Finally had my first engagement session last Sunday, and all-in-all the couple seems very happy with the results and I came away feeling good, but have already seen many areas where I need to improve (primarily with lighting & shadow control).
We started out a little earlier than I would have preferred so the sun was still relatively high in the sky, but the weather was otherwise really nice, the couple was great, and although he wasn't exceptionally happy to be there in the first place, he warmed up rather quickly and seemed to be enjoying himself by the end.
All that said, I'd appreciate any critique/comments. I'm a big boy (literally & figuratively) so don't be afraid to be harsh. (BTW, I have several good ones of them smiling together and interacting (similar to 9), these posted are just the ones I'm more interested in having critiqued).
1. Ideally the flip-flop would be moved out of the scene.
2. I'm torn on this one... it's a unique hand/ring shot, but my eyes are initially drawn to his collar when looking for the focus point
4. She's got a cute smile in this one, but he's got a grin-and-bear-it look (his smile in #10 is much better)... not much you can really do other than make them feel as comfortable and natural as possible, take multiple shots, select the best. Distracted by the bright green bottle of cleaner or emergency light in the background. I see the tease of trees on the right... was there more of a background to angle in back there?
5. Love it. Great flowers. Great pier. I don't know what the larger scene was like, but if there was room, I'd crop the signs out behind them and open up some space in-front of them. She's got a great, relaxed profile. He looks like he's steaming.
6. Nice. Maybe crop 5 more pixels off the left to remove that sliver of a post.
7. I love the 2:1 aspect ratio. Great depth... OoF grass in the foreground, tips of the tall grass at the focal plane, OoF trees in background.
9. Nice classic. If any nit, I'd try to obscure his shirt logo by shifting the camera angle or scooting her head up a 1/2".
10. Great texture in the wood. Captured his best smile... he's either finally comfortable with the session and/or he's just glad that it's almost over.
11. Nice. Nit: little bruise spot at bottom.
I wouldn't have guessed it was your first. Nicely done.
clarence3 wrote:
1. Ideally the flip-flop would be moved out of the scene.
2. I'm torn on this one... it's a unique hand/ring shot, but my eyes are initially drawn to his collar when looking for the focus point
4. She's got a cute smile in this one, but he's got a grin-and-bear-it look (his smile in #10 is much better)... not much you can really do other than make them feel as comfortable and natural as possible, take multiple shots, select the best. Distracted by the bright green bottle of cleaner or emergency light in the background. I see the tease of trees on the right... was there more of a background to angle in back there?
5. Love it. Great flowers. Great pier. I don't know what the larger scene was like, but if there was room, I'd crop the signs out behind them and open up some space in-front of them. She's got a great, relaxed profile. He looks like he's steaming.
6. Nice. Maybe crop 5 more pixels off the left to remove that sliver of a post.
7. I love the 2:1 aspect ratio. Great depth... OoF grass in the foreground, tips of the tall grass at the focal plane, OoF trees in background.
9. Nice classic. If any nit, I'd try to obscure his shirt logo by shifting the camera angle or scooting her head up a 1/2".
10. Great texture in the wood. Captured his best smile... he's either finally comfortable with the session and/or he's just glad that it's almost over.
11. Nice. Nit: little bruise spot at bottom.
I wouldn't have guessed it was your first. Nicely done.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to cover these points...very helpful!
To make a point about the guy, even though he wasn't excited to be there I managed to get him to show several natural smiles throughout, I just didn't post those since they seemed to be pretty straightforward shots. Most of these posted were the one's where I was a little unsure about my feelings on them, and you and the others helped pinpoint some of the nits very well.
clarence3 wrote:
1. Ideally the flip-flop would be moved out of the scene.
2. I'm torn on this one... it's a unique hand/ring shot, but my eyes are initially drawn to his collar when looking for the focus point
4. She's got a cute smile in this one, but he's got a grin-and-bear-it look (his smile in #10 is much better)... not much you can really do other than make them feel as comfortable and natural as possible, take multiple shots, select the best. Distracted by the bright green bottle of cleaner or emergency light in the background. I see the tease of trees on the right... was there more of a background to angle in back there?
5. Love it. Great flowers. Great pier. I don't know what the larger scene was like, but if there was room, I'd crop the signs out behind them and open up some space in-front of them. She's got a great, relaxed profile. He looks like he's steaming.
6. Nice. Maybe crop 5 more pixels off the left to remove that sliver of a post.
7. I love the 2:1 aspect ratio. Great depth... OoF grass in the foreground, tips of the tall grass at the focal plane, OoF trees in background.
9. Nice classic. If any nit, I'd try to obscure his shirt logo by shifting the camera angle or scooting her head up a 1/2".
10. Great texture in the wood. Captured his best smile... he's either finally comfortable with the session and/or he's just glad that it's almost over.
11. Nice. Nit: little bruise spot at bottom.
I wouldn't have guessed it was your first. Nicely done.
(BTW, I have several good ones of them smiling together and interacting (similar to 9), these posted are just the ones I'm more interested in having critiqued). 