Spent time this eve trying to narrow down a small portfolio for our youngest's college applications. She's not applying to art school, but wants to do photography in college.

These are pretty much done with her standard set up - K100D, DA 16-45, AF280T on an umbrella, with on-camera flash... please indulge me











As you can see, she's into fashion shoots

[Ash]

Hey nesster, these are OK for someone at her stage.
Best is the first one - she's worked the posing, the clothing and the setting very well.
The lighting and exposure may need some work, given the blown out yellow dress and skin blunting out essential detail, but the shot works.

#2 would have worked better with a 2 light setup to avoid the unevenness of light over the models' skin - but another decent effort.

#3 and 4 don't work for me due to the subject being OOF and having an unengaging pose.
The hands and arms in #4 are also far too blown out.

#5 is a good attempt also, but the subject although clear in the frame does not make my eye fix straight to her - there's too much other clutter in the frame competing for attention. Framing isn't too bad otherwise. Her skin is also blown out here (cf. her legs).

Hope this helps her.

[ramair455]

I get the "girls & dolls" concept in the photos 1 & 2

The "suicide girl" photos, 3 & 4 really don't work.

The "angry girl" photo, well, for fashion she gets lost in the milieu, and the styling really doesn't work, white pumps are better left home.

[krypticide]

I agree, 1 is strongest, 2 is a little less, then it rapidly goes downhill from there. The last three don't even say "fashion" to me. Hope this helps!

[dragonfly]

You're the dad?

[Nesster]

Hope this helps her.

thanks -yes it does - I probably shouldn't have said 'fashion'

Re. the blown out bits in the b&w, she did that on purpose.

[ramair455]

thanks -yes it does - I probably shouldn't have said 'fashion'

Re. the blown out bits in the b&w, she did that on purpose.

One doesn't have to label it "fashion" for it to be perceived in that way.

I based my critic from a "editorial fashion perspective," which is very subjective, and one shouldn't get lost in objective criteria like: perfect exposure, color balance, pin-point focus, proper concise composition. Its the overall artist impression that is most important, and sometimes it good to break the rules that can bind one.

[Jewelltrail]

Nesster:


I think the 3rd image is immensely powerful! I also like the 2nd and last one. Best

[mischivo]

The first one is awful. The contrast is too high, causing everything but the woman's face and feet to be overexposed. A blown out yellow skirt doesn't really give the "fashion" portion of the shoot any credibility. The pose is also very awkward. Is she supposed to be a doll or something? Why is the doll holding a doll? Am I supposed to think that is creative?

The same problems plague the second photo, but this time in black and white. Why is it monochrome all of a sudden? Why was the first in colour? Can she defend these choices when pushed to? Additionally, the composition is off: the two models are at different distances from their respective frames. This seems to be a careless mistake in what otherwise seems like it was meant to be a straight-on composition.

I won't say much about the third photo. It leaves me with an impression that's less about fashion and more about The Ring. The focus is also on the bar, not on the eyes. If focus is shifted away from the eyes, the artist must have a damned good reason for doing so.

The fourth photo is the best. Too bad the hands are overexposed and lack any detail or texture (is she supposed to be looking at creases or scars from past suicide attempts? We'll never know). The focus is also off.

The fifth photo is confusing. Why so much river, why such a gritty setting, why the heels, why the stupid clownish lipstick?

[RP-K20D]

Woah, some excessively aggressive critique there!

Nesster,

#1: I like the composition, but contrast is out, get your daughter to have a fiddle in PS (like I am currently on my own photos!)

#2: I really like the expressions, almost as though they were caught in the middle of a little spat.

#3: I like this, but think the eyes should be in focus, although a good shot otherwise.

#4: The blowout works for me, emphasises the viewer's need to look at her wrists.

#5: Nice location, the model seems a little bit too out of place/ contrasting though.

[Nesster]

LOL, yes, I think I can get her to re-edit #1 -- and from the critical response, perhaps none of these should be included in her set, for fear they'll throw out her application

[Jonson PL]

Good ones, I prefer 3 and 4.

I think it has a strong appeal, and works that the face is off focus in nr. 3. It has a more action driven point and adds to the photo.

High key in nr. 4 works well also, lets the imagination play.