Portrait Test

[vnguyen972]

Hi, I am testing my new camera and I have never taken photography course before. I've been kinda reading and learning it from online and trying it out using my wife as model I want to take this opportunity to see if I could get some critique from this photo. I am trying everything but it still doesn't look sharp... out of focus? I did try to focus on the eyes and maybe at f2.8 it was hard to focus? maybe I one of the the setting wasn't correct, like shutter speed or iso speed or aperture
What about the pose for the model? as I'm not a professional, I wasn't sure how to direct the model to which pose, I just kinda go with it and tried to direct a little
Also, what PP could be done to make this photo looks better?
This is taken straight from the camera, well, a little adjustment from the RAW editor but that was it...

Thanks.
EXIF INFO: Exif | _MG_2760 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Question: how do you get the static link to the photo from flickr? I cannot find it anywhere

[dlambert]

The focus seems a bit soft - I'm looking at the eyes to be crisp most of all. At F/2.8, you might have just one eye in focus, but I wouldn't have thought that would be a problem until you got to something like F/1.2 or F/1.8.

I like the composition, though I think it might have been nice not to cut off her hair.

[carlyfan]

It makes me sad that it's so soft because I absolutely love the pose, composition, lighting, pretty much everything about it except the focus. It looks like her left arm is sharper than her face. Did you sharpen it at all? I know RAW images usually have to be sharpened.
By the way, she's beautiful!

Lisa

[vnguyen972]

Personally I like the pose too and the reason I posted here that I was hoping to see if there's a way to save this pic

@carlyfan yeah I didn't notice the arm until you pointed it out... yeah.. it is sharper than her face... dang it! No I didn't sharpen it at all, mainly because I didn't know how to do it effectively.. I tried (not from the raw) in PS but wasn't quite satisfied. Thanks so much!

@dlambert I was kinda went with it on deciding to cut of her hair... not sure why but at the moment, I felt it was kinda right but I will remember this tip! thanks!

I know I still have a lot of issue on focusing but hopefully practice makes perfect. I guess I just have to take more and practice more

[vnguyen972]

I have a question: how do I fix that ugly shadow made on her underarm? I tried the patch tool but it doesn't look right... what is the best way?

Thanks.

[TMorris]

Originally Posted by vnguyen972

I have a question: how do I fix that ugly shadow made on her underarm? I tried the patch tool but it doesn't look right... what is the best way?

Thanks.

I often prefer the clone tool to correct or remove things. It's a gorgeous image. I do think you could probably sharpen up her eyes enough if you work with it a little.

[vnguyen972]

Originally Posted by TMorris

I often prefer the clone tool to correct or remove things. It's a gorgeous image. I do think you could probably sharpen up her eyes enough if you work with it a little.

Thanks TMorris, I'm gonna try that!

[swilliams61]

Question: how do you get the static link to the photo from flickr? I cannot find it anywhere [/QUOTE]

Sign in to your Flickr account, then go to your Photostream. Click on the picture you want and it will take you to another page. Above the picture, click on "Share this" and a link will pop up to "Grab the HTML/BBCode". Then copy and paste!