owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Please help me? I need to make these two pictures scream out...! They are of two band members and they have told me that they really like them...! What do I do to them to make them look more appealing...? I am no good at picture editing and I am at a loss...! ! Thanks...! K x<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 and the other picture<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Off-camera flash would make a huge difference. Also the eyes in the 2nd shot are out of focus, which I find distracting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Robert, I am not in a position to re take these pictures... K x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art_haykin Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 The lighting is frontal and flat, and the model's expression is blank and expressionless. The only punch is the red pillow. A little planning is in order. I see no "scream" potential here. Sorry. If the clients like them, what's your problem? Posing and mood (lighting, facial expression, and angle) are three of the most important elements in portraits, and they must be understood and mastered. It is not enough for the shooter to simply point his/her camera and flash head on at the subject, at eye level. A photobooth could do this. You must in complete control and try to visualize the end result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_macpherson Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Convert to Greyscale, clone the cushion to fill background, Filter > Distort > Diffuse Glow. And on and on and on to your hearts content. Depends on what it's intended for. As Art says - there's a limit to what amount of salvage you can do afterwards - making something flat and bland 'scream' is pretty difficult.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_macpherson Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 ps this was not intended to display my PS prowess, just a quick and rough experiment - spend the time on it yourself - I need to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axel-cordes Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I would say this is a good example that you need to do the pics with the camera and not with PS. If they like your images, ask them to redo them, they may love it to do so, and you will learn out of it. If they traveled away already, try to learn on other 'models' which could be a teadyBear also, so that you will spot the next chance better. All the best Regards Axel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertdarmali Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I'm a bit sleepy so I'll just try a quick one here. But as others have said, there are many things that are not right with the pictures. I personally think the colours are off, and the 1st picture is very hard to fix composition-wise. I tried to crop quickly and did a bit of cropping but I think it only helps a bit. I think your best bet is to B&W the whole thing and clone out the nasty shadow and part of the shoe that pops out from the cushion. Second pictures is out of focus and too flat. But I could get a better crop out of it. Again, gotta B&W, and heavy USM it. These 2 are just rough works, but you get the idea. Hope that helps. If you wanna do portrait works, it's really worth it investing in even simple lens like 50mm 1.8 and don't bother about flash unless you are very good at using it. Also if you can, get a hold of software at least Photoshop Elements. You'll learn it quickly specially considering that you have so much passion for photography. PS: This is not your fault, but I didn't know that Canon 400D got so much noise level at ISO400? Time to switch to current gen Nikon :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertdarmali Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Pic 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I'm screaming in pain from looking at them. They are out of focus, badly posed, badly lit, and poorly executed and thought out. The women in them look like they are bored to the point of anger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Thanks for depressing the hell out me guys... I will jsut go and hang myself now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Don't hang yourself. Go to strobist.com and read the lighting 101 instead. Lighting can be learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Thanks Robert... Just finished making a noose... The clients chose these pictures themselves... People can be so cruel though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photobiscuits Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Not sure what you mean by 'scream'...Axel got it right when he said "you need to do the pics with the camera and not with PS".<br> Played around a bit, yes it's sloppy but the idea is there and the price is right.<br> Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan2240 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Kimberley, The criticism out here can be rather harsh, as you've now experienced. I think that stems from the fact that, with the advent of digital photography, everyone and his brother now fancies himself a "photographer" without putting in the time and effort it takes to really learn the profession. I'm just a guy who likes to take pictures, or did at one time anyway. But if you have Photoshop Elements or other editing program as someone already mentioned, you might try playing with things like lighting effects to see what it does for you. Regardless, if the subjects like the shots, that's all that matters anyway. If you plan on doing portraiture as a profession, it might be helpful to take a seminar or two to at least get some ideas of what others are doing. But don't let the criticism discourage you. Even if harsh, it can be valuable. