Dinner shot

[tokyomark]

Hi All,

Here's a shot of my little one I took while out to dinner. Please critique on composition, exposure, and whether I succeeded in getting a natural looking skin tone. I had to do some work in PS because the original was a bit dark and needed some sharpening.

I would have preferred not to chop off the top of her head, but I'm working with a fifty mm and had no room to move. Also, her hair is tied up in back, but still there are a few strays. Her hair is pretty curly, and short of controlling it with massive hair product, it usually doesn't cooperate.
Not only for this shot but portraits in general, I'm wondering how important this is. I'd like to make a portfolio for her, but is it expected that the hair be perfect and wisp free?

Any comments appreciated.

Shot in Manual
SS 1/20
Aperture at 2.0
ISO at 640
Focal length at 50 mm

Thanks!

Mark

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by tokyomark

Also, her hair is tied up in back, but still there are a few strays. Her hair is pretty curly, and short of controlling it with massive hair product, it usually doesn't cooperate.

Not only for this shot but portraits in general, I'm wondering how important this is. I'd like to make a portfolio for her, but is it expected that the hair be perfect and wisp free?

Any comments appreciated.

Hiya Mark,
Hitting the topics you specifically asked for:
Composition: I like it. I don't mind the head cropping at all. It allows for a focus on the eyes. I might have liked it a bit better had you placed her a bit more to the right leaving more empty space to the left. But that's a taste thing, and lately I like a lot of negative space.
Exposure: I think the exposure (as it is after PP) is really nice. I like to soft warm tones. Might be that it could be just a tad bit brighter? Not sure though.
Skin tones: They look natural to me.

Other comments.
The slow shutter speed makes it so there is a bit of motion blur making the eyes not as sharp as they should be. This could be almost a stunning image had the eyes been pin sharp. Granted, it could be a DoF thing since the lips look like they might be in focus. Did you re-crop this after shooting it and the original had her lips in the center of the frame, and you were using the central focus point?
I say all this because, to me, it's crucial in shots like these to absolutely nail the focus on the eyes (unless you've taken some artistic choice to make the eyes out of focus of course). This photo, for me, as a photograph and not just something beautiful for a family album is almost ruined due to the soft looking eyes. Again, I'm being picky because it seems you want to take this further and not just be happy with a nice pic for the family album because in the end it's a nice shot.

I find the line cutting through her head from the background distracting.
I like your use of DoF.
I like the way she is posed, it 3/4th turned torso.
If you're looking to do something more professional in terms of a portfolio (either for you or her), yeah, getting all the details perfect (ie loose hairs) is important. For nice family shots to share amongst yourselves, no, not important at all.

All in all it's a nice shot of a very pretty young lady for which you should be happy. Is there room for improvement, yeah, but it's close. Just nail that focus!

See ya!

PS please please please find me a job in Japan.. I want to move there sooooo badly. (Lived in Tokyo a year while studying back in 2001 and visited recently!)

[graciousness]

Today is your lucky day, Mark, cause you got The Fuzz on to your photo!

You don't need me anymore

Agree completely with what he said. It would have been such a perfect shot if you got the focus on the eyes better. Like him, I'm a big fan of negative space so placement more to the right would make it a little more interesting, I think.

Glad to see you another photo - what a nice photo of your gorgeous girl! You've improved quite a bit in comparison to the other photos you've posted before so well done

As far as portfolio goes, if you meant to use it for professional purposes, not quite. Had the focus on the eyes been better, then absolutely. If you meant you wanted to make a personal album/portfolio for your family and or friends, then absolutely yes.

In regards to the hair, same answer depending on what you want to use the portfolio for. It also depends on the nature of the shot. If it's a more playful type of casual, family shot, then hair doesn't matter so much. If it's formal photos and posed, then yes, hair matters.

Anyhoo, what am I still doing here? You're fine, Big Fuzz got you taken care of. Nothing that I can add that he hasn't mentioned.

Cheers and see you here again soon,

Grace

[tokyomark]

Hi Al,

Thanks very much for the detailed response!

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Hiya Mark,
Composition: I like it. I don't mind the head cropping at all. It allows for a focus on the eyes. I might have liked it a bit better had you placed her a bit more to the right leaving more empty space to the left. But that's a taste thing, and lately I like a lot of negative space.

