My daughter and I were enjoying a nice sunset at Bald Rock in NC when she asked if I could get a couple of shots for her. I've always been a "landscape" kind of guy, and most of my people photos are, at best, iphone snapshot quality. She's never modeled or posed for anything other than a school photo, high school dance photo, etc., so neither one of us really knew what we were doing. We did, however, have a great time learning this together, and I'd really like to learn more so our next outing is even better.
This was shot in natural light just before sunset at f/5.6, 190mm (didn't want to be right up in her face making her nervous). Quick edit in Lightroom and Luminar 4... I didn't want to accidentally overdo it and give her that plastic look.
Questions:
1) What do you think of the composition, edit, etc? What could I do better?
2) What are some tips to make your model more comfortable in front of the camera?
3) What are some tips to make me more comfortable behind the camera? lol! I have to admit, I was so focused on settings and composition and light and everything else that I had a hard time carrying on a good conversation with her.
Thanks in advance for any and all CC!
Hi Mark,
First thing that jumps at me is the pole or tree kind of coming out of her head on the right side of the image.
Secondly the image seems out of focus, the model eye closest to the camera is the norm for a focal point.
Altough she just looks like a head her facial expression is nice and you isolated her from the background nicely other than that tree or pole. Greater care could been taken with her hair and the pattern on what she's wearing is somehow distracting.
The angle at what you took the shot makes her look kind of authoritative, not easy to approach. This is maybe what you wanted, not sure. Try an angle were your shooting down a bit to make the subject more friendly or from lower to make them look more like they are in charge.
Practise is the key to better results and to make the model and you more at ease, some have it more naturally than others. Personally I'm at ease with most but completely frozen with some due to personality differences.
I hope this helps,
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks so much for the tips! The focus is definitely a little off... Apparently as I was moving around, my focal point landed on the hair beside her neck and threw everything off.
Also, yes, my angle is lower. I tried to put the lens at her eye level, thinking it would be a more natural angle. Next time, I'll go a little higher like you suggested.
Thanks again for the advice, it's greatly appreciated!
Hi Mark,
I've been where you are and I revisit from time to time. I think your greatest strength is that you know her - what makes her laugh, what puts her at ease, etc. So try just talking to her but leave the camera, composition, etc out of it. Sometimes when people are talking about something they can be so at ease that a quick candid turns out to be the best of the bunch.
If that doesn't work try having her act out a scene from a favorite movie or act like her favorite character.
Good luck!
Hi Mark. Am no portrait expert and in same boat as far as learning goes. will share my thoughts as fellow learner...
COMPOSITION: Off-centred frame itself makes it interesting. Distractions were mentioned by others. At my opinion the frame can be cropped a little more from bottom. One, at present the hairs are just getting cut at their ends and that disturbs. Two, the proportion of the body in frame would change with respect to the glittering face. That will give more importance to face. Three, what I learnt through workshops is that the present crop line is not appropriate.
OTHER: I feel the chin is little up, which can be lowered. I too have the same such issues and often realise all posing problems at the PP table. Perhaps lowered chin may make her face little more approachable as other possibility. As other comments this may be one of the element making the look more dominating. One more...the hair may come in front at one of the shoulders only. usually the beauty side of her face can be exposed.
LIGHTING: the angle of hard light casts shadows at areas of face making it uninteresting. Theoretically, face can be turned or backlit condition with camera exposure to face or front light/rflector in backlit sun or use translucent screen softening the sun light on face. Any of this may help in making the eye a little more comfortable.
cheers.
Hi Vijay,
I beg to differ with you on lowering her chin. Stretching the neck forward and a bit up helps define the jaw line.
This is why I'd rather shoot down from an angle slightly higher than the subject to give a friendly non aggressive and more approachable look.
Regards,
Mark
Hey Mark,
Nice shot and good to get those family moments together! For your second and third questions, here’s my advice:
2) as Bruce said, just chat away to your model. Be light hearted, say a couple of jokes, anything to try and a get a smile or a laugh from the model and that should help them relax a bit. Keep the camera away while you chat to them so it comes across as genuine chat. Ask them a few open questions about their hobbies etc. Once the session is going, compliment the model professionally when you get a shot you really like, and show the model - if you get one or two early on that they really like, instantly their confidence in you will be lifted and that’ll help them relax more.
3) for yourself, practice practice practice. The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become, and likely the better you’re pictures will come out as you’ll be less worried about “how the session is going” and more just enjoying being out and about shooting. Something I’ve noticed helps as well, is taking the time to deliberately check an image before moving on to the next spot. In my first couple of sessions, I was nervous about leaving the model doing nothing so didn’t properly check images before moving on. When in reality, saying to them “ok you can relax for a minute I’m just going to check I’m happy with these” gives them a moment to breathe too, then you’ll spot things like the distracting tree there that you can explain to the model why you’d like to do that pose/shot again.
Hope that helps!