Portraits

[NeilH]

Okay looking for some helpful tips for portraits. Various pics of my daughter taken over the last week or so.
Thanks and looking forward to some useful criticism and tips to improve!
Neil
removing the ipod was not an option!
:)

I like this one but the background is distracting (but at least out of focus)
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0001.jpg

Again background distracting but I quite like the OOF picture but not the one half hidden by her head and the curtains.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0002-1.jpg

Overexposed (apparently one of the nikon d40's faults is that its default settings tend to over expose because people like bright photos) at least the 'subject' is not in the centre of the picture.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0043.jpg

background terrible and again overexposed but natural shot.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0061.jpg

[Paul]

Your daughters very pretty, a great subject to practice on.

Not a bad job in my opinion. I have limited experience with portraiture. I assume these are straight from the cam without PP?

As you have said the background is a bit distracting.

Are you using a flash? is it on cam/off cam, did you use a diffuser?

[Paul]

Hope you don't mind mate, i did a little bit of PP

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0001.jpg
Before

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/474/daughterqx4.jpg
After

Basically what i did was

a) clone out a few things
b) make the eyes 'pop' a bit more
c) smooth skin/ made non-focal points a bit softer
d) added a vignette to reduce background distraction
e) took ipod off her :)

[Redone]

Great picture to start with and some great pp tips too. Well done

Paul

[NeilH]

Thanks Paul
Haven't got photoshop - think I need to invest!
I used a flash for the inside ones - tend to use the diffuser that's on the flashgun but currently have to use it on camera until I get a lead.
I do need to learn to look at the background rather than just focussing (no pun intended!) on the subject.
Cheers
Neil
:)
PS I think your version is going to appear on Lorna's facebook!!

[Reef bloke]

Nice shots Neil,i really like shot one.Shot two could do with the gun bouncing of a wall as it looks a bit flat.
Pic 3 could also do with either a diffuser and bouncing the flash as the shadows are quite harsh.
The fill flash in 4 is also a bit harsh,use of Flash exposure bracketing may have helped there.Did you expose manually for ambient light and use the flash in ETTL to fill?

Very nice pics though,as i say my favourite is pic 1.

[Aleela]

I agree with Claude, your daughter is a very photgenic and makes a pretty subject, i by prefer the image at the top, you have captured a great pose, it has atmosphere (the IPod adds to the atmosphere), the only "fault" is the lighting on the forhead, digital printing has a great problem in this area still, the brightness tends to start to pixulate, as it is trying to fill in information, so it copies what is next to it. the focusing is fantastic, I wish my Canon D20 was as precise, whenever doing portraiture, you have to focus on the eyes, as that is where the viewers' eyes will fix, and you have them focused spot on in each, well done.

What sort of flash do you use, I would always recommend not using the built in flash, it is still too close to the lens, I personally use a hammer head flash (metz) the flash is 4 inches away from the lens, so you NEVER get red eye, also you can add some filters to the light source, but you can swivel and tilt the main head, as well ass use the "fill in flassh".

What you can do for outside shots is set the flash a stop or two lower than the ambient light reading, that way you get natural looking portraits but also adding a little information light around the eyes, and try to have a wider shutter, i.e. 5.6, that waay the background will not be in focuss.

Very nice, Alex

[NeilH]

Thanks Tony and Alex
I have got a sb600 flashgun and have just taken delivery of a 'Gary Fong Lightsphere II inverted dome' (arrived today) which will hopefully soften the flash and cut down on the shadows (£35 plus p&p for a bit of flexible plastic!)
http://www.bbjimports.co.uk/product_detail.asp?id=9
I need to really get to grips with the flashgun and exposure settings but thanks for all the helpful feedback - I'll post some (hopefully improved) versions soon.
Cheers
Neil
:)

[lenny]

Okay looking for some helpful tips for portraits. Various pics of my daughter taken over the last week or so.
Thanks and looking forward to some useful criticism and tips to improve!
Neil
removing the ipod was not an option!
:)

I like this one but the background is distracting (but at least out of focus)
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0001.jpg

Again background distracting but I quite like the OOF picture but not the one half hidden by her head and the curtains.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0002-1.jpg

Overexposed (apparently one of the nikon d40's faults is that its default settings tend to over expose because people like bright photos) at least the 'subject' is not in the centre of the picture.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0043.jpg

background terrible and again overexposed but natural shot.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0061.jpg http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2008Q1/DSC_00011.jpgdid some work to this pic for you . see if you like it .really pretty girl you should feel proud of her . lightened the eyes. removed a few bits from skin and added more highlights to eyes.......len

[Paul]

Nice retouch, the eyes are a bit soft tho

I think you have to be careful about removing 'bits' from skin. If they are transient things like, spots or bruises, then fine go ahead, but imo, if you take away beauty spots/moles, then you are removing a part of that persons visual identity. Just imagine Cindy Crawford without her beauty spot.

[Seashell]

I hope you don't mind, but I couldn't resist trying a bit of editing myself. Hope you don't mind:

Before:

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/NeilH99/Family/DSC_0043.jpg

After:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2008Q1/DSC_0043hb.jpg

Nice photos btw :)

[lenny]

hi neil my question is how the hell do you get her to sit for you. i get the camera out and my daughter is gone like a shot so is my son. lol hehehe enlighten me please ....len :thumbsup: