Want to use for Senior Portrait

[kptasteve]

This is a beginning on making portraits. I would like a good critique of this so I can learn. So all critique is




4914×4466 pixels – 4673KB
Filename: amy_portrait_(1_of_1).jpg
Camera: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 50D
ISO: 400
Exposure: 1/800 sec
Aperture: 4.0
Focal Length: 80mm
Flash Used: Yes

[Cau Guebo]

I would say: KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!
Watch out for the lighting (came out too dark) and it's way too colorfull I think.

[jiminyClickit]

kptasteve, Welcome

Getting good Critique can be helped by your specific question (#5 in Rules, link below) about an aspect (or aspects) of your photograph that you wish us to pay particular attention to. When you post in Critique, it's almost certainly because you are concerned about something. That concern gives us a starting place.

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[RexK_Cozumel]

Looks a bit underexposed. processing is poor. (her hair is purple. and there is a halo around the subject) Lighting looks to be on camera flash. Skin tones look very red. Pose and lighting is not very flattering to the subject (can see a bit of a double chin and creases in the neck)

For the lighting try to get the flash off the camera or bounce it to give some direction. Skin tones can be fixed in post processing. As for the pose dont have the subject turn her body so much next time. This is what is causing that crease in her neck (her head is turning too much to face into the camera) To hide the double chin have the model extend her neck out and tilt the chin down slightly. This will pull the skin tight in the neck and chin area and hide the double chin. Or you can also just shoot the model from a higher vantage point and use her head to hide the neck area. Or you can hide it using lighting by moving the light higher to cast a shadow onto the neck.

There are tons of ways to pose and light models to minimize/hide flaws I suggest you pick up some books on posing and lighting models. Skin by Lee Varis is a great book which teaches you some methods for lighting, photographing, and post processing images of people. Light Science and Magic, cant remember the authors right now, is another great book on lighting techniques not focused specifically on portraits however. As for posing there are tons of books out there. Look for some on glamour/beauty posing as opposed to fashion posing.