How do I make my pictures look like this?

[temetvince]

I hope I have this in the right forum section!

Here's a picture from the product catalog of Bay Photo: http://www.bayphoto.com/images/produ...how2-large.jpg

And here's a picture that I've taken: Horses and etc 2011 - temet vince | SmugMug

Notice how their picture just looks better? I can't really describe it.. it's like the blacks are blacker or something. Mine has been photoshopped but I haven't figured out how to make my pictures "pop" like so many photographers do. I'm going for the look like the picture from bay photo. Many professional photographers pictures have this look that I'm going for but can't seem to figure out how to emulate.

Any help/suggestions? I hope the question was clear enough.

Thanks.

[scootermcq]

LeeR did a great thread on Levels, which I think your image would benefit from to give it the look you want.

Levels: Getting the Professional 'Pop'

[dlambert]

Some of it is the lighting, I believe. I can see shadows in your shots, but not quite the long, soft golden-hour shadows in the ones you're trying to emulate. There's a chance you might get some joy from a polarizing filter, too, which will help cut down on some of the glare you're seeing.

[temetvince]

Thank you guys. I need to learn a lot more about lighting. I didn't have a choice about the time of day or the angle of the shot, but would flash have helped in this scenario?

As for the levels, thank you for that tutorial. Here's an updated version of the photo after following the tutorial... does it look better?

Horses and etc 2011 - temet vince | SmugMug

[dlambert]

The colors are looking a little better, I think, but you're right -- you're fighting some shadows now, and there's a chance that flash would have helped with those shadows. In your case, it looks like you were shooting in the afternoon (5pm or so if the EXIF is right), so you're past the worst of the harsh light, but you're not quite into that fantastic golden light just before sunset. Waiting until later might give you better light, but you're going to have deeper shadows, too.

I'd bet that at least one of those portfolio shots has a little supplemental light, btw, -- the one on the left looks like the sun is almost directly behind the model, but her face isn't shadowed -- I'm betting there's a strobe (probably in a softbox) to the camera's left, and the light is directed so it starts falling off around her knees. I'd bet that would be really tough to pull off when you're chasing a horse around....

[temetvince]

Looks like I'm going to be fighting the sun for awhile. I'm getting ready to start doing senior pictures and there just won't be enough time for taking all the shots during the golden hour. Looks like shade is going to be my best friend, or flash with the sun behind. All I have is an on camera flash, unfortunately.

Funny you mention the picture to the left. That was simply another candid shot as the sun was practically gone. In all honesty, it was WAY darker when I took the photo. I lightened it up in photoshop. That's why the woman's hand is blurred and the horse has a purplish tint to it. Also, looking back at the photo, I think I forgot to straighten it, so the horizon is slightly tilted. However, all the detailed lighting work you mentioned... I'm honored that you gave me the benefit of the doubt. Thank you.

I've spent some money on my photography stuff, but you can never spend enough, and flashes just haven't been added to my equipment yet. I did add a 1.8 prime to my camera, which is how I got that night shot that you mentioned.

I hate to start doing senior pictures as I'm still learning, and I have a long, long way to go. But at the same time, I'm always going to be learning. Forever. And I've seen some of the senior pictures people do around my area. The good ones are expensive, and the cheap ones are awful. So I'm trying to help out by doing what I hope are decent ones on the cheap. It will also help me with experience and getting more equipment (like flashes).

I want to be the best I can be, so that's why I appreciate all of your help. I feel like I've got a mountain to climb. I'll be combing through the help on these forums for sure!

[TheMoons678]

Originally Posted by temetvince

I hate to start doing senior pictures as I'm still learning, and I have a long, long way to go. But at the same time, I'm always going to be learning. Forever. And I've seen some of the senior pictures people do around my area. The good ones are expensive, and the cheap ones are awful. So I'm trying to help out by doing what I hope are decent ones on the cheap. It will also help me with experience and getting more equipment (like flashes).

I want to be the best I can be, so that's why I appreciate all of your help. I feel like I've got a mountain to climb. I'll be combing through the help on these forums for sure!

Are you charging to do these senior portraits, or doing freebies to get experience/fill portfolio?

[Sweetlifephoto]

temetvince - I know all of this stuff is expensive, I would just advise that learning to use a flash and getting it off camera is the most important thing you can do to separate yourself from advanced amateurs with advanced cameras and allow you to take a giant leap in your image making. Controlling the light and shadows in your images gives you so much more flexibility and so many more final look options.

[temetvince]

Originally Posted by TheMoons678

Are you charging to do these senior portraits, or doing freebies to get experience/fill portfolio?

I'm doing freebies until I get a portfolio built up. If the portfolio pictures are good, then I'll charge, although not very much. I'm a college student who needs money to scuba dive and such, not make a living. My first photo shoot is next Saturday, and I'm starting with family and friends.

Sweetlifephoto:
Thank you. While I doubt I can understand the full effect of what I'm missing by not understanding much about lighting, I am beginning to understand the magnitude of it's importance. I will most definitely have to work on lighting next!

[commongrackle]

I just want to point out that you might want to reign in your post processing a bit...from what I saw of your photos, you seem to be going to the extreme and most shots looked overworked.