Portrait Feedback Please!

[pdirestajr]

Not much more to add that hasn't been said. But in my opinion, the look of your model doesn't go with the background at all. She is smiling and posing as if she is taking a Senior portrait with her head tilted, hair to the side and bright smile... but then she is in front of this moody grungy background.

They just don't make sense together. If you are going for an environmental portrait (since it is all in focus I'm assuming you are), she needs to connect more to it. What is she doing there? What is the story you are trying to tell?

Or you can go to the other extreme and make her completely juxtaposed to the background by pumping up the bubblegum sweetness of her look. But she'd need a more extreme fashion choice for that.

Just my .02

 

[justsomedude]

That squatting pose is really not good delete it from your shot list, very very unflattering to the poor girl
Also try not have straight joints like the main supporting leg where knee is locked solid
and get her to wear heals it will make her poses a lot better due to creating better shape to her legs
Search for some posing guides there is a lot of resource around on the net get a few good poses and practice those shoting at different angles

I was about to write the same... the pose on #2 is a no no.. seriously...

And here's a +3!

I saw that squat pose and gasped out loud. Straight on pread leg squat poses of a female model with short shorts is totally unflattering and inappropriate - unless you're going for a porno type look. "Nono - squat here, with your hands between your legs - really, it's gonna look killer!" If this was a client you were taking on location for her senior photoshoot, her parents would smack the sh*t out of you... leave without paying... and then call the police.

So, not to beat a dead horse, but be more appropriate with your posing. As wickidwombat suggested, google for posing ideas and basic guides. Also, don't be afraid to take reference shots on a shoot. I often times work from older photos, or even photos I've found online, to keep my creative juices flowing during a shoot. It helps me come up with pose ideas when my mind goes blank, and shows the client you're committed to creating a quality product. Remember, the model is relying on YOU to know how to pose them!

Other than that, keep up the good work. Oh, and buy a cheap reflector. More here, and here. You can thank me later.

 

[NotABunny]

Because a number of people have told you that squat poses are bad, I'd like the say the opposite. Ultimately, the scene that you photograph has a meaning and the elements have to fit with that. It's important to understand when a squat pose doesn't work.

The main problem is that I don't know what you were trying to do: fashion, candid... real-estate?

If you were doing fashion, like it appeared that you wanted, it doesn't work. But in a candid scene, it may work.

It may show too much erotism... yeah, so what? I say great! (But I would ask where is the style? If you're not going for style, great, but most people would see it as vulgar and therefore bad photography.)

It may show too much vulgarity... yeah, so what? Your problem in that case would be to do it with style.

So what is it that you want to do with it? Do you need to show / give it to people who (may) get ashamed because of a possible sexual innuendo?

Do you want to impress people who think that (good) photography is only when you are using the classic Hollywood lighting style for portraiture (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbOsXQuS4GY)?

Do you need to show it to people who think that underexposed backgrounds and subjects overpowered by flashes (making everything seem stiched together like a studio shot with a wallpaper) constitues the main goal of photography?

By the way, what I see as really bad in that shot, is the crop right under her pubis.

 

[pdirestajr]

pubis

+1

 

[justsomedude]

pubis

+1

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHahahahhaha. That +1 just made me snort my coffee.

 

[Drizzt321]

@NotABunny

I mostly agree with all you said, but I think it's probably better to get some basics, the 'classic' stuff first. Once you start getting some experience and a feel for what you can do with photography, start venturing out and seeing what crazy things you can do that you like. Gotta know the rules before you break them kind of thing. Just my opinion though.

 

[Toronto]

I strongly believe some practice and reading are in order as well as pre shoot planning. The shots posted show one issue and that is lack of direction for the shoot more than anything else, I actually see that you have an idea of posing and some basic composition but simply not knowing what you wanted to shoot or what you wanted it to look like resulted in just shots of a girl in white shorts.

Sit down and plan what it is you are going to do, what results you want and what the subject expects and try again and you will see the difference.

 

[justsomedude]

I strongly believe some practice and reading are in order as well as pre shoot planning...

Sit down and plan what it is you are going to do, what results you want and what the subject expects and try again and you will see the difference.

A wise photographer once told me... "failure to plan, is a plan to fail."

 

[Drizzt321]

I strongly believe some practice and reading are in order as well as pre shoot planning...

Sit down and plan what it is you are going to do, what results you want and what the subject expects and try again and you will see the difference.

A wise photographer once told me... "failure to plan, is a plan to fail."

Actually, I think that's pretty much every profession. Another one I've heard is the 5 P's. Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.