What’s Your Preference?

FGPhotography · #1 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 01:43 AM

This is the first time I've played with manual mode outside without any flash or anything of the sort (I don't own any reflectors or anything of that sort yet, working on it...) What do you think of the lighting, and just the shot in general? (I'm mainly wondering about the light, weather it's to bright, not bright enough, just right etc). It was taken on a cloudy day, so I did and didn't have much to work with.
Thank you in advance!

I appreciate the time you've taken to look at my photograph

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/2000)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 1600
Exposure Bias: 0/6 EV

dhart · #2 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 03:36 AM

I actually love cloudy days because it's like one big lightbox! It looks like you did well on the exposure overall. I was looking at your exif data and the ISO is kinda high. If you drop your ISO and move to a slower shutter speed, you can get the same exposure without the pitfalls of high ISO. It will also sometimes soften the photo a tad and you get a great, clear portrait.

Great eyes, btw!

ttosifa · #3 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 04:31 AM

This is a really pretty shot! It is very good as is.

That being said, I think it has a bit of a cyan cast, and adding some red to counter it seems to benefit it. But I would be happy with what you have too.

SandeeWig · #4 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 04:35 AM

Fawn, she is such a beautiful little girl! I think you captured her perfectly. Those eyes can make a person melt! They really stand out. I like it very much!

(sorry, not much of a "critique", eh?!)

sk66 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 04:39 AM

I like this shot. If I were to do anythig I would do some Post to liven the eyes a bit.
The lighting/exposure is very good. It's not glamor "butterfly lighting" but close, and someone so young and beautiful can tolerate the sligthly harsher conditions.
Really, a very nice pic. Just if she's looking right at me, I would like more character from the eyes...

FGPhotography · #6 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 05:14 AM

I played around with it a bit, not sure how successfully but I tried

Let me know what you think? Playing up brown eyes isn't the easiest thing (esp when i'm not a pse pro lol)...

And now that I upload it and look at it on the web browser, I know i didn't do a good job.. lol Any advice? thank you

Quote:

Originally Posted by sk66

I like this shot. If I were to do anythig I would do some Post to liven the eyes a bit.
The lighting/exposure is very good. It's not glamor "butterfly lighting" but close, and someone so young and beautiful can tolerate the sligthly harsher conditions.
Really, a very nice pic. Just if she's looking right at me, I would like more character from the eyes...

FGPhotography · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 05:18 AM

Thank you very much for the tips

The reason I had the Aperature at the speed it was is because I was playing with a technique Audrey Woulard told me about in an e-mail conversation. Thank you for the compliments, I love her eyes too

I'll try lowering my ISO and slowering my shutter speed next time I got out and play around with my camera (Darn rain doesn't help with this!

).

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhart

I actually love cloudy days because it's like one big lightbox! It looks like you did well on the exposure overall. I was looking at your exif data and the ISO is kinda high. If you drop your ISO and move to a slower shutter speed, you can get the same exposure without the pitfalls of high ISO. It will also sometimes soften the photo a tad and you get a great, clear portrait.

Great eyes, btw!

FGPhotography · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 05:19 AM

Thank you very much

I attached an altered version of this photo to another post (I think two posts up) where I boosted the eyes (poorly) and adjusted the color a bit..)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttosifa

This is a really pretty shot! It is very good as is.

That being said, I think it has a bit of a cyan cast, and adding some red to counter it seems to benefit it. But I would be happy with what you have too.

FGPhotography · #9 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 05:23 AM

Thank you very much, here's another of that series of photo's - I really can't pick between the two :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by SandeeWig

Fawn, she is such a beautiful little girl! I think you captured her perfectly. Those eyes can make a person melt! They really stand out. I like it very much!

(sorry, not much of a "critique", eh?!)

SandeeWig · #10 (**permalink**) 11-13-2008, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FGPhotography

I played around with it a bit, not sure how successfully but I tried

Let me know what you think? Playing up brown eyes isn't the easiest thing (esp when i'm not a pse pro lol)...

And now that I upload it and look at it on the web browser, I know i didn't do a good job.. lol Any advice? thank you

Check out page 2 of this thread where RexK gives a step by step visual tutorial (the best kind for me!) of how to enhance brown eyes. It has worked better for me than the straight dodge/burn technique, though it's rather involved. I have to re-read this thread every time I want to do it!