NON Square Cropped Portraits - (nSCP's) - Archive

[Antonio Correia]

Hi Antonio. I am fine. Apologies for not replying earlier I forgot about this post (put it down to age). I could not agree more with your comments. The light was severe and I am really struggling with fill flash at the moment although Colin and others are helping me no end. I am going to take your advice and avoid harsh light for the time being. It just causes more frustration. I really should have known better with the composition. I was a little happier with this shot but I am still getting patchy shadows on the faces. Steve...

Hello Steve.
I saw this picture of yours somewhere but did not comment.
Excuse me: you what ???!!! You forgot about this post ?????!!!!... Incredible. Not possible. How can you ??? How dare you ???!!!

Well, seriously now.

I do like your photo. Yes. Really.
One little correction however, if you can: get less field on top and more field on the bottom of the image.
The image, I think, will be more balanced.
Here I like the way you used the flash. The background is well chosen.

I myself I try to use the flash but I am a poor user of it... I think it is too complicated to understand. I have seen that Colin gave you a link to a doc about flash which I consider to be a bible.

Thank you for your concern Steve.

[Antonio Correia]

EXIF

[Alis]

Antonio, well done. Very colorful. Perfect lighting. How did you get such a uniform lighting with a flash or was it?

[Alis]

I really should have known better with the composition. I was a little happier with this shot but I am still getting patchy shadows on the faces.

Steve

Nice job, Steve.

For what it's worth, my only comment would be that the bright area of the picture almost has no contrast. Althought the dark background balances that, the middle area itself is very low contrast. I am sure even with the fair complexion of the body (I am guessing) you can get a more contrasty image.

Cheers,

Alis

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio, well done. Very colorful. Perfect lighting. How did you get such a uniform lighting with a flash or was it?

Nothing special Alis
I post here the raw file for you to see. About the flash I don't remember to have used it.
In fact, when I read the EXIF I just wondered how did I use it
As usual I used LR where Fill Light (under Basic) is very useful like Shadow/Highlight in CS.
If I am right.

[Antonio Correia]

EXIF

]

[carregwen]

This was a sea-side stall-holder at the height of the recession. I used a flash gun with Gary Fong diffuser to light up the dark interior.

Recession Blues

[Antonio Correia]

...Gary Fong diffuser to light up the dark interior.Recession Blues ...

This may seam a stupid question:
The flash with the diffuser was outside, I mean on camera ?
I say this because it could be inside the shop itself.

[Antonio Correia]

You tell me which you like best please.
Same EXIF

.

OK OK. I like best the second one, the one in the bottom.
Oh how sorry I am I didn't take the arm of the boy inside the frame...

[Antonio Correia]

No EXIF to provoke you !!!

[Alis]

[Antonio Correia]

Well, well ... here we are with another different model...
Bounced flash yes but the background ...

I want a better one, another one, better than this. Sorry.

[Dave Humphries]

Not that I'm 'in for the kill' or anything Alis, but a couple of other things I noticed with this one, only mentioned purely to avoid you getting "Antonio'd" next time

So, forewarned is forearmed, as they say;
Is that the dress label I see sticking up?
The pendant is slightly hidden, but that's not such a big deal, although actually, the model may think it is a shame, as the pendant and ear-rings match.

Without eye contact and staring intently down like that, I wonder what your model was doing.

For what it's worth, there is almost enough background area to clone over the distractions.
Probably not worth it in this case, but one day ....

[Alis]

Well, well ... here we are with another different model...
Bounced flash yes but the background ...

I want a better one, another one, better than this. Sorry.

No, Antionio. I was using a Gary Fong Diffuser (cloud).

But you are right, it is messed up. She was at the table serving food to others and I took this picture. She was not really paying attention to me.

I will see her again today at a Birthday. Will try a better one if the place is not too dark

[Alis]

Not that I'm 'in for the kill' or anything Alis, but a couple of other things I noticed with this one, only mentioned purely to avoid you getting "Antonio'd" next time

So, forewarned is forearmed, as they say;
Is that the dress label I see sticking up?
The pendant is slightly hidden, but that's not such a big deal, although actually, the model may think it is a shame, as the pendant and ear-rings match.

