What’s Your Preference?

tweetspie · #1 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008, 09:07 PM

I've never liked ANY of my portrait work, so naturally, every chance I get, I take portrait shots for practice. Lately, my friend Tom has been coming over and we'll get bored and go into my studio. I have over 200 shots from the past two times he's been over.

Ok, here goes

And here's all of my EXIF data as Flickr handed it to me. Literally copied and pasted

Camera: Sony DSC-H1
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 15.1 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/10 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
X-Resolution: 72 dpi
Y-Resolution: 72 dpi
Date and Time: 2007:02:27 02:28:28
YCbCr Positioning: Co-Sited
Exposure Program: Normal
Date and Time (Original): 2007:02:27 02:28:28
Date and Time (Digitized): 2007:02:27 02:28:28
Compressed Bits per Pixel: 8 bits
Maximum Lens Aperture: 48/16
Metering Mode: Pattern
Color Space: sRGB
Compression: JPEG
Orientation: Horizontal (normal)
Image Width: 1536 pixels
Image Height: 2048 pixels

peeperita · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 01:52 AM

i can appreciate the want to do better at what i feel i fail to do well....

you go.....

in my opinion, there's no better, faster route to improvement that submitting your work for critique.....

he's a handsome subject, no doubt....

right off the bat, the first thing that strikes me is your backdrop....although you have an admirably short depth of field, your subject is seated too close to blur it out of focus......seat him a bit away from it.....and if that means moving to a larger room, then do so......i'd say at least three to four feet between him and it......

your lighting is okay for a male subject, dramatic and highly offset between your key and fill lights.....although, i feel you could have bracketed for a better exposure.....his skin is dancing on the edge of being washed out.....

do be more conscious of shadows.....this is espcially true when your backdrop is as close to your main focus as this is......they can be a distraction, but easily remidied by a change in lighting configuration......

great post!

peeper

Liz Caldwell · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 01:58 AM

Ms. Peepers has got it right. A simple levels adjustment would fix the washed out areas. May I edit it?

tweetspie · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 09:14 AM

Peepers: I need a new one. The one I have is just getting way too small for what I want to do. It's too short and has these ridiculous seams that I always have to edit out. I'm going to move my chair out before my next shoot and see if that does what I want it to. Thank you so much for your critique!

And he is quite handsome. I choose to surround myself with attractive people all the time because it makes me happy! lol

Liz Caldwell: feel free!

I probably should have mentioned that my monitor is ridiculously dark, so I don't see ANYTHING anywhere near washed out. I'm in need of a new one.....

(Want: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824002335

Would settle for: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009094)