Good to hear that I’ve almost got it. I know what you mean about the negative space and will keep that in mind. (I like it too.) I was happy to get even this shot as it is, though, because my daughter’s tolerance window is very narrow.

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

The slow shutter speed makes it so there is a bit of motion blur making the eyes not as sharp as they should be. This could be almost a stunning image had the eyes been pin sharp. Granted, it could be a DoF thing since the lips look like they might be in focus. Did you re-crop this after shooting it and the original had her lips in the center of the frame, and you were using the central focus point?
I say all this because, to me, it's crucial in shots like these to absolutely nail the focus on the eyes (unless you've taken some artistic choice to make the eyes out of focus of course). This photo, for me, as a photograph and not just something beautiful for a family album is almost ruined due to the soft looking eyes.

About the focus, yeah, I know it could be sharper. I thought I wouldn’t be able to use this shot at all because the OOF is more apparent in the original. But I was able to save it, to some degree, thanks to the sharpening.
Point well taken about nailing the focus. I’m working on it for future shots.
No, I didn’t crop this shot. It’s SOOC. The focus point is (camera view) right eye, so the problem must have been the motion blur.

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Again, I'm being picky because it seems you want to take this further and not just be happy with a nice pic for the family album because in the end it's a nice shot.

If you're looking to do something more professional in terms of a portfolio (either for you or her), yeah, getting all the details perfect (ie loose hairs) is important. For nice family shots to share amongst yourselves, no, not important at all.

Thanks for being picky. Just for the record, the pickier the better. I do want to take my photography to the next level so appreciate your pointing these things out to me. The portfolio will be for both her and me and I want them to be professional level, but I know I’ve got a ways to go.

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

PS please please please find me a job in Japan.. I want to move there sooooo badly. (Lived in Tokyo a year while studying back in 2001 and visited recently!)

(I’ll send you a PM, so plz check, but honestly,) I’d love to help you out, but I can’t in good conscious recommend you come to Japan right now, especially if you’re thinking about the Tokyo area. The gov doesn’t have the funds to clean up the Fukushima nuclear plants properly and so the surrounding areas are getting a nice steady dose of radiation, (despite what the media says.) Our place is in Tokyo, but we’ve relocated up north to Sapporo to distance ourselves. We have our daughter to think about and it seems we’ve made a wise decision based on all the info that’s surfaced since the earthquake.
So for moving, maybe you should give it 5 years or so. (?) If you do come to Japan again to visit, though, give me a shout. I’ll be up north, and depending on the time of year, there’s a lot to keep a photographer interested. Not to mention the food is always good and Sapporo is the home of some very nice beers.

[tokyomark]

Hi Grace,

Originally Posted by graciousness

Today is your lucky day, Mark, cause you got The Fuzz on to your photo!

You don't need me anymore

Yeah, Al’s advice was totally appreciated! But, don’t leave me!

Originally Posted by graciousness

Glad to see you another photo - what a nice photo of your gorgeous girl! You've improved quite a bit in comparison to the other photos you've posted before so well done

As far as portfolio goes, if you meant to use it for professional purposes, not quite. Had the focus on the eyes been better, then absolutely. If you meant you wanted to make a personal album/portfolio for your family and or friends, then absolutely yes.

In regards to the hair, same answer depending on what you want to use the portfolio for. It also depends on the nature of the shot. If it's a more playful type of casual, family shot, then hair doesn't matter so much. If it's formal photos and posed, then yes, hair matters.

Thanks so much for that! Good to hear there’s progress.

Six months ago, I just wanted to get together some shots that I could use in a portfolio for her. But the more that I get into this and learn, the more I feel I could pull some of this stuff off. And the more I want to learn. (And it’s all your fault. Ha ha) Anyway, my point is that the level of portfolio I’d like to make keeps getting higher as I keep learning. I know I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m hooked now, and enjoying the journey.

So I really appreciate all your advice. Little by little I’ll get there, and sorry for the stoopid questions along the way.

[tokyomark]

@BigFuzzy,

I tried to PM you through the DPS system but didn't have any luck, so I mailed you via your al@alborrelli.com address.

Plz check

Thanks!

Mark