1st portrait attempts - C&C please

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

11/03/2005 10:47:17 AM · #1

Finally got around to intentionally taking some portraits of the family. These are the first three I've edited. Feedback is much appreciated (and I'm aware that the background on #3 isn't ideal!).

UNTITLED

Canon EOS-20D

11/03/2005 10:57:53 AM · #2

Left you a comment.

mkalandros

Nikon D50

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

11/03/2005 11:13:47 AM · #3

Left comments. Pretty good pictures, and the first two can be improved with a just bit of cropping, IMO.

hokie

Nikon D2X

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

11/03/2005 11:18:42 AM · #4

Hi saracat;

Nice photos....very good for your first photos of family. Take more, I wish I did. Family and friends are priceless and you will want all the photos you can get.

The first photo is the best of the group. Rule number 1 when shooting kids, adults, even pets...get on their level. I like to shoot my camera set at chest height to the subject.

You did this very well with the first photo.

Rule number 2..add hair highlights when you can. Once again..very well done on number 1 and even number 2.

Rule number 3..if you can see more eyelid than eye..reposition the subject and get them to open more eyes to the camera. Too much eyelids on all the photos, especially photos 1 and 2.

Rule number 4...get your focus/depth of field centered on the subjects tip of the nose to the back of the ear...everything in front and behind get out of focus as much as you can. Shooting with longer lenses opened up with wider apertures will help with this. I like to shoot with about a 40mm to a 110mm lens setting at about F5.4. Picture number 2 has the best background treatment..especially with the dark back. My last photo juuuust missed my perfect focus.

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=249393

I was using a new lens with very shallow dof and my subject just turned her head slightly and pushed her eye closest to me out of focus. Other than that, you get the idea of depth of field here qith this EXTREME example of shallow depth of field on live subjects. Normally you want a little more depth of field.

Rule number 5...main light one side of subject, fill light other side with fill flash or reflector set just below chin level. Photo number 1 get the closest to this kind of look. The others are over and under lit.

Rule number 6...when shooting outdoors you want the sun about 45 degrees meaning morning or late afternoon. If you have to shoot outdoors at high noon take a thin sheet to tone the sun down and fill with reflectors or flash. Avoid glare.

Rule number 7..Be careful of over exposure. Find ways to tone down hotspots. If your camera has an exposure function (when you pull the photo up in the lcd viewer it blinks on the hotspots) USE IT!! I can't tell you how many times I metered for the light correctly only to see hotspots show up in the review. Nothing says "digital photo" more than over exposure.

And Golden Rule #8...THERE ARE NO RULES BUT HAVE FUN!!! Seriously, after you start getting all of this in your head it will be second nature and you will begin to break rules to get different looks. But like my old grandpappy use to say. "You can't break the rules if you don't know what the rules are!"

11/03/2005 03:13:49 PM · #5

Thanks for the comments and replies!
:)

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

11/04/2005 11:12:42 AM · #6

OK. found a different shot of hubby with better lighting.

This one is better, no?

Also finished editing this one

Is it just me or is the backlighting too strong on it?

Any comments (or even rude remarks) on these two would be most welcome.

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

11/04/2005 11:32:14 AM · #7

Highly recommend getting him to uncross his arms and turn his head to the right sometimes :)

I wouldn't think he looks like that always. I would also either use the fence creatively or get it out of the shot, and try for a background that doesn't blend with the kilt.

Just my thoughts.