Would like some input on these settings

05/11/2006 07:46:38 AM · #1

Not looking for a critique on the photos themselves because I know the lighting isn't good- shot in bright sun in the afternoon in most of them so they are really hot and really had to do a lot of post editing to tone them down a bit. Also had her facing the wrong way because she didn't want to cooperate so I pretty much had to go with what she was willing to do lol. I'm looking for places to do portrait work at and am wondering if these areas work.

edit for pictures

Message edited by author 2006-05-11 07:50:42.

05/11/2006 07:51:07 AM · #2

notice she's not smiling in ANY of them? lol

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/11/2006 08:01:58 AM · #3

I really like #2 in the grass, I think it works really well. If you go back though, I'd try and cut down the grass infront of the models face though, its pretty distracting.

I like the gate idea in #3 but I don't think the angle you shot it from works very well. Depending on the kind of portrait though I think the gate could either really add to the photo or really take away from it.

The #1 and #4 I'm not really a fan of, I think the backgrounds are OK but nothing spectacular. #4 more so that #1 since I'm not really a fan of the horizon cutting through the middle of her body.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

05/11/2006 08:12:50 AM · #4

I'm not a real "artsy fartsy" type ... but I think you've got some really "artsy" stuff here. I could easily see these kinds of images on greeting cards and such. I like 'em just the way they are.

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

05/11/2006 08:39:54 AM · #5

I really like your soft focus thing there. I've thought about doing something similar to some of my pics.

I think you've done a great job of capturing her look with the right perspective too...

The only nitpick I have is that while it's ok to have the face a bit darker for certain choices, I do find that the face is generally a bit underexposed for the color shots.

Have you thought about picking up a reflector?

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

05/11/2006 08:44:57 AM · #6

No offense guys but...

Originally posted by missinseattle:

Not looking for a critique on the photos themselves because I know the lighting isn't good- shot in bright sun in the afternoon in most of them so they are really hot and really had to do a lot of post editing to tone them down a bit. Also had her facing the wrong way because she didn't want to cooperate so I pretty much had to go with what she was willing to do lol. I'm looking for places to do portrait work at and am wondering if these areas work.

I think she was more curious about what you thought about the backgrounds :)

Jaded_Housewife

Canon EOS-5D

05/11/2006 08:45:45 AM · #7

i love the first one. , im not fond of the feild in the second. the grass/plants being so tall cut her face up. i dont like the obsstructed veiw. i like the gate in the third picture but the fourth seems like a boring background. hth

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

05/11/2006 09:02:55 AM · #8

heh, thanks for the grounding bfox!

Sometimes I just go a bit on autopilot when I'm distracted.

as to locations, I think the field is really cool. I'm a big fan of fields full of tall grass.

Same goes for rocks.

Still might be an idea to pick up a reflector though...

sorry!

05/11/2006 09:04:58 AM · #9

Originally posted by eschelar:

The soft focus was actually a psp thing lol and I've used for quite a few shots of my daughter.

I tried to get her to turn the other way so I got more of the sun on her face but anything I want her to do, she does the opposite lol. Oh to be 5 and stubborn!

I'm going to be ordering a reflector here in the next month.

Mainly looking for opinions on the backgrounds because I'm going to be shooting someone next week- won't have the reflector yet, and all these shots were in the same location- basically we can take a free trolley to different spots.

Would the gate shot work better if there was a better dof?

thanks for the input I appreciate it!

05/11/2006 09:06:40 AM · #10

Oh and eschelar not offended at all. Thank you for the critique because I can always use those too. That's how we all learn.

I had a couple more shots of her in the grass with none in front of her face but she was making faces at me, sticking her tongue out, goofy eyes, ect lol.

05/11/2006 09:07:39 AM · #11

Originally posted by missinseattle:

Would the gate shot work better if there was a better dof?

I'd be willing to bet that it would. It still might be kindof 'noisy' with the lines, but if you got pretty good DOF seperation between it and the model I think that it could work really well.

wrobel

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

05/11/2006 09:16:39 AM · #12

I had a couple more shots of her in the grass with none in front of her face but she was making faces at me, sticking her tongue out, goofy eyes, ect lol.
They're the ones I wanna see.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

05/11/2006 09:16:40 AM · #13

Thanks I'll try that. Have to wait for another sunny day since it's going to rain for the next week by the looks of it lol.

Does this work also?
I know it's rather boring, but I'm trying to find as many spots in one local without having to truck all over town. I can easily get all this within 2 hours- if I can do it in 3 with a 5yo and walking around town and all I think 2 hours would be a good amount of time.

and here's another one in the grass. That's not her natural smile. That's a "I know you want me to smile but I really don't want to so this is what you get" look.

Message edited by author 2006-05-11 09:24:29.

Elaine

Canon EOS R5

05/11/2006 09:38:16 AM · #14

The grass is my favorite, but I do like it not in her face better. The gate is OK. I don't like the horizon going through the body, so I don't like 1 or 4. I think the rocks would work if you change the angle so that there is no horizon line. There is something about the bricks and column that I don't like. Maybe the bricks are too distracting?

05/11/2006 03:03:52 PM · #15

Thanks for all the input! Very helpful!

Would the horizon work better if it were higher up, or no horizon at all? I want to work something out with water in the bg.