Just had a session with this cutie. First time using an umbrella and speedlight. Let me know what could be improved in posing/lighting/overall.
She was fun to work with, I'm not good at directing I kinda just let her do what she wanted. 500 shots later I realized I need to direct so I don't end up with 450 eh shots and 50 good ones.
Setup was a D7100 with a 35 1.8 and also an 85 1.8. One speed light with an a silver lined umbrella above her head pointed down about 2-3 feet away.
Antonio, I'm no portraitist, more into landscape and industrial "grimescapes", but interested in most kinds of photography as a viewer. Assuming you & your model ultimately have commercial applications in mind i.e. ones viewed by the general public, I thought I might provide a kind of "lay person's" perspective on these images, but maybe with a bit more awareness of photographic issues than a non-photographer.
She is attractive, and her attire suits the scene, which is also very appealing, with the warm light. The overall concept seems fine, and your selective focus works well.
To my eye, the cooler light on her clashes a little with the background, so for a moment I wondered if she was shot against a studio backdrop. In the last shots, this is so obvious it is less unsettling because it's beginning to look like a night shot where the model would be invisible unless artificially lit. Maybe a gold reflector, rather than silver. Maybe coloured gels would help, but really I don't know if that's doable on location.
The light is generally a bit harsh, with deep shadows e.g. under her chin in the first. The second and third would be my favourites, but her face is too much in shadow. Maybe not put the umbrella so high?
In the first three, her casual, head-thrown back stance makes her look awkward, as if she's about to fall in the water. Again, I first wondered if you're shooting from below against a studio backdrop.
In the fourth and fifth, you've cut off extremities in a way that I find disturbing (unlike the first three torso shots).
Hope that's not too critical! I'm sure I couldn't do as well as you have.
Wow! Thanks Chris! haha no backdrop here, it was definitely sun setting time and the city lights were coming on in the last few shots.
Im curious what kind of effects I would get with a gold reflector and gels. I do have some gels I can experiment with. I will try and see what happens.
yes there are harsh shadows, which definitely wasn't what I was going for but kind of like how it turned out. I am trying one let set ups, Im curious as to what others would suggest to help light those areas, I guess I could use a reflector, but it was just me and her, would need an extra pair of hands for that.
I see what you are saying about the extreme crops, I agree.
Thank you for your comments and thanks for taking the time. Really appreciated. I will try and have a round 2 soon and see how it improves.