Grad photos corrected with your suggestions

[shoyles]

I posted some grad photos recently and received some less than positive reviews from the forum but it was all excellent constructive criticism and taught me a lot about portaits.

http://www.texasphotoforum.com/phpBB...pic.php?t=3409

Before I showed the pictures to the family I took your advice and worked on the photos using your suggestions. I corrected backgrounds, improved the contrast, dodged, burned and blurred. I also read the suggested book by Kelby.

I learned a bunch about post processing (and what not to do during the shoot to avoid excess post processing).

The family liked the pictures after I had fixed them. They ordered a total of 98 - 8x10's 5x7's and 3.5x5's from the package (I need to increase my prices)!

I have just started doing portraits so to me the value of a forum like this one is the learning that can come from the criticism from the experienced members.

Here are the corrected shots.

[brad]

Very cool and congratulations on the big order!

You did a good job from what I remember of these photos originally posted... and it sounds like it paid off!

[LoungeLizard]

The originals had a lot of potential that you've obviously tapped into! These look great.

Congrats on the large order! You can raise your prices and then tell new customers that you've sold as many as x in the past! :lol:

[boomerd35]

Wow. Great work. The originals looked good, and these are even better. Really emphasizes the difference that post processing can make.

Troy T.

[michaelbates]

Excellent work! And - congrats on the HUGE order!! I hope you had them sign a contract that they would not divulge your prices...and that they WOULD refer you to friends and relatives :)

Michael

[Sheldon]

Way to go Steve....these are GREAT! Love the last one!