How do you get shots to look like this?

03/09/2011 07:28:00 AM · #1

I have spent a great deal of time (and a significant amount of money) teaching myself photography and processing; along with the business side of things.

I am always striving to get better but I seem to be at a plateau at the moment. My photography has greatly improved over the past year but lately my growth has stalled. How do these photographers get such stunning images? Is my lighting still that far off? Or is it more in my processing or posing or something else?

Some recent shots of mine

And this is the quality I am striving for (from various members here)

Of course there are many more this is just a quick example.

sjhuls

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/09/2011 09:13:37 AM · #2

I don't know, I wish I knew too. Although I think I am a step behind you, I haven't reached a plateau yet, I still have a lot to learn and I still see some small improvements in my portraiture. I'm sure I will get to a plateau soon though.

BTW: your portraiture is great, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Cory

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

03/09/2011 09:18:02 AM · #3

Location,location,location... they have it, you don't. The environmental aspect of those shots is a powerful key in their recipe for success, and the largest obvious difference between your work and theirs.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

03/09/2011 09:18:46 AM · #4

Much of it is lighting, some of it is knowing how to enhance that lighting to it's best. I've found it's not any one thing, but many small lessons learned that eventually come together to improve your own photography and create your own style. I didn't think I had any identifiable style until people started picking my entries out of challenges.

smardaz

03/09/2011 09:34:50 AM · #5

i have found that Leo is very forthcoming about his lighting set ups, hit him up.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

03/09/2011 10:17:30 AM · #6

Your shots look a little soft to me. All the examples you posted, with the exception of the Joey Lawrence photo, are razor-sharp. Even the "Terri" one by LVicari is tack-sharp where it needs to be. Clarity together with sharpness is an obvious way to draw a viewer into the photo. You of course need to follow through with an engaging subject and environment.

Lest you think that's the only trick, it isn't. The examples you show are of unique and unusual subjects -- a beautiful bare-chested man in some grungy dump, a lovely woman unusually made up, an enigmatic photo of a middle-aged woman. All scenes are exotic or unusual, all the actors are intriguing in some way. Whether it's one you like or not, all these photos have the kernel of some interesting story. Your photos are of a fairly usual guy in a fairly usual location, a kid, another fairly usual guy, and an fairly usual older guy. Nothing really stands out. If there's something being said there, I don't really know what it is. I think you're compensating with your post work, or trying to achieve those results you like in that way, but you've got to start from the beginning, from before you take your picture.

03/09/2011 10:27:07 AM · #7

I think we are all our own worst critics, that and of course I see such top notch work on this site it keeps me grounded in my own abilities. I think my lighting has improved since I started as has my processing work although I am still learning how I want to edit and how to get there.

This is a shot from one of my first paying shoots and the following one is one I just re-edited last night.

As you can see I went with the skin blur and overdone eyes on the first one then my new edit I tried to make it a bit more refined. The second one may appear a bit on the cool side but my lab prints warm so I am compensating for that.

03/09/2011 10:29:36 AM · #8

Originally posted by Louis:

but you've got to start from the beginning, from before you take your picture.

Probably some of the best advice I could take from this.