First Portrait shots!!

They were definitely nice, much much better than anything from a point and shoot.

Note: take what I say as just an opinion, because everyone will say something different.

Pic 1: I think it would have looked great to use a strobe and umbrella on the opposite side that the sun hit to fill in the shadows a bit.

Pic 2: I think a flash through an umbrella slightly to the side and above would look really nice here - especially with the sun setting behind him. It looked like much more of a direct flash.

Either way, they both look nice.
 
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AJ said:
1st - nice expression. A reflector viewers left would have helped a lot.

2nd - bored expression. Fill flash is a little flat, could use diffusion. Very straight-on shot, could be improved by turning the body slightly at an angle.

I agree about the reflector. You can pick them up for dirt cheap on amazon.
 
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funkboy

6D & a bunch of crazy primes
Jul 28, 2010
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Not a bad idea but for #1 I strongly suggest that you use a reflector near the shadow side of his face to soften up the shadows. Ideally a gold one e.g. lastolite will preserve the warmth but use whatever you've got; it can be as simple as a big sheet of white posterboard, glossy white on one side & aluminum foil on the other. Experiment to see which works best; you can even mess around with the shiny vs. matte sides of the alfoil. In general the shadowed side of the face shouldn't be more than about 2-3ish stops darker than the highlights. This looks more like 4-5...

#2 is better (it looks like fill flash from a fairly straight-on angle). Again, in such strong back lighting I'd suggest the use of a reflector directly in front of the subject (he could potentially even be holding it himself if you go for a face shot). You might want to keep the sun itsself out of the frame while preserving the backlight effect in order to avoid such harsh contrast. If you still need fill flash, put a diffuser on it and raise it up higher (or if you've only got a built-in, you can simply cut a hole in a ping-pong ball (with a hobby razor knife) & slip it over the flash, makes a very nice little spherical diffuser).

Good luck :). You might check out the strobist if you want to go further with your lighting technique.
 
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.
"You don't go out looking for a job dressed like that? On a weekday?"

-Jeffrey Lebowski -- the Big Lebowski
From the movie "The Big Lebowski"


Anyway, I like both images. Nice to have a good subject to work with.

I don't know what kind of job he wants, but my first thought was appropriateness of these pictures. Only he knows that. Your lighting seems to have dictated the whole shoot. Anyway, there's this thing they're now doing called "environmental portraiture." Puts the subject in an appropriate environment. If he wants a job as an agricultural extension agent, these shots are great -- maybe as a corporate lawyer, not so much.

Anyway, just general reactions. The first one, I really don't like all the negative space over his head. It looks MUCH better (I believe) when you crop that down to just over his head. The angle is good. I love the light on the crisp shirt, and the skin tone is warm and inviting.

Just as a general picture, I like the second one best -- although I can see it being criticized as an outdoor mug shot. His expression seems a little blank, as if he's wondering why he got arrested. But the contrast between his warm face and the brilliant, almost fiery background is great.

Keep up the good work, and I hope he gets the job he wants.
 
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