My first ever portrait shots....

[Finch]

G'day all,

For the last 9 or so years, I have only taken nature-based shots (wildlife, fungi, plants, insects, landscapes etc, etc). This forum has encouraged me to try something different and yestrday morning my wife, Dena, agreed to pose for me.

Conditions were not the best due to full sun (and therefore the odd hot-spot) but I used a combination of fill-flash with onboard diffuser and the Lightsphere II and Inverted Dome that I bought during the week.

Thanks to Narelle (Blacknstormy) for encouraging me to post these and Wendell who kindly sent me some great tips via a PM.

Critique and comments very much appreciated









Cheers

Michael

[avkomp]

Michael,

I think the key to good portraits is to get people to relax.
to me the first shot seems the most relaxed
and the second seems the most uncomfortable.
for this pose to work you really need the model to be resting in the prop rather than hunched over. I feel also that this pose works best when the hands are included also.

sometimes I include elbows also for an overall triangular shape to the shot.

You have already mentioned that the lighting isnt your friend in this series.
although again the first shot has the most pleasing light also

Steve

[Glen]

Michael, the first one for me has everything right but eye contact. Eye contact and it would be perfect. 3 is almost a camouflage shot of a face with the mixture of lit and shaded areas, very difficult to take in the full face with the different conditions

[Manta]

Heya Mike.

Good effort! I can't really add anything more to what the guys have already said, so I won't, except to say I would have liked to have seen some from Dena's right side as well. She has that "Mona Lisa" half-smile down pat!

Just an excuse for more practice mate. Nice work from you too, Dena.

[blacknstormy]

first of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL !!!!

Ok - great try, I'm with everyone else that the first shot is the most pleasing.... only thing I personally would have liked would be to include a little more of the neck, and in portrait rather than landscape... but just my preference.

I can see where you were going with the second, but Dena doesn't look so comfortable. Maybe if the head were up more 'on' the shoulders, and not hunched down.....

Bloody good try - and as Simon says (LOL), a great excuse to do more

well done - to both of you

Rel

[Manta]

Woohoo! Happy Birthday Mike! I knew it was close but I didn't realize it was today. Hope you had a great day!

[Finch]

Thanks for the constructive comments, all.

Back to the drawing board, eh?

I appreciate the feedback very much and will maybe try again one day. In the meantime, I'll stick to nature pics......

Cheers

Michael

ps - thanks for the birthday wishes, Narelle.

[Slider]

Yep Happy Birthday from me too

Nice work on the portraits and I have to agree with the majority. The first is the pick. Relaxation is the key but well done to Dena too for being so patient

[Glen]

Happy Birthday Michael.

Not back to the drawing board, just reshoot the better ones. Nothing wrong with them, just subtle improvements

[Manta]

Happy Birthday Michael.

Not back to the drawing board, just reshoot the better ones. Nothing wrong with them, just subtle improvements

Agreed! Now get back out there and shoot some more!!!

[Finch]

Relaxation is the key but well done to Dena too for being so patient :D

Thanks, Mark

As I have said, it was a struggle to get shots taken but Dena begrudgingly agreed. Guess it shows. She is such a kind person but isn't into pics of herself being taken

Cheers

Michael

[avkomp]

happy birthday also michael.

Steve

[Matt. K]

Michael
The second shot is the best. A couple of tips....don't do the old 'mugshot' caper. Never cut off the hands....and get some eye contact. Good work for your try!

[Finch]

Firstly, thanks to all for my birthday wishes.

In regards to all the critique, I agree with most of you that I need to get out and practice some more.

All your comments are appreciated

Cheers

Michael

[Dug]

Happy birthday! photographing family is a really difficult thing to do.

I would rather photograph strangers any day.

A good start though when shooting portraits the most important thing is the feedback you give the sitter Talk, joke, patter, (pretend to be interested in them) get them to relax and forget the camera.

then start to take photos!

A good start keep going.

[wendellt]

happy birthday
I like the feeling of the 2nd one,although the pose seems a little forced
maybe next time just get your wife to relax talk to her while your shootign and she will naturally pose for you, getting a raport going between model and photographer is very important

don't know where you used the flash but the effect seems very subtle

if your goign to revisit these i think you should definitaly try some under the shader or during darker times of the day just to give you that mood and contrast that you may have wanted achieve

great effort for your first try working with people is very hard

[Finch]

Dug and Wendell,

Thanks to you both for similar advice. Dena (my wife) is a cheery, positive person who smiles heaps. Unfortunately, getting her to relax around a camera is like saying 'its okay, I'll only pull out 7 teeth today'.

I'll try and do some more down the track and see how we go

Cheers

Michael

[wendellt]

Dug and Wendell,

Thanks to you both for similar advice. Dena (my wife) is a cheery, positive person who smiles heaps. Unfortunately, getting her to relax around a camera is like saying 'its okay, I'll only pull out 7 teeth today'.

I'll try and do some more down the track and see how we go

Cheers

Michael

just talk to her noramally, talk to her about the first time you fell in love or the birth of your first child get her in a nostalgic mood then take the shot
you know her better than anyone else i am sure you can do it