloke wrote:

I agree with this. I don't do portraits, and have no studio gear, so I can't really comment on that, although the lighting looks pleasing enough to me. My first thought on looking at them was that his smile was over the top and forced. The lady doesn't seem as bad, but both shots of the guy have the same feeling.

Ah, typical trombone player -- sees right through all the BS. (Coming from a former one ;-))

Thanks for re-inforcing the point.
Next time, I'll encourage him to be his dour self.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

dsp wrote:

Thanks, Cliff, for your feedback and suggestions -... (show quote)

Yes, I figured as much. That is why in low-ceiling rooms, we must get the subjects seated. With a six foot person and 8 foot ceilings we can NEVER get the light high enough. So we have to do whatever we need to do to GET the light right.

I do hundreds of head shots every year and they are mostly done in client officesstandard rooms with standard-height ceilings. Everybody sits. No exceptions.

As to the forced smile, a non-smile is always better than what this guy gave you.

dsp Loc: Denver, Colorado

CaptainC wrote:

Yes, I figured as much. That is why in low-ceiling rooms, we must get the subjects seated. With a six foot person and 8 foot ceilings we can NEVER get the light high enough. So we have to do whatever we need to do to GET the light right.

I do hundreds of head shots every year and they are mostly done in client officesstandard rooms with standard-height ceilings. Everybody sits. No exceptions.

As to the forced smile, a non-smile is always better than what this guy gave you.

Thanks, again, Cliff. I'll remember to do that. That, and try to get a forced smile when it's not appropriate. So much for having someone say, "Cheeks!" ;-)