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike dixon Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 People would not be doing you any favors by saying positive, encouraging things about these photos. If you don't think they deserve harsh criticism, then you need to raise the bar for yourself by several notches. Ideally, you should be the harshest critic of your own work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Mike N, I really like that take! Thanks! Bill, I dont have photoshop as I cant afford to buy it... (such a sob story) I like to learn from my mistakes and I find the comments helpful, usually! They werent my fave bunch to work with and wanted to look "moody" and pissed of...! My best model so fat was this girl http://picasaweb.google.com/Kimmy2k/NatashaFrench although I am sure my pictures will again be pulled to pieces now! Mike D, I can take the criticism but maybe I didnt figure most people would hate my shots...! I am definately my own worst critic! K x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photobiscuits Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 You're welcome Kimberly, sorry I don't have the time do do a better job but this'd be a lot of work. Sometimes it's better to just accept that things cannot be improved (much) and learn from the situation for next time.<br> I like the shots you've linked - good portraits. Don't be discouraged by the criticism I get the feeling that people are trying to help rather than discourage.<br> again, best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photobiscuits Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 ps, re: "I didnt figure most people would hate my shots"<br> What matters is that the clients liked the shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Thanks Mike, you made me feel worlds better! I am still learning and cant afford tuition in photography and fancy tools like photoshop but I try to learn from my mistakes. K x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Kimberly: Definitely don't mistake "frank" or "blunt" with "hate" (at least not in the irrational sense that most people use that last word). Not just in photography, but in most activities... think how much less anguish, time-wasting, and eventual disappointment people would be spared if honest opinions and feedback were the normal order of the day. Not only will you improve more quickly if you simply take the observations into your mental calculations and work with them (rather than attaching them to your self worth), but you'll also learn to provide the same matter-of-fact, directed comments to other people. And I'm not just talking about here... but, say, when you're talking to models. I you know that a subject is going to look decidedly better with his or her chin up a bit (disguising that bit of work-at-a-desk flab), you're far better off conveying a sense of confidence that what you're telling them is based on your sense of purpose (making them look good) than you are trying to make them your best friend. Flattery, in that context, is ultimately an insult. Good RESULTS are the compliment, and if you have to trot out reality (quickly, on the fly), it's better if you don't seem to have to be fumbling for it, or stumbling over it, in terms of your manners. Be straight ahead, and be direct about what you're thinking. That's exactly what folks here have done... you're smarting a bit from the bluntness, but look! You're already over that part, and thinking about how to improve your results next time. If everyone tried to butter you up first, and work on self esteem before leading you gently to the same conclusions, it would take three weeks (during which you COULD have been applying the lessons that you got instead - from the generously HONEST people - in one fell swoop). I consider myself SO fortunate when I get smacked around about technical or creative issues. It jars me into looking at myself and my efforts far more constructively, and quickly. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owahc Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Thanks Matt. K x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norma Desmond Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I disagree with all who say that only the client's reaction matters. Clients may like particular photos, but it is up to the photographer to know whether they are actually any good or not. If photos are being used publicly, others will know how good they are, respond to the photos in a certain way, and it will affect how one's clients are perceived in the world. If I'm not comfortable with a portrait I shoot, I will often try to convince my subjects to do a reshoot whether they have found something they like or not. My standards of what's good have to count as much if not more than theirs, as much for their sake as for mine and whether they recognize it or not. Kimberly, I'm making no value judgment on your work. I'm just suggesting a way to look at this other than allowing your clients to decide. I'm suggesting that you have to decide. I think, of course, you should take their opinion into account but I'm suggesting there's more to it than that. We didn't need dialogue. We had faces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrim Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Kimberly, all is not lost. Although I am not a PS expert, sometimes I come on here to break up my day...and have a little fun. I think of it as "work" in the fact that Im working on my PS skills. There are often times that we have a photo that is by no means a good shot...however, the clients only see themselves in the picture..not the whole picture. Dont hang yourself. Have fun! Learn for the next time, and in the meantime try to produce a portrait that the clients will love even more. Best advice given so far is to get the flash off the camera. If you cant do that (meaning that you dont have an off camera flash) Gary Fong has a little thing called a "puffer". It difuses the on camera flash just a tad. Just a suggestion. Here is my attempt to make your photo scream. Good luck!<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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