15 Yr Old Beauty

[photobyt]

*Because I am lazy...these were taken from my Facebook*

I feel these are better than all my photos (outdoors at least)...but I can still use some work!

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[tukaniray]

To get CC on the site ... you are only allowed 3 photos to be critiqued.

Just FYI ... the Mods will probably change it to NC until you choose 3 of your best choices you think are good for some critiques.

But from what I see ... they all look good.

-Ray-

[photobyt]

Thank you Ray...I did not know that. I will go back and change it to just 3.

[texkam]

Cute, but not a fan of poles growing out of head and boobs.

[wondershots]

The third is the one I like best. I guess because it's different and I'm a sucker for tight headshots. The first two, while good are more traditional in my book. I'm sure the parents and the girl will love all of them. I would.

[photobyt]

Originally Posted by texkam

Cute, but not a fan of poles growing out of head and boobs.

And that is your opinion but I don't always follow the rules. My thought process when I snap a photo isn't about poles, trees, etc...although I do watch for those but my main thing is getting the exposure right and the focus and if I can get those then I will get better with time and watch more closely for everything else.

Also, I was going for more "traditional" on these because I need to work on my posing for teens as I don't shoot them often if not at all and she was only 15. There were a few things I did that mom was like "ummm, she will be portrayed older and she is only 15, let's keep her 15"

But thank you for everything else. I am going to be shooting her again in a different location. Any ideas or things for me to try this time to make them not look so traditional???

[groovyone]

The poles actually don't bother me. They are not the usual stray ones sticking straight up from her head with no clear origin. These ones cut the width of the photos and ad some dynamic lines to me. Yeah, maybe it would have been better if she were taller, but what can you do.

[texxter]

Originally Posted by photobyt

And that is your opinion but I don't always follow the rules. My thought process when I snap a photo isn't about poles, trees, etc...although I do watch for those but my main thing is getting the exposure right and the focus and if I can get those then I will get better with time and watch more closely for everything else.

I would reword the feedback given to you about poles under the general area of composition. While your thought process may be watching for the most basic technical aspects of exposure and focus, these are necessary but not sufficient for an image to be considered high quality. The other two more I'd recommend to a beginner - composition and lighting. You've got to pay attention to the elements going into the frame, and you have to pay attention to lighting and contrast as well. A well focused, well exposed imaged with a bad composition or wrong light will be a poor image. There are other elements that go into a well crafted images, like color palette, story telling, depth, etc. but exposure, focus, lighting and composition are the most basic.

It's not about rules it's about paying attention to ALL these elements that make or kill the image. Composition on all these images above seem to be a bit haphazard. What I mean by this is:

#1 - framing of the subject does not seem balanced, negative space on the bottom left, framing intersecting shoulder.
#2 - converging poles move the eyes off the subject and towards the right side of the frame. Poles are an unnecessary compositional element in this portrait.
#3 - Again, composition not great, hat cut, hand cut. Not sure a tight crop like this works with a big hat, IMHO. It's probably the best of the three.

Thanks for sharing.

[Angelo]

Originally Posted by wondershots

The third is the one I like best. I guess because it's different and I'm a sucker for tight headshots. The first two, while good are more traditional in my book. I'm sure the parents and the girl will love all of them. I would.

I agree!
That third image is beautiful.
Congratulations....

[texkam]

And that is your opinion but I don't always follow the rules. My thought process when I snap a photo isn't about poles, trees, etc...although I do watch for those but my main thing is getting the exposure right and the focus and if I can get those then I will get better with time and watch more closely for everything else.

Nothing wrong with an artist breaking the rules because they feel compelled for some reason do so, but this response sounds more like you don't know the rules, or you didn't realize that you were breaking them at the time. It sounds like you are just not seeing the whole composition yet. It's OK, you're still learning. Learning and knowing what light, color, texture, movement, etc. will do to an image will make you a stronger shooter. Then, when you break a rule it will be for purpose rather than chance.

You are correct when you say that not liking these disturbing elements is my opinion, but it may also be the client's opinion too. Sometimes a client may not know exactly why a certain shot does not appeal to them. In many cases this is what makes a client subliminally like or dislike an image.

Overall these are still pretty cute shots.

[photobyt]

Well I have always done indoor natural light studio work so to me doing outdoor work, I am more focused on settings as it is a whole new ball game to me. I dont believe in the chopping of limbs...if it happens, it happens.....famous major photogs do it. Unless you are selling gloves, jewelry, etc you dont need the hands or whatever.
The only complaint I had about this series of photos from the client is that maybe she looked to be smelling something bad by her expression but out of about 50 photos, they didnt have much to complain about. To me that is what matters. To me it shows GREAT improvement on when I first started out YEARS ago and to me that is what matters as well.

[TxTowman]

#2 might have looked better if she You shot straight at the wall and she was turned to the side. That would have removed the draw to the right which was a distraction to Me.

The white lint looking substance on the hat in #3 is really distracting to Me.

[texkam]

#2 might have looked better if she You shot straight at the wall and she was turned to the side. That would have removed the draw to the right which was a distraction to Me.

Did you get other variations of #2? I think you could do some neat things with this location.

[photobyt]

Got maybe a couple but we didn't stay long due to the cold wind but will post in a few

[wondershots]

Originally Posted by photobyt

...

Also, I was going for more "traditional" on these because I need to work on my posing for teens as I don't shoot them often if not at all and she was only 15. There were a few things I did that mom was like "ummm, she will be portrayed older and she is only 15, let's keep her 15"

But thank you for everything else. I am going to be shooting her again in a different location. Any ideas or things for me to try this time to make them not look so traditional???

You're right, she's 15 and there's nothing wrong with traditional at that age. With natural light you're probably going in the right direction with these. I tend to like off camera "dramatic" light and it gives the photos some edge and definitely makes them look older.

These are my opinions so take them with a grain of salt. We all have different tastes. It's what the client wants that matters.