My #1 Model

[JohnW]

Though I would share a few recent takes of my #1 model. The first two photos are shot with my newly acquired Nikon Series E M 50mm, it is quite interesting to use on the D3000. C&C at will please.





http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksprat94/5370935653/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksprat94/5370934727/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksprat94/5371539296/

Cheers, John

[Donald]

John

I am not a people photographer and the portrait shooters on here will be far more able to provide constructive comment.

#1 is the pick for me. The pose is fun. She looks relaxed, happy and enjoying being part of what you're doing. The lighting adds to that sense of happiness and enjoyment.

#2 and #3 are a bit too tightly framed for me. I think a tight crop like this works for the 'dark', sultry , mysterious type portrait, but I'm not so sure about it for children (but that's just a personal opinion and something to think about).

In #2 there is also a split background. The colour in the background is very different at the right side of her head from that on the left side. I think that throws a bit of imbalance into the scene. And I would suggest that maybe you needed to get down a bit lower to get the shot.

#3 seems, to my eyes, to need a bit of sharpening. Or is it that the point of focus is a bit far forward? The front of her hat looks as if it might be in better focus than the eyes, which are what you've really got to nail with focus in a portrait.

[speedneeder]

I think Donald nailed it pretty well, especially the part about having fun.
I agree that having the sharpest focus on the eyes is key, and have found from my own limited experience with this that I'm starting to do that without thinking - it's becoming habit to check the focal point before I release the shutter.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi John,

#3 seems, to my eyes, to need a bit of sharpening. Or is it that the point of focus is a bit far forward? The front of her hat looks as if it might be in better focus than the eyes, which are what you've really got to nail with focus in a portrait.

I am well aware of the 'fun' you'll have had with that lens on that camera

I have the same lens (from my film days) and a D5000, which gives the same problems - no AF and no metering, so really it is only good for tripod mounted still life use. Attempting to manually focus on a moving subject, with the camera handheld, at these ranges is going to result in a lot of missed shots due to focus and/or metering errors

Eventually I gave up and treated myself to the AF-S 50/1.4 for Xmas - now, when is your birthday - and how rich is 'the missus'?

In terms of the shots, Donald has done a good critique, despite his protestations, I would only add that I think you have white balance issues in the first two as your #1 model looks a bit yellow in the skin tones compared to #3.

Welcome to the CiC forums from ...

[Hans]

#2 and #3 are a bit too tightly framed for me. I think a tight crop like this works for the 'dark', sultry , mysterious type portrait, but I'm not so sure about it for children (but that's just a personal opinion and something to think about).

I am reticent to disagree with "the Don" but I will. The above is spoken like the brilliant landscape photographer that he is. The tight crops are great IMO. I particularly love the crop on the last one. Something about portraits in landscape orientation that do it for me. Brighten up the eyes a little in photoshop and it is a winner!

You will get the hang of the eye focus thing when you get sick of looking at soft eyes. But a lively child + manual focus ... AAAAARRRGGH! Just be careful to select the appropriate focus point for the framing you are using each time. I always used the middle point and focussed and reframed to shoot until I realised that at large apertures (which I almost always shoot at) there is a risk of changing the focus plane when I move the camera and missing my intended point of focus. You'll read about that in the tutorials.

The only other comment (aside from the WB as Dave said) is the nature of the clothing in the first two. Fun? YES! Distracting? YES! Food for thought anyway

That 50mm 1.4 AF-S is the way to go...but the price! Thank god my D90 has a screw drive

[JohnW]

I thank you all for your comments, a lot of good pointers given there and I will work on them all. First of all my #1 Model is very young and has her own sense of fashion, for some reason she is really stuck on pink. Right now it's all about having fun for her. As for the 50mm manual I can see working with it will be a real challenge, next time I will put it on the tripod and see if I can't get the focus a bit more sharper, but for the price I paid I can't complain, one must always experiment. At this point I am trying all kinds of things, next time I will shot some portraits with my AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens and see how they turn out. For now I will try to see if I can improve the white balance in #1 & 2 and brighten the eyes in #3.

Thanks again.

John

[JohnW]

Revisit

Ok - I found another photo taken outdoors. Both photos were shot in Nikon Raw and converted to dng files so that I could get them into PE. Experimented with the white balance settings and found that they can really enhance a photo, cool. Another thing about my photos is that I am using an old tube monitor (not flat screen) to view them while editing, and I don't know if you are seeing the same thing as I am. I viewed them on my monitor at work (flat screen) and they look a little lighter, so I am not really sure of what is real.

Thanks again for your input.

John

[Hans]

Wow, John.
Love that snow shot. Some will probably comment about lack of detail in the snow, but the subject is not the snow. I don't mind it at all but our opinions obviously vary.
Yes they are much brighter, I think in a good way even though the fist seems to lack a little contrast as a result. I often find myself overexposing my portraits in available light.

Model is very young and has her own sense of fashion

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Better to let them choose the wardrobe and get a sitting than face a meltdown and be left empty chaired! Hey, I wonder how that portrait in the loud clothes would go black and white to tame the clour "noise" a bit? Tweek the levels for a bit more contrast and see what happens.

[speedneeder]

Better to let them choose the wardrobe and get a sitting than face a meltdown and be left empty chaired!

Very true! It makes for better photos anyway when your model is having fun too

[Diane Darlow]

I like the one in the snow most too.

[JohnW]

Once again thank you all for your comments. I think the best thing of all is that we can receive input from people all over the world who have somthing in common, very cool indeed.

Cheers,
John