Portrait attempts, critique welcomed

[ozimax]

With a mate's studio lights, here's a few practice portraits from the last few days. I used the kit lens with two strobes, fired from the hotshoe by cable. One of them used an umbrella. Any critiques welcomed.

My little niece:


My youngest daughter's friend from school:

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[Oneputt]

Top stuff Ozi. Just love the first. Perhaps the second could be cropped to a head and shoulder shot?

[Matt. K]

Nice work ozimax!
My only suggestion would be that in the second shot you should have moved the subject further away from the background so that it would blur a little more. However, I realise that sometimes you just can't do that.

[ozimax]

Nice work ozimax!
My only suggestion would be that in the second shot you should have moved the subject further away from the background so that it would blur a little more. However, I realise that sometimes you just can't do that.

Point taken, I actually had Anna sit right on the edge of the lounge as it was, I was working in a narrow room and couldn't get back any further.

[blacknstormy]

Ozi - what great shots. Your niece is a real little cutie !!!! Just a hot spot on the forehead, but a fantastic 'natural' shot !! Well done.
I like the second, but agree Matt & Oneputt ..... I hope you printed these out for your 2 'models' ?

Rel

[christiand]

Hi,

I think the lighting and portraits are great.
Does anyone have experience with make up for covering the hot spots ?
It is the tip of the nose or the tip of the fore head or stuff like that which allways causes difficulties.

Cheers,
CD

[Alex]

Nice, OziMax. The only problem I can see is the hotspot on the forehead in no.1.

Alex

[LOZ]

The first is a cracker it made me feel all clucky after 17 - 1/2 years of abstinence LOZ

[mudder]

The first one of your niece is brilliant! How can you go wrong with a subject like that... Absolutely gorgeous and a fantastic, natural happy expression...

How far is your subject from the background wall? Just wondering if you could get them a little further away from the wall so it blurs out more (or smaller aperture maybe?)... Or you could maybe do that in PP with a bit of lens blur (or gaussian blur as it's a flat wall, no changes in distance) on the background maybe?

The lighting in the second looks a little strong to me but take that with a grain of salt considering I've never taken a photo of a person ...

[avkomp]

with the second image, you need to have the model further from the background.

perhaps closer crop also. head and shoulders perhaps.

like the first one a lot.

edit: although I think the light at camera left is a little too strong.
the clothing is a bit hot and there are some reflections on the forehead

steve

[Manta]

Great shots Max. Your niece is a natural performer and I've no doubt we're all going to see a lot more of her as she's growing up and giving you plenty of reasons to point a camera at her.

Christian - I wouldn't worry too much about makeup; takes about four seconds to get rid of the hotspots in Photoshop! (and it's a lot cheaper than make-up!)

[sirhc55]

Max - well worth the effort. As others have said the shot of your niece is a cracker

[Bob G]

The first shot is terrific !- great expression - great lighting - great capture


Bob G

[ozimax]

Re the "hot spot" in #1, I could have fixed it up but this is straight out of the camera, just cropped.

As to distance from the wall, I couldn't get any further away without her landing on her head, but I do understand the concept!!

Thanks.

[ozimax]

This one is the second more closely cropped:



This is another one of little Kezia. I haven't fixed up any bumps and imperfections, but then again she is only a baby!



Finally one from the same session, a self portrait, should I say a fractured (frightening) fairy tale sadly photoshopped rather severely... At least my mum still loves me.