chriselizondo Loc: Macedonia, SC

Thanks for all the feed back

vislp Loc: Level Pebble

Keep in mind this was REAL quick. I did a color correction to get rid of some of the blue. No where near perfect. I also sharpened it

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

number one is just boring flat lighting straight off the camera with no diffusion of your flash source, which anyone can do, so it does not make you stand out as a photographer against anyone else with a camera. Try using off camera flash that will give more modelling to the subjects face and body. It is also a non-no to cut off so much head and body, so with no disrespect meant, this is nothing more than a simple snap shot and not a proper portrait shot by a photographer. Again I'm giving an honest response for you to learn from, not running you down.

The second shot has too much wrong with it to go into, from pose, lighting and camera angle.

alienmurphy Loc: Alaska

On number one what I saw first was the distinct tan lines on the chest. Prior to the shoot some tanning or makeup bronzer would have taken care of this.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Since you don't mind posts of possibly improved edits, here's a couple from messing around with Smart Photo Editor. I sharpened, straightened, and improved hair and skin on Jessica. I sharpened and improved hair and skin on Taylor. I like how you captured true emotion whether there are compositional problems or not!

Jessica edited


Taylor edited

chriselizondo Loc: Macedonia, SC

I appreciate all the input. I'm trying to find the things i need to pay attention to while looking through the viewfinder so I'll have something to work with afterwards. Definitely learning a lot.

Wheezie

beautiful look on your daughter!! i too would love to see her flowing hair.! there seems to be a tiny element of tension. I call it performance anxiety where they try too hard!
You'll notice as a session progresses both the subject & photographer start relaxing. If you are relaxed you subject will be, if you are having fun your subject will also. whatever you project behind the camera will effect what is in front of it! you project negativity don't even try to photograph a session, unless you are out for a certain "feel" to your portrait.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

My opinion, the girl's nose should be in the center of the shot. Having her shoulders and face turned is a very nice pose but perhaps if you'd have panned right to center her nose it would have worked better.

#2 needed fill flash.

senad55verizon.net Loc: Milford, NJ

I think the entire tone of #1 is too dark. Straightened the horizon, sharpened around the eyes and mouth.

Anyhow, a much higher key photograph. You might want to adjust the skin tones a bit.

tkhphotography Loc: Gresham, Or, not Seattle

too much sharpening on the girl, especially around her arms for me.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I also think that the focus is off...that's the biggie.

That and the "on axis" flash (it appears that you used on-camera flash for the first shot; it created the little specular highlights on her cheeks...it appears to be hard light.

Also, her lighting seems a bit flat due to the angle of her face as compared to the lighting direction...the young man not so much...the light appears to be coming from his left side and so there is a pretty good lighting ratio in place...but on her...not so much.

Next time change the angle on her so the sunlight is lighting one side of her face (as it is him) and use a reflector to bring up the shadow side....a reflector can be a white shirt, car windshield thing (white or silver)or aluminum foil, or a white piece of cardboard or if you want, a store-bought reflector kit.

On the second shot, the pose is wrong...his opposite eye is falling off of his face, his nose is poking out of his cheek...both no-no's.

A good thing to do is get a book on posing and lighting and not just "wing it" (no disrespect intended.)

A very very good book about posing a lighting is Wayne Radford's "Portrait tips and Techniques". It's an EBook and it's invaluable for this kind of thing...

http://www.portraittipsandtechniques.com/e-book/

I hope that helps.

senad55verizon.net Loc: Milford, NJ

No sharpening was done around the arms. The main effect in the change, brightening, was accomplished by a 1.0 stop increase in Exposure. Also, tweaks in black point and the i/o Curve.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

While I agree the girl was a bit dark, on my 23" LCD monitor it seems you may have gone too far. Things, including the background and even her skin, are starting to wash out from what I see. I believe .5 stop would have been enough. She's wearing what seems to be an evening dress so I assumed the shot was taken around dusk, thus the slight darkness. What you've adjusted for looks like high noon.

tkhphotography Loc: Gresham, Or, not Seattle

ah, 'marcomarks' posted that on his (the one I 'quoted') he did sharpen it. Not sure what post you are referring to.

senad55verizon.net Loc: Milford, NJ

The choices I suggested are 0.5 stop, or 0.35 stop which is 0.15 less than 0.5 stop. More than 0.5 really washes out the image.