Self-pics - Please Critique! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM II

02/20/2006 09:34:33 PM · #1

Been working on a project lately. Ever since mom died I've realized that there aren't too many really good shots of her (she hated being photographed) and I don't want my family in a similar situation should anything happen to me. I've started taking some self portraits (since I can't trust my hubby to take pics of me with my clothes on and those just don't go too well in the family album!) and I'd like a littel feedback on the lighting and whatnot.
Have no fear, be as brutal as you like. I'd rather hear a frank and honest critique than one that is sugarcoated and doesn't help as much!
Sara

All of these were taken with natural light filtered through thin muslin curtains. #3 is the only one with significant pp.
Any thoughts on lighting, poses, expressions, background, etc. would be very helpful!
Sara

CalamitysMaster00

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

02/20/2006 09:36:57 PM · #2

Look deeper into the camera... your gaze seems to be slightly to the left and therefore its less personable. Try many backgrounds... though the red is great for your dark hair it seems to drown you out. And I would love to see a laughing candid... I bet you have a gordeous smile.

ralph

Nikon Z9

02/20/2006 10:05:23 PM · #3

#1 poor - light needs to be higher for more chin definition otherwise it apears as you chin meets you neck & make you look heavy
#2 nice but a bit more fill (& smile .. don't think passport ) good lighting for a glasses shot .
#3 you nose lost focus (i'm not a fan of these so ...)
#4 best of bunch - but you need a bigger smile to match the girl & the part in your hair .. umm ... isn't pleasent .. great lighting & framing

(you can take all this witha grain of salt since i don't do portaraiture much ;)

Panasonic LUMIX-DMC ZS100

02/20/2006 11:05:31 PM · #4

Thanks Ralph and Sarah. Anybody else want to take a stab at 'em tonight?

wheeledd

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/20/2006 11:11:11 PM · #5

Sara,

I really hesitate to comment on self-portraits. What you think about how they express your essence is much more important than what others think.

That said, I get a good feel for you as a person from all of them except #3. As I said on the comment I left on the picture, it seems to be more about eyes than about you.

I get more about you from the close images (#2 and #4). There is, of course, an enormous difference between these images. Number 2 is about you; number 4 is about a mother and child.

Let me see if I can express this without putting my foot in my mouth. If you are trying to express who YOU are, I don't think highly of people who define themselves in terms of other people (parents, spouses, or kids). Thus i would never pick #4 as a self-portrait.

One the other hand, I think our relationships with other people are one of the most important aspects of self. If you really do think of yourself primarily as a mother, then #4 is the right image for you. If (as I suspect) motherhood is important but not the dominant aspect of your personhood, then #4 is good as one self-portrait image as long as there are others to go along with it.

--Dan

blazingmoonlight

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/20/2006 11:12:38 PM · #6

Personally, I love #1. If I were passing down my image as a legacy, I would want something like this. The coloring from lighting/background are very warm. You seem very natural...almost like a Mother Earth figure. The only thing I would change would be to turn your face a bit more to add a little more light to the other side (or even prop up a reflector to bounce more light over there). Lovely! (no sugar-coating involved).

angela_packard

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/20/2006 11:51:12 PM · #7

I think you have very nice shots....

Just some pointers...and opinions...

Be relaxed in front of the camera, but not to relaxed that you look bored. Try not to take a pic so straight on...tilt your head usually down and to the left or right...but your eyes are still looking at the camera. Find a comfortable pose...for me it is sitting on the floor...then decide from there if you want full body, 1/2 body, or just the face...

I hope this helps!

Bosborne

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

02/20/2006 11:55:05 PM · #8

I love the photo with your little girl!
Since your husband can't be trusted to shoot the photos, do you have a friend or acquaintance that you could ask to take the shots? Although these are good, I think with the inclusion of another personality, they would make these photos great -- it makes for good sparkle in the eyes! Good luck!

Message edited by author 2006-02-20 23:56:39.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

02/21/2006 12:00:49 AM · #9

I noticed the skin tones got a bit saturated. Here's a way I found to tone down the color and give the photo a softer look. Works best on pictures that have to much red in them.

An example if you don't mind. Just a quick take.
Make a duplicate layer. Convert to b/w. Increase the contrast somewhat on the b/w layer. Blend in screen mode at about 50%, or at whatever percentage that gives you the most accurate skin tone. Merge and apply curves if you need more contrast.
edit: I love your eyes. They are beautiful.
I don't know what skin tone you really have, so don't get offended.

Message edited by author 2006-02-21 00:01:48.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/21/2006 09:15:58 AM · #10

thanks to everyone who has commented - these kinds of critiques are exactly what I needed to hear (especially since these are my first attempts at shooting myself).

extra thanks to pcody for the helpful skin tones trick!
Sara

IceRock

Canon EOS-20D

02/21/2006 09:19:42 AM · #11

Most in portant is to get skin tone good and it is to red .. ice