Portrait C&C

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Archive 2009 · Portrait C&C

vectorgraphics
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p.1 #1 · Portrait C&C

Hi all,

I was wondering if I could get some professional and brutal opinions on some of my recent portraits? Family and friends are way to biased to be objective. These are largely planned candid shots.

Image 1: Canon EOS 5D Mark II - 70-200mm f/2.8 IS.
f/3.2 1/1000sec ISO-500 200mm

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Image 2: Canon EOS 5D Mark II - 70-200mm f/2.8 IS.
f/5.6 1/800sec ISO-200 200mm

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Image 3: Canon EOS 5D Mark II - 16-35mm f/2.8.
f/11 1/125sec ISO-160 35mm. Remote bounce flash 480EX HSS.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Image 4: Canon EOS 5D Mark II - 16-35mm f/2.8.
f/11 1/125sec ISO-160 29mm. Remote bounce flash 480EX HSS.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

thanks

Apr 11, 2009 at 07:14 AM

slimey
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p.1 #2 · Portrait C&C

Image 2 looks the most natural and candid.

Image 1 looks a bit too posed. The expressions in Images 3 and 4 are a bit too distracting.

Generally nice pictures, though - although I may be biased too, because I love taking candid photos of my kids who are of a similar age.

Apr 11, 2009 at 11:46 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #3 · Portrait C&C

Generally you cannot get a bad 'kid' picture, especially when you're a parent

(and I include myself - grandparent)

We've seen this lovely young lady before, have we not? Or am I mistaken?

I'll pick nits with the WB, it's all over the place. I've taken the liberty of re-working one. If you object please let me know and I'll pull it.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

regards,

Bob

<edit> I'm viewing the thread using my laptop, not calibrated, and #'s 3 & 4 of your posts come closer to reality while #1 is washed out and #2 is probably closest to what it ought to be, at least IMO. Mine is washed out too (was re-worked on a calibrated monitor).

My point: get something to calibrate your monitor since while what you see (assuming non-calibrated) might be good, on a calibrated monitor it could very well be otherwise. Hope this makes sense...

Bob

Edited on Apr 12, 2009 at 01:09 PM · View previous versions

Apr 12, 2009 at 12:53 AM

aquiles83
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p.1 #4 · Portrait C&C

Hello!

If you are working at f:11, you need to have a great background. It's not the case in pictures 3 and 4.

The second picture has too much contrast in borders. It looks weird to me. Maybe you have put a extreme unsharpen mask, or you have taken the blacks up.

The first picture looks perfect and professional. Congratulations.

Apr 12, 2009 at 03:34 AM

vectorgraphics
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p.1 #5 · Portrait C&C

Hi all,

this is TERRIFIC advice!! Exactly what I was looking for.

This is my beautiful niece who I only get to see a few times a year so I've been taking as many shots as possible. As you can tell I'm fairly noob to SLR photography.

I've been trying to keep my aperture between 7.1-11 to ensure her whole face is in focus as to get the best from my lenses...but totally forgot/neglected the distracting backgrounds in 3 and 4. So thanks for pointing that out.

I have enormous difficulty with determining natural white balance. I usually use AWB, but I will use custom WB as I get a bit more experienced. I get so fixated and lost in the image that my objectivity goes out the window re: levels and colour balance and WB, not to mention sharpening and cropping.

Bob, I certainly don't mind you reworking the image, it looks like you've taken some of the colour saturation out of the image. Are there a set of golden rules for this or is it an experienced-based subjective opinion? I've always thought that if it looks good in photoshop, go ahead...but as I mentioned I get carried away.

thanks again, it really helps my confidence!

Apr 12, 2009 at 01:05 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #6 · Portrait C&C

@vectorgraphics,

Thanks & I just posted an edit to my first comments.

To answer your question, my workflow is undisciplined in that I generally go with what I think looks right. My software, NX2.2, allows me to save so I can alter steps later if need be, otherwise I am seldom able to replicate the exact editing sequence. I'm sure this approach offends the purists but it works for me

<edit> And personally, I am unable to discern color imbalance unless I have something with which I can compare so I often miss that, as Kaden K. often kindly corrects an image

regards,

Bob

Apr 12, 2009 at 01:13 PM

internecine
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p.1 #7 · Portrait C&C

great job on #1
good pose and the light looks natural
unfortunately the indoor ones looks like they are being lit by a computer screen this is probably due to the tungsten in the background. would look better if you balanced the ambient. also as noted above, too much dof on the interiors.

Apr 13, 2009 at 04:18 PM

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