Engagement Photo

[EOBeav]

Just wanted your thoughts on composition, editing, and use of light. Anything else you can think of that would add to the discussion is also welcome. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

And yes, it would have been nice to use a smaller aperture and get more of a sunstar. Oh well.


Brytni and Jared by Rick.Scheibner, on Flickr

Exif data
Camera Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L
Exposure 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 17 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV

Strobist: Lumopro LP160 reflected from umbrella, camera left, full power. Setting Eastern Oregon sun, camera right and behind subject.

[Rentham]

The primary issue for me is the double chin on the girl. You'd probably need a combination of posing and lighting to fix it. Maybe have her turn to face him fully, then turn her head back toward the camera. That would stretch her neck out a bit and take up some of the slack. Also having the light come from higher on her left side might have put a nice dark shadow under her chin (like you have on the guy).

Overall, though, it is a nice image. I like it.

[KatTankersley]

I have the same problem with the chin in my own photos of myself. Its a touchy subject though shooting someone else. I always have my husband shoot from above me so I am looking up slightly and this minimizes and helps my face look skinnier. So that's my first shot is to shoot from a bit higher.

The other thing that catches my eye is the color tone of the photo. The light on the couple is a bit white compared to the glow of the sunlight. You might be able to bring out the sunlight in the photo by warming up the photo.

I should enter my disclaimer... I am a brand new photographer (like a month in, lol) and so advice is the last thing I should be giving. I can only hope to catch a great shot like this. I do edit a lot of photos.

[SusanH1970]

I agree that I'd warm up the subjects a bit. Also, the post processing has just a tad too much contrast - the blacks are clipped and have lost detail. I also agree that shooting from slightly from above and adjusting her pose would have helped with the double chin.

[RLucas]

I don't mind the double chin, although I am mot too crazy about the angle it was shot from. The big killer for me is the drastic difference between the ambient and flash. It's not bad, but the strobist shots I gravitate toward are more ambient balanced.

[doxborrow]

I think that the composition is right on. There are only 2 things that I see in this photo that would help it and both have already been mentioned. Rentham's tip about the stretching the neck works wonders and would definitely be applicable here. I also agree with Kat about the color temperature of your strobe. I would probably throw a 1/4 CTO (color temperature orange) gel or possibly a 1/2 CTO on the strobe. I wouldn't match the color temperature PERFECTLY though, otherwise your subjects don't stand out as much.