Quick Photoshoot: cute model!

Quick Photoshoot: cute model! · 10:24 AM

Please give me your thoughts!

Larger versions available in gallery here
How is my background? I changed levels and colour balance just slightly, how does it look? Were the poses/composition good? Isn't she beautiful????

SpecialK · 12-06-2008, 04:33 PM

Half the shots are out of focus :-(.

Black background could use a spot light for a little variation and separation of the subject.

JahJahwarrior · 12-06-2008, 11:08 PM

Would you elaborate more on my focus issues? Granted, the second shot is most definitely out of focus. However, the others, as best as I can tell, seem to be focused rather well. I do make extensive use of bokeh, which is difficult to avoid when shooting wide open as I was. Therefore almost every shot involves some parts which are out of the plane that is in focus, but I do not feel this means the shots are "out of focus." Can anyone else chime in to verify that I suck at focusing, or whether what was noticed is just bokeh?

As far as the background goes, when lit up, it looks somewhat brown and unevenly toned: it's a fleece blanket, not a professional backdrop. Therefore I purposefully worked to keep it black and evenly so. I feel the model is well separated from the background(ok, her hair blends in perfectly sometimes...), but I would be interested to hear more comments on this. Given that lighting the backdrop in this situation produced what I feel are unsatisfactory photographs, should I have tried to light the model herself from the rear or side? Would love to hear from someone who has shot with a similarly cheap and impromptu setup!

Thanks all!

Damn Brit · 12-06-2008, 11:41 PM

You don't suck at focusing but most of them are pretty soft. That's a consequence of the wide aperture. I'm not sure why you were using such a large aperture for portraits, there's no bokeh in the shots. If you were going to get even closer to single out one eye to be in focus for example then you could shoot wide open.
These shots and the young lady deserve a smaller aperture.

**Ash** · 12-06-2008, 11:58 PM

A little distance between the subject and the backdrop would help. Stop down and ensure focus is on the subject's eyes. Experiment with your lights to create a more textured finish. Model works great with you though.

HouseOfHorla · 12-07-2008, 08:38 AM

I like the ideas, it's just overall they seem to lack a little punch, or contrast, or...I don't know...a little something.

Apart from #4 which works really well as there's some action/movement in there.

For my penneth I feel that for #3 and #5 could have worked really well, but you needed to have her eye as the focus of the frame, but because of the shadows this is lost.

Like I said to start with some nice ideas, that could work really well if some more work went into lighting them more effectively.

JahJahwarrior · 12-07-2008, 09:13 AM

Alright, thanks for the comments guys! Very appreciated!

The lens tends to be pretty soft....but it's an old lens and probably needs to be cleaned and worked on, it was my fathers when he was in college! I was shooting wide open because I don't have all that much light: one flash, camera mounted. And it's a $40 generic flash.

Good idea on the subject/background distance, I'll definetly try that next time!

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12-06-2008, 04:33 PM	#2
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Half the shots are out of focus :-(. Black background could use a spot light for a little variation and separation of the subject.

12-06-2008, 11:08 PM	#3
JahJahwarrior Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gainesville, Fl Posts: 102 Original Poster	Would you elaborate more on my focus issues? Granted, the second shot is most definitely out of focus. However, the others, as best as I can tell, seem to be focused rather well. I do make extensive use of bokeh, which is difficult to avoid when shooting wide open as I was. Therefore almost every shot involves some parts which are out of the plane that is in focus, but I do not feel this means the shots are "out of focus." Can anyone else chime in to verify that I suck at focusing, or whether what was noticed is just bokeh? As far as the background goes, when lit up, it looks somewhat brown and unevenly toned: it's a fleece blanket, not a professional backdrop. Therefore I purposefully worked to keep it black and evenly so. I feel the model is well separated from the background(ok, her hair blends in perfectly sometimes...), but I would be interested to hear more comments on this. Given that lighting the backdrop in this situation produced what I feel are unsatisfactory photographs, should I have tried to light the model herself from the rear or side? Would love to hear from someone who has shot with a similarly cheap and impromptu setup! Thanks all!

12-06-2008, 11:41 PM	#4
Damn Brit Guest	You don't suck at focusing but most of them are pretty soft. That's a consequence of the wide aperture. I'm not sure why you were using such a large aperture for portraits, there's no bokeh in the shots. If you were going to get even closer to single out one eye to be in focus for example then you could shoot wide open. These shots and the young lady deserve a smaller aperture.

12-06-2008, 11:58 PM	#5
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	A little distance between the subject and the backdrop would help. Stop down and ensure focus is on the subject's eyes. Experiment with your lights to create a more textured finish. Model works great with you though.

12-07-2008, 08:38 AM	#6
HouseOfHorla Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Teddington, Middx - UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 185	I like the ideas, it's just overall they seem to lack a little punch, or contrast, or...I don't know...a little something. Apart from #4 which works really well as there's some action/movement in there. For my penneth I feel that for #3 and #5 could have worked really well, but you needed to have her eye as the focus of the frame, but because of the shadows this is lost. Like I said to start with some nice ideas, that could work really well if some more work went into lighting them more effectively.

12-07-2008, 09:13 AM	#7
JahJahwarrior Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gainesville, Fl Posts: 102 Original Poster	Alright, thanks for the comments guys! Very appreciated! The lens tends to be pretty soft....but it's an old lens and probably needs to be cleaned and worked on, it was my fathers when he was in college! I was shooting wide open because I don't have all that much light: one flash, camera mounted. And it's a $40 generic flash. Good idea on the subject/background distance, I'll definetly try that next time!