Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

donlfaulkner · **Still learning. How did I do? -** 04-27-2009, 11:35 AM

The first pic in each set is out of the camera. The second I've made an attempt at retouching. How can I improve? What do I need to do different?

I set levels, hue/saturation, Brightness/contrast, Used a contrast mask to bring out some details and reduce some shadows, then Neat Image for some noise.

C&C welcome and needed. TNX

msabas · 04-27-2009, 11:46 AM

I think the outcomes are looking good after you play with settings.. especially in the second series...

But one thing i learned is that it is a lot easier to take good photos than to try and edit and make good photos.

Try to get good natural lighting if you have no other light source. I have noticed than in some of your previous light is needing help..try to find the right location for your subjects..

This is just what i do.. I am still learning lots myself.. just keep that tip in mind and everything else you can obtain...

still good job and keep working...

CKing · 04-27-2009, 11:47 AM

#1 is really soft and its too bright/high contrast. You're losing detail. His feet are cut off despite it being a full length shot. Either get all of him or crop it at a more natural location. The second shot is better, but its overly lightened. You need to bring in a little more contrast so the darks can add depth to the photo.

Loosen up and experiment with poses and angels.

texxter · 04-27-2009, 12:38 PM

Thanks for sharing your images and the postprocessing. I agree with the comment above that it's best to get the lighting and composition right on camera than trying to make the photo better via postprocessing. Having said that, postprocessing can help make a good image better.

I'll comment on the quality of the first image and not on the postprocessing. These are things you'll learn to do intuitively over time, but when you're starting you need to be conscious of everything in the frame before you press the shutter. In this frame you've got several compositional problems:

The thick oblique tree trunk growing behind the subject's back
The light patches of roof and rail to the left of the subject
Feet cut off
Sharp background, which competes for attention with the subject, as it's lighter

If you think about it, the background here does not help make the picture better, and does in fact detract from it. All portrait need some sort of background (unless they are super tight headshot) and the quality of the background makes a huge difference.

So here are some ideas on how to can make this first picture better:

Move the camera to the left so that you have nothing but greenery behind your subject
Change the camera to A mode and set the aperture to a small number, like f/4.
Use a longer focal length, which will, at f/4 give you a more blurred background
Ask the subject to give you a more dynamic pose, so that he's not totally frontal and totally static in front of the camera
Use fill flash to put light into his eyes. This can be tricky if there is a lot of light and you cannot go to or below the flash maximum shutter speed. Some cameras support high speed flash sync.
Crop more tightly as the bottom of the portrait conveys little interesting information - using a longer focal length will help you with this.

donlfaulkner · 04-27-2009, 03:03 PM

Thanks guys for the comments. Great food for thought. This is my step-grandson and I was nervous, for crying out loud. I want to do a good job on his senior pics. After the first couple of shots I remembered to turn him a bit. There is a side pose of him in my gallery I snapped during the wedding. I see now that the gazabo in the background needed to be more out of focus. I do have a few more "profile" shots I will post, hopefully, tomorrow.

I see what you mean about the background competing for attention. And the lad does need feet.

The more I learn, the more I find I don't know!

toverman · 04-27-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donlfaulkner

The more I learn, the more I find I don't know!

That's why this is so fun. We can be involved in photography all our lives, master many things, but never truly know everything.

For the first two, it appears that he is out of focus. Thought it may be your resizing to post here, but it actually appears like parts of the background are in focus instead.

donlfaulkner · 06:37 PM

Todd, he may well be out of focus. This was my first image of the shoot. We took a few minutes before the wedding (about 2:30pm partly cloudy day and not a good time for inexpericenced aspiring portrait photography.

I was nervous and didn't want to delay the wedding so I was a bit rushed. I sort a setteled down after this but still rushed. I don't do well rushed when I'm not real sure what I'm doing.

I hope more experience will take care of that problem. I'm trying to save some crappy shots as I cannot get him back in front of the camera. I need more practice! :)

I think his Mom is much more interested in the pictures than he.

I was shooting for the eyes but evidently I missed with the auto focus. (How I long for manual focus)

toverman · 04-27-2009, 06:36 PM

No sweat. If all this was easy, then we wouldn't need a forum to help and support each other!

danchez · 04-27-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toverman

No sweat. If all this was easy, then we wouldn't need a forum to help and support each other!

well said, and Paco, that is great advice from you too. I enjoy learning from my own pics but i think it's great that I can learn from others and their pictures. Thanks everyone!!!

donlfaulkner · 04-27-2009, 07:09 PM

Dan, just watch me, i'll definately show you how NOT to do it!

donlfaulkner · 09:22 AM

OK, here are the other two poses. The second was snapped during the ceremony with the gazabo in the background.

Looks like I needed a reflector for the left side of the pic (his right). Did not have anyone to hold it for me.

C&C requested!