[neokind]

I'm completely new to portraits. So, I'd love to hear what you all might think of these images. Besides watching dozens of YT videos of lighting and shooting techniques for portraiture, I am also enrolled in a photography course at a local college that begins soon. It seems better to begin the class with my hands a little dirty, than to walk in without having tried anything.

My lovely wife came home after a makeup class last night, so I figured it was as good a time as any to try out some of the techniques I'd been reading about. I shot raw, developed in Lightroom, and tried for as natural a look as I could manage, but admit that I have only a few weeks experience playing with the software and may have a heavier hand with it's features than would be ideal. There's much to be improved, I know, and I have my own points of criticism for these shots. However, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the images, and suggestions for improvement.

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[SpecialK]

I prefer the first pose, which shows a better smile and more natural eyes.

[BigMackCam]

I like both shots, actually, but particularly the second. The pose is nice, especially the sideways look from the eyes and slightly muted smile, and the highlighting of the earing adds a nice, interesting touch. The lighting reflections visible in the forehead and temple are a little off-putting, but I'm being picky here

I think you did a great job - and your wife's make-up class clearly went well too - the colours really suit her

[Mr. Ed]

Beautiful. Really like the lighting!

[clackers]

Well done, Neokind!

In the second, there seems to be a timing issue, it looks like she's held the pose for a bit too long before you hit the shutter button, and her patience with you at that point was fifty-fifty.

The first has a very light and airy feel, and she's smiling with her eyes as well as her mouth, as the cliché goes. Great portrait in a magazine style - you can imagine a quote from her in print in the white space to her side! The two light setup with pretty much even ratio is interesting.

There would have been less wrinkles in her neck if you came around a bit to your left and she rotated her head to follow you, BTW.

[aslyfox]

my thoughts

good job

did you consider posing her so when she was looking at the camera with her shoulder further back, that side was the more " open " side ?

[neokind]

I like both shots, actually, but particularly the second. The pose is nice, especially the sideways look from the eyes and slightly muted smile, and the highlighting of the earing adds a nice, interesting touch. The lighting reflections visible in the forehead and temple are a little off-putting, but I'm being picky here

I think you did a great job - and your wife's make-up class clearly went well too - the colours really suit her

Thanks for commenting and for the critique. I took several dozen different shots, and chose to edit these two. I agree about the reflections. I used diffused light, but wasn't satisfied with the skin reflections. I'm sure I can soften it in Lightroom or photoshop, but I haven't made it that far yet. Hopefully I'll be able to find solutions to these problems for my next attempt.

---------- Post added 01-21-2018 at 11:20 AM ----------

my thoughts

good job

did you consider posing her so when she was looking at the camera with her shoulder further back, that side was the more " open " side ?

Thanks! I'm not sure what you mean about making the side more open. Could you be a little more clear?

---------- Post added 01-21-2018 at 11:23 AM ----------

Well done, Neokind!

In the second, there seems to be a timing issue, it looks like she's held the pose for a bit too long before you hit the shutter button, and her patience with you at that point was fifty-fifty.

The first has a very light and airy feel, and she's smiling with her eyes as well as her mouth, as the cliché goes. Great portrait in a magazine style - you can imagine a quote from her in print in the white space to her side! The two light setup with pretty much even ratio is interesting.

There would have been less wrinkles in her neck if you came around a bit to your left and she rotated her head to follow you, BTW.

Thanks for commenting. I understand what you mean about the second image. I rather liked the look she gave, but interpreted it differently than you. I tried to pose her so that there were no wrinkles in the neck, but wasn't successful here. There's a lot to keep track of, I'm discovering. :-)

[aslyfox]

. . .

Thanks! I'm not sure what you mean about making the side more open. Could you be a little more clear? . . .

I will try,

it is really not a big deal

as pictured

she is to the right of the center line (top to bottom ) with the open space to the left

I was suggesting that she be posed to the left of the center line with the open space to the right

[clackers]

I tried to pose her so that there were no wrinkles in the neck, but wasn't successful here. There's a lot to keep track of, I'm discovering. :-)

Sure, Neokind, as a fellow learning photographer, I can look at any of my pics and say, 'That's a mistake. So's that. And that." But that's how we get better.

Aslyfox has pointed out that he prefers the negative space on the RHS rather than the left, but I like it the way it is because our natural eye movement is left to right, and it will finish at that end of the frame instead of the start if the subject was there.

I know this is in the realm of subjective aesthetics, but that's photography right, except for forensic stuff!

So, what was the look you were aiming for in the second pic - 'come hither'?

[aslyfox]

Sure, Neokind, as a fellow learning photographer, I can look at any of my pics and say, 'That's a mistake. So's that. And that." But that's how we get better.

Aslyfox has pointed out that he prefers the negative space on the RHS rather than the left, but I like it the way it is because our natural eye movement is left to right, and it will finish at that end of the frame instead of the start if the subject was there.

I know this is in the realm of subjective aesthetics, but that's photography right, except for forensic stuff! . . .

I want to clarify

I think the photos are good

and I have no real problem with the " negative " space being on the side chosen

as far as " that's a mistake "

been there done that,

in fact I am learning that I am more likely to like a photo I have taken if I take a while before reviewing it.

I go back to older images and say " hey, that isn't bad "

---------- Post added 01-21-18 at 16:34 ----------

. . . but I like it the way it is because our natural eye movement is left to right, . . .

just random thoughts

I wonder if the " natural eye movement is left to right " holds up for those societies which read right to left

and what about those who read right to left but go down instead of across???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-left

[clackers]

as far as " that's a mistake "

been there done that,

in fact I am learning that I am more likely to like a photo I have taken if I take a while before reviewing it.

I go back to older images and say " hey, that isn't bad "

Well, that's good, Aslyfox. I'm pleasantly surprised by some of my older pics. As a whole I don't like 'em but even the stinkers are part of the education.

I wonder if the " natural eye movement is left to right " holds up for those societies which read right to left

and what about those who read right to left but go down instead of across???

Maybe. If part of the game is to get good eye movement from the viewer, perhaps if shooting for another market it's yet one more thing that has to be considered. If a scene has no cues like writing, you could even flip the image in post processing.

[clackers]

I want to clarify

I think the photos are good

Taken as read, Aslyfox, I would have thought anything in the 'Photo Critique' thread is put there by people who genuinely want to improve from constructive comments and criticism delivered by their peers. That is super valuable. Professionals pay their colleagues good money to honestly go over their portfolio.

The neighbor who thinks what we do is great or our Facebook friends multiply liking a post can't make us better - it's uninformed praise.

[neokind]

I hear all your points. Requesting suggestions, whether stylistic or technical, from people with far more experience than me is the reason I posted these. The goal is to make better photographs each time, and I'm grateful for all the suggestions.

As to the suggestion for negative space on the opposite side, I understand what you're saying. I may even have an image from the set that I didn't process that I can draw from.

For what it's worth, I just killed some of the reflections after watching a photoshop tutorial on it. Here's the result.

[french]

Hello
I do not know how to express myself well in English.
Beware of makeup, there are too many areas of brilliance. On the second image, the turned face causes too many wrinkles on the neck.
More in the eyes, appears too much white

[BigMackCam]

I just killed some of the reflections after watching a photoshop tutorial on it. Here's the result.

That's an excellent result, and (in my opinion) a big improvement! Very nicely done