julie wainwright photograp Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 Would like a critique on some of my first attempts to do portraits. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdp Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 Ok, post a link to them. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoneguy Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=626284">Here They Are.</a> <P> Nice first effort. You have a couple underexposed a couple over exposed. Try a little more background separation and a little less dof.<P>What part of SW Iowa are you from I am from Omaha originally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckry Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 The ones without the background light look pretty good, just need to tweak the exposure in PS. The rest look blown out, the light on the backdrop seems to be way too much, and the way it washes in from one side is not ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_i Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 The fact that you have a logo before you've ever taken a portrait is intersting... although not unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giggles Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I agree with the under/over exposure of the images. I believe that lighting is the key to studio portrait photography. You need to perfect your lighting before you market your business or start with outdoor portraits until you get more comfortable in the studio. About two years ago, I was in your position with similar results. I invested in professional lighting and spent much time practicing and researching. Best of luck and be open to constructive critism as the people here tend to be very honest but truthful and accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 In response to the logo, my good friend is a graphic designer and she made it for me, these aren't my first portraits ever, just my first lighting attempts. Thank you for information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Sorry I am lighting with a AB400, I have reflectors, I am trying to learn the nitty gritty of bounce and just "learn". My studio is in my house, a space about 11x11. So, starting from scratch and reading everything I can to learn, as classes are not close, and I work full time as a nurse. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Mike-Live in Red Oak, Iowa. Very familiar with Omaha! My sister lives out in Gretna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giggles Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I also started in my home in a small room. For a majority of my work in my portfolio, I just used one AB400 and one reflector. Some additional advice is make sure your backdrops are pulled tighter and pull the subjects out a little further from them. When I checked out your images, I noticed the backdrops before the children and it should be opposite. I would also reposition your light to the front right/left versus being at their side. It will give you a better fill when dealing with one child. I find using seamless paper much easier than muslins. Another excellent internet site for children portrait photographers is www.ilovephotography.com. It has helpful information for beginners up to the professional level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Thanks Emily! I enjoyed your photographs, nice to know that you were once where I am. Just trying to learn everything I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Emily where are you from, I notice you have a little girl in some Iowa gear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giggles Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I am in West Union, IA - northeast corner of the state. I have been here for about 7 years and grew up in MN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Well, nice to have another Iowan! I am not from here either but am a transplant! Are you involved in the PPI here? I have learned so much from the classes and conferences I have been to in the last 2 years. Did you go to school for Photography? Or self-learned? I wish I was up there close to Hawkeye Comm College! Take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrim Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Julie..this forum helped me tons. Here is a link to a thread that I keep going back and forth on all the time. It was one of my first posts. Good Luck! http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Euhf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshodonnell Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Julie, I like what your doing, however I'm not one to give a critique because I'm inexperienced and have no idea what I'm talking about LOL. Mainly commenting because I grew up in Maryville, MO, just down the road from Red Oak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Josh-Went to school at NW! My folks live in Clarinda. Small world. where are you now? Thank you very much Corri, very good read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoneguy Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Been to Red Oak numerous times. I also lived in Gretna for 5 Years. Worked at the Ski Area out there when it was open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 2, 2007 Author Share Posted May 2, 2007 Mike-What a small world! So what kind of photography do you do? Is it full time? What the heck did you do in Red Oak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoneguy Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 This is cluttering up the thread, I see you grabbed my email address. Drop me a link, and I'll give you the scoop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullmetalphotograper Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Nice work. The there are only a few things I would do differently improve these images. I would pull the subjects further away from the background. The background is competing too much with subject for me. By pulling the subject away from the background it will soften the details of the background and depending on the light fall off of the subject you will have a 1-2 f/stop darker background. On the boys pose I would not have him hunched over so much. You want to look at a hair light. For the boy so his hair will not blend into the background. The baby on the brown background I would crop out the hot spot. With the baby shots I would crop tighter on the subject. One major rule to think about the better image is capture the less work you have to do in Photoshop. There is a between image triage and image enhancement. This is nice work and I think will keep on improving.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie wainwright photograp Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 Thank you very much Ralph. I definitly will tighten my backgrounds and pull them farther away from the subject, I am not doing much in PS yet, I am trying to grasp the basics, and I keep thinking that I am going to learn to take great portraits so that I don't HAVE to do much, only if I want to. That makes sense about the hairlight. I am only working with one AB400 and some reflectors. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullmetalphotograper Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I should point out these are both single light set ups. using the same light and softbox. On the rightI used a single white reflector. The one on the left was with no reflector. I lay odds my backgrounds are not that different from yours. It is as much about how you place the lights and your subject. On left I used Rembrandt Lighting (3/4 Lighting) I used Paramount lighting (Butterfly lighting). I hate say it but it practice. It does look like you are on your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yinkamd Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Nice intial try. I agree with the critiques given. Try and use a large aperture to obtain a shallow DOF, which will further help blur out your backgraounds. Another suggestion would be to shoot in RAW. Then you can adjust the exposure (within certain limits) Best wishes, good luck, and have fun! Yinka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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