Second Photo Shoot

[truonda]

Hi everyone,

I want to share some shots from my second photo shoot. This is my first time doing couple photography and it was A LOT harder than I imagined. I did have fun though. The couple did too.

I will post a few more tomorrow!

Cheers,
Dan

#1A


#1B


#2


#3


#4

[wmoore]

Firstly lovely photos by the way. You can really see the couple are in love.

BUT

What is it with the obsession with photographing couples, children, cats, your Grandma etc on Railway tracks. Every time I look on the web there is another couple, child, cat, Grandma etc on railway tracks.
This has been done to death (and in some cases it has led to death)
Be different. If you must have leading lines find something else.

sorry for the rant.

[Shadowman]

Careful with the crops on #4. The head crop you can almost get away with, the limb crops not so much. Would have worked better in portrait mode. 1.2. and 3 I like a lot.

[Manfred M]

Interesting shots Daniel.

Image 1 - I don't think this one works at all; the subject is likely the legs and the focus is just behind them on the railway tracks. Foreground out of focus rarely works, and I don't feel that it works here. Had the shoes and legs been sharp, I think the image would have been a lot stronger.

Image 2 - out of focus subjects in the background, with the weeds growing out of the track in sharp focus? I think this works better than the first image and is an interesting, but non-standard interpretation. My feelings on this one are so-so.

Image 3 - Interesting shot; almost two images in one. The couple on the left in sharp focus, with the railway tracks running out of the scene in soft focus. Nice; I think this is the strongest image of the group.

Image 4 - Also a nice image but a couple of minor issues have crept in on the bottom edge, There is something green along the man's shirt that should be cloned out and the crop on the arm should be a touch higher (it looks like part of the wrist joint might have crept into the shot). In general, when cropping limbs, it's best to do so away from any joints. Fix up those two minor issues, an the composition will be stronger in this image too.

[truonda]

Firstly lovely photos by the way. You can really see the couple are in love.

BUT

What is it with the obsession with photographing couples, children, cats, your Grandma etc on Railway tracks. Every time I look on the web there is another couple, child, cat, Grandma etc on railway tracks.
This has been done to death (and in some cases it has led to death)
Be different. If you must have leading lines find something else.

sorry for the rant.

I know what you mean. If it were up to me on the location I might have picked a different place. But this is where the couple wanted to go so I had to comply. I did the best I could to make them look great given what I had to work with.

[truonda]

Careful with the crops on #4. The head crop you can almost get away with, the limb crops not so much. Would have worked better in portrait mode. 1.2. and 3 I like a lot.

Thanks John. This image was not actually cropped. I liked it mostly for their expression.

Is this what you would you as a guideline for cropping?

http://petapixel.com/2011/09/29/crop...t-photography/

[Manfred M]

Thanks John. This image was not actually cropped. I liked it mostly for their expression.

Is this what you would you as a guideline for cropping?

http://petapixel.com/2011/09/29/crop...t-photography/

Interesting diagram but don't follow it too blindly; directionally, I agree with what the author is suggesting' BUT. You want to crop above joints, but folds in the skin and shadows can affect the actual crop location. When it comes to crops of the head, one has to pay attention to the hairline.

[truonda]

Interesting shots Daniel.

Image 1 - I don't think this one works at all; the subject is likely the legs and the focus is just behind them on the railway tracks. Foreground out of focus rarely works, and I don't feel that it works here. Had the shoes and legs been sharp, I think the image would have been a lot stronger.

Image 2 - out of focus subjects in the background, with the weeds growing out of the track in sharp focus? I think this works better than the first image and is an interesting, but non-standard interpretation. My feelings on this one are so-so.

Image 3 - Interesting shot; almost two images in one. The couple on the left in sharp focus, with the railway tracks running out of the scene in soft focus. Nice; I think this is the strongest image of the group.

Image 4 - Also a nice image but a couple of minor issues have crept in on the bottom edge, There is something green along the man's shirt that should be cloned out and the crop on the arm should be a touch higher (it looks like part of the wrist joint might have crept into the shot). In general, when cropping limbs, it's best to do so away from any joints. Fix up those two minor issues, an the composition will be stronger in this image too.

Image 1 - I have another version where the legs are in focus although they are not facing each other but walking away from me. I am tempted to dutch tilt that version. Would that be a proper use of it?

Image 2 - OK!

Image 3 - OK!

Image 4 - How is this version?

[Manfred M]

Image 1 - I have another version where the legs are in focus although they are not facing each other but walking away from me. I am tempted to dutch tilt that version. Would that be a proper use of it?

"Proper use" is a tough one to define. My main concern with Dutch tilting is that it's use has become a bit to ubiquitous and trite. A Dutch tilt can enhance an image by presenting an unusual perspective, especially when dealing with a lot of horizontal or vertical lines. It can be a bit more hazardous when used otherwise because it can just make the image look odd or look like the photographer can't hold the camera straight.

A shot that mainly features the railway tracks, ties and legs is essentially made up of a lot of horizontal and vertical lines and could be an excellent canditdate for a Dutch tilt. Try it and see how it works.

Image 4 - How is this version?

Defintely better!