Spring Portrait

[Laurapalazz]

My first actual scheduled portrait session. Thanks to my friend for volunteering. It was freezing cold, windy, dinnertime and her horse was a complete nut - rearing, bucking, biting. The worst possible subject - but my friend managed to maintain relatively calm and I think we did ok. Let me know your thoughts, natural light with a little fill flash. I was real worried about the white dress and the dark horse. Let me know your comments on exposure and all. Thanks

Laura
Flickr: Pony girl2's Photostream

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 80 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Fired, Return detected

[work2well]

I'd start with being able to see more of the young lady on the horse - half of her is hidden by the horse, another half is hiding behind her hair, and I'm still trying to understand how the poor horse is holding a flower up it's nostril.
Nice looking horse and potentially pretty field, but not like that

[Karinu]

What an amazing setting! I think you did a great job capturing the colors-I do like the white dress against the white horse.

I'd have liked to see your friend's face closer to the horse's eye, standing alongside his face rather than sitting above. The contrast of her coloring against the horse's would be better and the composition may have worked better as well. But if the horse was misbehaving maybe a pose with her standing next to him wouldn't have worked.

Given the circumstances you describe I think you did a good job for a first session. But I'm new, too, so my empathy may be worth more than my opinion here.

[jherman]

Really like the colors/setting, but with horses (been around them for years) best shots with owner/rider to me are ones that you see all of them works best. Even in stride would be cool. Is that a flower in the mouth, I would erase that. If this horse is a real looker, you would want to see all of his fussy self. With this shot, you can't tell he is fussy though.
Joelle

[hifigraz]

very nice ...
I like the colors and the motive.

[CiiVii]

I prefer the 2nd portrait of these two on your Flickr... Lovely idea to pose in the yellow flowers in this one, though.

[Laurapalazz]

Originally Posted by CiiVii

I prefer the 2nd portrait of these two on your Flickr... Lovely idea to pose in the yellow flowers in this one, though.

Here is the other version that is on Flickr...what do you all think of this one?

[Kaye]

I think they are both nice photographs, but I like the second one you posted best. I like the attitude of the horse better in the second one and it seems a little sharper to me (but I like sharp photos). Great job all around.

[vjhoward]

Great colors. Good light. Lots of good comments already. Wonderfully sharp focus in the 2nd shot (I really struggle with sharp focus). The current shots seem to try to put too much in frame. Maybe a little crowded, so my eyes don't know quite where to go. My mind wonders if you were trying to direct people to the horse or the girl Did you work to get any shots where she was not on the horse, but standing with the horse draping his head over her shoulder?

I truly appreciate the effort you took and getting your first scheduled shoot under your belt. I have my first scheduled shoot in a couple of weeks...a friend 4 month old baby. I am fast and furiously working some practice shots so I don't seem like a total blithering idiot with a camera...

[Laurapalazz]

Originally Posted by vjhoward

Did you work to get any shots where she was not on the horse, but standing with the horse draping his head over her shoulder?.

Thanks for the comments, we were going to try the head over the shoulder shot, but the horse was being a total nutcase. Rearing, bucking, biting, not a cooperative subject at all. I am happy we got anything even remotely good. Great learning experience.We are going to re-schedule and we are going to lunge the horse first and get rid of some extra energy before we attempt this again! Have another victim scheduled for this weekend. Good luck with your shoot. We got this one though. What do you all think of this..better?



and this

Can you sense how done she is with him at this point...LOL