Without eye contact and staring intently down like that, I wonder what your model was doing.

For what it's worth, there is almost enough background area to clone over the distractions.
Probably not worth it in this case, but one day ....

Thanks, Dave. It is not good at all to be Antonio'd. I have been even Colin'd before for a portrait

I am not sure if that is the label, very likely. I did not even notice it. And the background is what I had there. She was serving food at the table and this is not really posed. With Gary Fong tupperware it usually comes out better. Her skin color is actually what you see here or very close. But the overall image is not that special. May be next time...

[Alis]

OK, Antionio and Dave, how about this one? New model with no background!

[Antonio Correia]

OK, Antionio and Dave, how about this one? New model with no background!...

Antonio did not learn in school what Antonio'd is.
It is true that it has been some 500 and some years ago...
That must be something not very nice for sure.

Interesting picture with no background at all. It looks like she has been moved from another photo and pasted in this background. Is it so ?
However her hair is so difficult to separate that I don't know what to think any more

It is sharp and nice. Well done.
Good. That's good.


Meanwhile look at this interesting comparison:
In green the ones who posted on both threads.

Questions: Who sees these threads ? And why ?
Why don't they post ? What causes curiosity ?
Why are people visiting these successful threads ?

They are in fact the most visited thread in this forum. Curious phenomenon ...
Any ideas ?

[Alis]

Antonio did not learn in school what Antonio'd is.
It is true that it has been some 500 and some years ago...
That must be something not very nice for sure.

Well, trust me it is not that bad But I like the comments to be a little bit more than the usual "good shot" and "nice job", etc. Sometimes I know people can not really comment on something because they don't know that much. Myself one good example. But if they can I expect them to give me something more than a nice comment. If I want those soft nice ones, I go to Facebook or somewhere. There, all comments are ridiculously nice

Interesting picture with no background at all. It looks like she has been moved from another photo and pasted in this background. Is it so ?
However her hair is so difficult to separate that I don't know what to think any more

It is sharp and nice. Well done.
Good. That's good.

The background was a beach sky, not that blue though. the hair was out of my control

Meanwhile look at this interesting comparison:
In green the ones who posted on both threads.

Questions: Who sees these threads ? And why ?
Why don't they post ? What causes curiosity ?
Why are people visiting these successful threads ?

They are in fact the most visited thread in this forum. Curious phenomenon ...
Any ideas ?

I think they don't comment because this is serious stuff. We are dealing with people and not some dead rock on some sandy beach

But seriously, I am trying to learn how to take good picture of people since it has a very practical value for me. I don't have that much time to take picture of sunrise or sunset or buildings. So these two threads are the best place for me on this forum. And if post somewhere else here, it is usually because of the aspect ratio

I enjoy looking at those pictures and usually visit all of them but do not post. I think same is true for those other poeple who come here and don't post. I would love to get their comments though

[Antonio Correia]

Well, trust me it is not that bad But I like the comments to be a little bit more than the usual "good shot" and "nice job", etc. Sometimes I know people can not really comment on something because they don't know that much. Myself one good example. But if they can I expect them to give me something more than a nice comment. If I want those soft nice ones, I go to Facebook or somewhere. There, all comments are ridiculously nice ...

I don't like comments like "very nice" and stuff like that. It doesn't mean however that I don't use them as you you... Rarely. Rarely...
But, more "concerned" comments, more targeted ones are more interesting and lead us to learn. And we know nothing.

Back to your shot:
There is something peculiar in her arms. I mean around them. They are too sharp.
It looks even you applied too much of unsharp mask or whatever and we can even see a small halo around. Pixelization that's what I see when the image is enlarged.
My be I am wrong, OK.
Around her arms there is something and I don't know what. but there is something there.
Too small picture may be ...

[Antonio Correia]

Couldn't chose the background ! ...