My first Model Session!

[hcarrphoto]

I did my first shoot for a non family/friend. She is an aspiring model so we were taking them for her portfolio and for mine! Just wondering if you think I have an eye for Portraits. I had so much fun doing this shoot and she loved the images. Any critique would be very helpful.

[autofocus]

I think the shot would have worked better if you turned her more at an angle to the camera. Straight on shots are not always the best pose. Also, I'm not sure of her gaze up and away from the camera...as a viewer, I can't seem to connect to her. Don't get me wrong, you don't always need to have direct eye contact, but this would have worked better if there was. When you look at her, all tattooed, you expect to have a photo that has a little harder edge, more intense look to it. Her dreamy expression doesn't seem to go with who she is, and how she's portrayed here.

Vince

[natek313]

I agree with what Vince has said - especially regarding the tattoos.

Also, the composition is a bit boring. No offense. She's in the dead-center of the frame. You have some natural framing with the doorway, but I think it could have been executed better.

Train yourself to really look at the "photo" before hitting the shutter button. Make sure everything looks okay - pose, composition, lighting, clothing, etc. The reason I say that is because her shirt is very "wrinkled." I think it would have looked a lot better (and probably a little more flattering) if the bottom of the shirt was pulled down so that it lays quite flat against her body.

[Dodge]

I think I'd try straightening and cropping it to a head and shoulder shot as for me, the area from the boobs down kind of distracts from the upper half.

As auto-focus suggested too, a little more edgy would suit her, maybe if you could get her to pose again and have her use the brick wall to her left as a prop, and have her give you some attitude

[hcarrphoto]

I agree with her expression. This is what she kept doing while I was shooting her and I am not good at guiding people where to pose and asking them to try different things. I was hoping for a edgy-er look also but didnt have the the guts to tell her or even know what I needed to tell her to do different! And the shirt... wow!! I Really need to train my eye to see all these things! I didnt even notice but now that you mentioned it thats all I see! I will have to see what I can do with the cropping. Thank you all very much for the feedback, VERY helpful!

[Jerry.Hammond]

Keep shooting.

[mrdale]

+1 to whats already been said. Also watch the background behind her head, her hair is lost in the dark bg. Her right hand is kind of lifeless, maybe she could have grabbed her shirt and pulled it down for example and maybe an "angry" facial expression. It is difficult to direct a model especially a newbie. As the shooter do some pre-planning fo what you want to achieve, act it out if need be with the model before shooting. One of you needs to be in control of whats happening and it should be you. Models need to be able to take direction, don't be afraid to tell her what you want her to do, its your shoot. Thanks for sharing, and as mentioned--Keep Shooting.

dale

[miyukisarah]

Don't be nervous about telling your models to do things! I always have people tell me they feel better when I take their picture as opposed to other people because I give them a little direction. I personally don't give too much because I like the natural, but don't be afraid to give some general directions. Your model will see that as confidence and being in control.