CERIS portrait (2)

[bje07]

Dave , portrait 2, pending further portraits.



I don't know if I should insert new portraits in a serie or open one thread for each new one.

[chauncey]

Your lens appears to be front focusing a bit.

[bje07]

Your lens appears to be front focusing a bit.

Not at all, if you look carefully you will see that both shoulders are in focus.

[Geoff F]

My eyes seem to be front focusing on this scene.

[chauncey]

I was put off by the lack of clarity in the eyes I guess.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Jean,

I don't know if I should insert new portraits in a serie or open one thread for each new one.

What you are doing; with a consistent naming convention, works well for me.

The biggest issue I have here is the darkness of the eye socket in shadow - I'd bring that up in PP somewhat.

The discontinuity of the background (bg) also distracts me; window and (I guess) door.
That said, I note that you have her dark sleeve against the pale window (bg) and rim lit hair against the dark bg, so it may have been deliberate, for reasons I understand.

The bold right angle formed by her arm is very dominant and having the sides parallel to the edges of frame makes this more so - I'm not sure how to avoid that though in this pose, but again I see that there's a nice triangle formed with her face.

Consider these last two comments as nothing more than me 'thinking out loud' rather than criticism - I'm still learning myself, so analysing other's shots helps me too. Especially if others that have been shooting portraits longer give us the benefit of their thoughts and observations.

Hope that's helpful, Dave

[Mike Buckley]

I don't have a strong sense of aesthetics about portrait photography but I do know when I like and dislike certain characteristics of an image on a case-by-case basis. With that context in mind...

I really like the diagonal position of the head and that it intersects so nicely with the frame in the background. Unlike Dave, the background adds interest for me without being distracting.

The composition makes me feel that the subject's face is the most important part of the image. Yet because our eyes are generally drawn first to the brightest parts of an image, the brightest light on the woman's hand, hair and chest (also the single largest bright and plain area of the image) draw my attention away from her darker face; I have to look too much to "find" her face and once I've done that I then have to concentrate to avoid looking at the brighter areas above and below her face.

[Shadowman]

Nicely done.

[Dave A]

Yup, I like this image.......all of it.

Dave

[bnnrcn]

Mike explained very well what makes me feel uncomfortable about the image . I knew something was bothering me but I couldn't figure out until I read Mike's comment

[Manfred M]

+1 to what Mike and Dave have written. They both nicely sum up my thoughts.

My only other thought is with the contrast in this shot. It's a bit hard for the subject.

[bje07]

This a picture for men
I'll try to satisfy everybody by reducing the effect of the brightest parts.

[bje07]

I have reviewed this photo with all useful comments (thank you to everybody)

[Dave Humphries]

I think the revised version demonstrates the validity of my point about the simpler background being preferable, I am now able to concentrate on the contrasts of the subject and not be distracted by the bold contrast of the model in front of the background.

However, it also shows how it would be far better to do this at capture, than with cloning. Hindsight is a wonderful thing

Something I'll try to remember too.
In fact I must show you the results of one of my other Chloe shoots to prove that I'm no better.

Cheers, Dave

[bnnrcn]

Your edit looks much better Jean

[madcrow]

Jean, you are right photo for men and it us some photo. Keep up good work.

[bje07]

Another pose in the same session

# 3

[Dave Humphries]

So Jean,

We've had a lot of shots to critique, so let's switch things around and have you tell us what you already know, or think, about certain aspects of this shot?

e.g. what you think worked well and what you might change (next time) if possible?


(but I am serious)

[bnnrcn]

I'm not a portrait shooter, but I think the light comes from the wrong direction. The nearer part of her face to the camera is in shadow and the farther part of her face is in light. If I have made a false comment , would an expert correct me please

So Jean,

We've had a lot of shots to critique, so let's switch things around and have you tell us what you already know, or think, about certain aspects of this shot?

e.g. what you think worked well and what you might change (next time) if possible?


(but I am serious)

[Dave Humphries]

The nearer part of her face to the camera is in shadow and the farther part of her face is in light.

What you describe Binnur is known as 'short' lighting, it can (usually) suit a female subject, making the face appear less 'wide' - however, now you have raised it and made me look closely, here are my thoughts - since Jean has not had time to respond to my challenge (maybe next time, eh?)

The fill (camera right) is perhaps a little too bright, that side of her face is actually quite bright - in some respects this is just as well because the position of the key light (perhaps a little too low camera left, it is also quite a hard light - see nose shadow), the angle of her head and her features have combined with the hard light to produce some weird toning across her left cheek.

However, I know how easy it is for a model to change position and suddenly the intended functions of all the lights (key, fill, rim/hair) goes completely 'out the window'. So while I am mentioning these things, I do so with some sympathy.

I suspect Jean and I are at a similar level (in?)competence
(no offence intended Jean)

I feel that I could so easily have produced a shot that looks just like this, or worse!

One lesson I have learnt reviewing this (and remembering back to my own mistakes) is that the harder the light source, the less forgiving the lighting set is for a model changing his/her head position from how it was when the lights were set up.

Cheers, Dave