First ever portrait!!

[PinkLens]

Hello everyone,

Thanks to everyone for their encouraging comments-really helps someone like me try harder and improve. And have absolute fun doing this!

This picture is from a portrait shoot that I did with my photography group last weekend. It wasnt a 'posed' photoshoot but mainly to capture people as they are. Ive NEVER done portraits and this was one of the good pictures that came out of it. I find eyes fascinating and I would always want to make the eyes the most important aspect in the picture. Do you think I got it right with this one? Any idea how you'd do this better? Closer/more focus on the eyes with less of the background?

Very little postprocessing here, just made it a little brighter, to make her hair and skin pop a little.

Please let me know what you think I can improve on.

Ta! Priya



(Thanks candleman for this..Im still not sure where to look for EXIF data! Freaks!)
Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 40 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode: Auto
White Balance: Manual

[candleman]

hi
welcome to the most amazing part of photography
(IMHO)

hehe
BTW.. the reules say you need to post EXIF information.
so heres what i got from your flickr site

Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 40 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode: Auto
White Balance: Manual

i'll give a critique... soon

[PinkLens]

Originally Posted by candleman

hi
welcome to the most amazing part of photography
(IMHO)

hehe
BTW.. the reules say you need to post EXIF information.
so heres what i got from your flickr site



i'll give a critique... soon

SO SORRY! Im still trying to look a figure out where I get the EXIF data (I know I know, I should run and hide and never show my face again!). But thanks for helping me out!

[candleman]

no probs.. it happens all the time.. i'll be the first to confess i never read the rules
if you go to your page on flickr where its posted.. on the right you will see a little blue word called "properties" , just under the camera model, in there it will tell you everything you could possibly want to know.


OK.. finally.. heres my little blurb

Composition.. i like that you used landscape and left some space on the side.

You’ve (in your write-up) tried to make the eyes dominant.
The Eyes level middle of frame, which doesn’t help. Check out the “golden rule” or “rule of thirds”.
This basically says human nature will cause peoples eyes to naturally hover 1/3rd of the way in from each edge. (thats my rough explaination.)
So you got the horizontal bit about right.. but you needed to move her “up” in the frame.. so there is less space above her head and her eyes are roughly 1/3rd of the way in from the top, and 1/3rd of the way i from the right of the frame.

Also, peoples eyes naturally are drawn to the areas of highest contrast (often said as the brightest point of a picture)in your pic the face is very bright, very contrasty.. so i’m lead to her face and not entirely to the eyes.
Her eyes are just too dark for that (looks like it was bright and these some shadow cast by her brow over her eyes.
So fill the shadows i her eyes with something.. maybe even get above her and make her look up.. that kills shadows nicely and is generally flattering for woman. And it makes the body smaller
(and conversely shooting UP at a woman makes the bum look bigger and head smaller.. so avoid that )
Back to the shadow.. your flash was turned off... if i were you i’d allow it to be on. And it can be used to fill the shadows on the face by using some flash.

I’d also venture to say “get closer”
Eyes are small.. so get in close.

The toning is a tad too extreme for my tastes.. some may like it.

AuTO mode.. have a look at DPS “tips for beginners” and learn about aperture and the “exposure triangle” the you can switch to “Aperture priority” and take control of what the camera is doing.

Overall... for a first try ever.. its nice
Some basic tweaks to teqhnique, and i think you’ll be away laughing.
Good effort.

[PinkLens]

This is absolutely fabulous-THANKYOU!!!!

I was pretty scared to move off Auto since it was the first time, but next time I will try the aperture priority mode (used that a few times before). I just need to stop being scared! You are right about the eyes, I remember seeing it on my screen and think 'Shoot..just a little higher, a little to the right...'. Definitely will work on this the next time.

Flash. Didnt think of that at all. Now I know!

Thanks candleman-you've now convinced me that I need to go out there this weekend and get some more portraits. I really want to work on your points above and get some better pictures.

Your comments/help is super appreciated, thanks heaps
Priya.

[audrey-g]

what candleman said is right. rule of thirds..... but i still like the composition of your pic, with the even,dead space around it. i also like the dof you used. what distracts me is that little fringe covering the eye and putting it in the dark. but sice it was a natural pose, its something that happens...beter luck next time! great for a first portrait

[PinkLens]

Thanks audrey-g. I really appreciate your comments. Yes, lots of things to focus on this time on and lots of thing to learn a fix. But thanks for letting me know what you think-goes a long way when I hear different opinions, only way to improve!

[PhotoPhix]

Originally Posted by PinkLens

Hello everyone,

Thanks to everyone for their encouraging comments-really helps someone like me try harder and improve. And have absolute fun doing this!

This picture is from a portrait shoot that I did with my photography group last weekend. It wasnt a 'posed' photoshoot but mainly to capture people as they are. Ive NEVER done portraits and this was one of the good pictures that came out of it. I find eyes fascinating and I would always want to make the eyes the most important aspect in the picture. Do you think I got it right with this one? Any idea how you'd do this better? Closer/more focus on the eyes with less of the background?

Very little postprocessing here, just made it a little brighter, to make her hair and skin pop a little.

Please let me know what you think I can improve on.

Ta! Priya



(Thanks candleman for this..Im still not sure where to look for EXIF data! Freaks!)
Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 40 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode: Auto
White Balance: Manual

The main focus in a portrait such as this should be the eyes, which are a bit dark. As for the skin, I am against the "doll effect" although most clients would appreciate removing any temporary skin blemishes.


Armando

[PinkLens]

Thanks PhotoPhix. I love how you were able to bring out the eyes...how did you do that? Tips would really help because Im new to photoshop as well Yes, same here, not one who'd want to fix blemishes-we are who we are and its all beautiful!

Thanks again,
Priya.