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10-29-2015, 10:42 AM   #61
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QuoteOriginally posted by slip Quote
Maybe those where the best shots he took

Randy[COLOR="Silver"]
Right but as a pro if those were your best you should recognize they aren't up to snuff and re-shoot and don't present such flawed photos to the client.

10-29-2015, 12:22 PM   #62
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Could always have DonThomaso or Heie flown in to do your wife's shots. A bit expensive to do that, but they'd probably turn out amazing.

Last edited by Auzzie-Phoenix; 10-29-2015 at 12:23 PM. Reason: just to be sure, yes, this was meant to be humorous... though both heie and donthomaso do excellent work.
10-29-2015, 12:54 PM   #63
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QuoteOriginally posted by mattb123 Quote
Right but as a pro if those were your best you should recognize they aren't up to snuff and re-shoot and don't present such flawed photos to the client.
If I was the pro I would have called my client and told them we needed a reshoot without even sending them the shots maybe that why I am not a pro LOL

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11-07-2015, 10:18 PM - 2 Likes   #64
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Update: We were originally going to give the pro a second chance but our gut instincts tells us it wasn't going to be any better. So I invested in basic lighting equipment and a 33" 5-in-1 reflector then planned on a shoot this afternoon. Below are the ones that made the "final cut". All of these were done with her holding a reflector just outside of the frame, the last three were inside a white gazebo that acted as a nice bounce reflector for an on-camera Metz48. I just slapped the Metz on-camera since it was already dark and cold and didn't really have the time to setup off camera flash/umbrella - her face was beginning to turn pink! Since this was my very first "official shoot" I can see what improvements I still need (Background, Proper catch-lights positioning, exposure, etc.), but she's much happier with these than our previous experience. Makeup was done by her, too!

I took people's advice(s) and shot most these at f4. The first shot was in our backyard (yes, that offending fence again) - it's also heavily cropped! We'll be planning on a second round maybe next weekend. In the meantime, in addition to the listed improvements I need above, what do you guys think of the results from our first session? Suggestions?

P.S. Thank you "Slip" for the cheetahstand suggestions - I just might include this on my Santa's wish-list Will Otis like these - Mr. Rupert?


Last edited by K57XR; 11-13-2016 at 10:26 AM.
11-07-2015, 10:29 PM - 1 Like   #65
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Nice job.
11-07-2015, 10:51 PM   #66
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QuoteOriginally posted by mattb123 Quote
Nice job.
Thanks
11-08-2015, 12:36 AM - 3 Likes   #67
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QuoteOriginally posted by osv Quote
i bet that there are some pf members in your area who would jump at the chance to shoot your wife for free, just for the experience... round 'em up, get your own camera out, pay for a mua and a case of beer!
I can see the headlines now..... online forum members agree to shoot each others wife for free........better results then hiring a professional it was claimed......one member did it himself....... more satisfying he was overheard saying.

Man was later reported to say, that in the end, she provided some assistance.


Last edited by noelpolar; 11-08-2015 at 03:43 PM.
11-08-2015, 01:45 AM - 1 Like   #68
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There's a lot of folk hanging out shingles as "natural light photographers" who have no idea what they're actually doing. Me? I know I have no idea what I'm doing! I can admit I'm still trying to figure out the basics...

I just spent half an hour trying to get one good picture of a rosary...

Last edited by dansamy; 11-08-2015 at 01:53 AM.
11-08-2015, 06:11 AM - 1 Like   #69
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One could nit pick at your set of photos, and you've already pointed out a few concerns, but bottom line you at least now have a set of usable images. I'd crop the second one from the top to be more like the third because the background in the very top is quite distracting. 5th one is probably the best of the bunch.
11-08-2015, 08:52 AM   #70
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QuoteOriginally posted by MSL Quote
One could nit pick at your set of photos, and you've already pointed out a few concerns, but bottom line you at least now have a set of usable images. I'd crop the second one from the top to be more like the third because the background in the very top is quite distracting. 5th one is probably the best of the bunch.
Thanks for pointing that out, I see what you're saying (parked cars above her head). She does like the 5th one the best, I do, too - Cheers!
11-08-2015, 10:30 AM - 1 Like   #71
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Great job! You should show these to the "professional" ! #5 is my choice also, excellent +
11-08-2015, 11:15 AM - 1 Like   #72
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1) Bring #5 into Photoshop

2) zoom way into the image using Control +

3) tone down the highlights on her teeth -- by simple cloning from the non-highlit parts of the teeth

4) change the catchlights in her eyes -- by using the eyedropper to select that color of light and then by using a small hard brush to add a small catchlight wherever in her eyes looks best; if you don't like the catchlights where they presently are, use cloning to get rid of them first.

5) There seems to be some light falloff going toward the top of the image. You might want it that way. But if not, I'd lighten her hair just a tad -- you could use an adjustment layer that lightens the photo and then a mask to keep the lightening only on her hair.

Total postprocessing time: probably no more than 1/2 hour.


As I suspected, you are more than capable of outdoing that pro. You just did. Well done.

What bothers me about the whole matter is someone claiming to be a pro who contributes to the culture's ongoing devaluation of photography. We need pros instead whose work impresses people, awes people, uplifts people. I have reasonably high standards, and when my wife and I hired a local pro to shoot an event, we knew that he was good at his work. Not surprisingly, we were very happy with his results. That's how a pro should be.
11-08-2015, 03:53 PM - 1 Like   #73
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Quite fun trying to take nice portraits...... unless you have to get the shot......then it's pressure! Well done with yours.

When I use to have my face plastered around before I retired, I tried to have 4 key shots that said different things.....

1. I'm here to tell you about something I take seriously (health, enviromet etc)
2. I'm just like you (bring on the dog)
3. Corporate look (enough said)
4. Inteligent, Casual look, could be your friend.
11-08-2015, 05:32 PM - 1 Like   #74
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Looks great! Hope Santa is good to you this year!

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11-08-2015, 10:02 PM   #75
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QuoteOriginally posted by sholtzma Quote
1) Bring #5 into Photoshop

2) zoom way into the image using Control +

3) tone down the highlights on her teeth -- by simple cloning from the non-highlit parts of the teeth

4) change the catchlights in her eyes -- by using the eyedropper to select that color of light and then by using a small hard brush to add a small catchlight wherever in her eyes looks best; if you don't like the catchlights where they presently are, use cloning to get rid of them first.

5) There seems to be some light falloff going toward the top of the image. You might want it that way. But if not, I'd lighten her hair just a tad -- you could use an adjustment layer that lightens the photo and then a mask to keep the lightening only on her hair.

Total postprocessing time: probably no more than 1/2 hour.


As I suspected, you are more than capable of outdoing that pro. You just did. Well done.

What bothers me about the whole matter is someone claiming to be a pro who contributes to the culture's ongoing devaluation of photography. We need pros instead whose work impresses people, awes people, uplifts people. I have reasonably high standards, and when my wife and I hired a local pro to shoot an event, we knew that he was good at his work. Not surprisingly, we were very happy with his results. That's how a pro should be.
Thanks! The slight light falloff was actually the preferred look but I'll try to lighten the hair a bit and give the "client" an option which one she'd prefer. As for the catchlights, I didn't think of doing it that way so thanks for that instruction. I'll work on that plus the teeth highlights on PS Elements. Cheers!
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