First photo shoot job...

[ryandaleySD]

These are a couple shots from my first photo shoot that I was actually hired to do. And when I say I hired, I was chosen to do the work, but only for free right now. I am looking to build my portfolio and to be able to actually practice on willing models (my wife is tired of me telling her to pose on a backdrop with my SB600 flashing at all different angles.)

So umm what do you guys think? Any feedback will help me out tons. I really respect the opinions of so many photographers on here that anything, good or bad will help me out in the future.

I just shot these with my D80 and a 55-200mm lens and some with my 50mm prime. I use a white or black sheet for the back drop and fired my SB600 at different angles. When I got home, I noticed I shot most of them a little too dark even though they looked good on the camera. I shoot in raw, so fixing them wasnt that big of a deal. Just a lesson for next time.
Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 55 mm
Exposure: +1.80
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Fired, Return not detected

File Size: 1656 kB
File Type: JPEG
MIME Type: image/jpeg
Image Width: 1473

[ericw]

I don't like that you see just a tiny bit of her jeans, show a decent amount or none at all (my opinion). This would also take care of chopping her left hand.

Light seems a little blown out on her left cheek, while the right arm is very dark and somewhat noisy.

Was the focus off? The near brim of the hat seems sharp while her eyes are a bit soft.

[ttosifa]

The light is too hot on her face, and you blew out the red channel.

Also, what I assume is post work on her right shoulder is sloppy. It also appears you have some brush work visible on the background to her right.

[WooD]

I think the lighting is OK, nothing you couldn't fix in post processing.

I'd loose the hat, and there are several highly noticeable places where I guess you were painting out the background. It actually looks like you added the background. Her hair on both sides, right shoulder, and left forearm all have areas that show.

[ryandaleySD]

Wow thank all of you for checking out the shot that in depth! I really appreciate it.

As for the hat, she just threw it on to be goofy. And the reds are blown out I think because I increased them too much in post to bring out the colors in the at.

I cropped the photo off at the jeans because the photos are all of mainly the shirts. Its for a website that sells shirts that allows you to design them.

I cut out the model and made her a separate layer, then adjusted the expsure on the background so you wouldn't see it as a sheet. When I sent them the finished product, I cut out the model a lot better. I guess I should have posted that one.

With the lighting, which I think is every photographers mountain to climb....We were shooting inside next to a huge window. I fired my SB600 at what I see now was the wrong direction. I should have shot it from the opposite side of the window. Makes complete sense now and I have no idea why I didnt do that in the shoot.

And Focus...I think I focused in on the hat more than they eyes. Something else I wouldnt do before and I think I just rushed a couple of these too much.

But thank you all again for looking over my shot. By bringing those things to my attention I can see better of what I did wrong and correct it for next time!!!