# Senior Portraits Please C&C!



## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Hey, these are some senior portraits I did.  Let me know where I can improve.    Thanks!

#1





#2




#3


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## gsgary (Jul 17, 2010)

The obvious thing is focus and second is poses,the first shot is a no no, the up the nose is not a good pose


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Thanks gsgary!  I figured the nose thing was a no no, but I've gotten a lot of compliments on that pic.   Ah well!  This was only my 3rd or 4th time using the camera ever.  I've learned a lot about focus since then.  I hope it will show in the next set.


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## Lipoly (Jul 17, 2010)

Just curious: As long as the up-the-nose shots don't show any intra-nose details, is it really that bad?

#1 Focus is off

#2 Focus is way off and the bokeh looks really strange...was this cropped?

#3 Although I really wouldn't consider this a portrait, I could see how a senior in HS may like this one.


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## subscuck (Jul 17, 2010)

If you're not using center point AF, which seems to be the cause of misfocus in these pics, I would start using it. When you have all AF points selected, you're letting the camera choose what it focuses on based on contrast. Select only the center point, and _you _tell the camera where focus should be.

BTW, #2 is the best of the bunch, tho it appears left leg and forearm are where the cam focused.


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## BuS_RiDeR (Jul 17, 2010)

gsgary said:


> The obvious thing is focus and second is poses



I agree...


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## Derrel (Jul 17, 2010)

Looks like a female foot fetishist's dream set...


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## kass617 (Jul 17, 2010)

I agree with the above comments.  On #1 I can't see anything that's really in focus, plus the pose is meh.  On #2 it looks like a bad scan of an old picture.  Again focus issues.


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## Naphtali14 (Jul 17, 2010)

Use a tripod and change it to a center point AF are the two tips I give you.


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## Leilameat (Jul 17, 2010)

2. has a strange facial expression, and his ear/face is blurry, also the lighting is bad. 
1. is just a strange angle.
3. is cool. but not really a "senior photo"


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Derrel said:


> Looks like a female foot fetishist's dream set...


   HAH!  That's too funny.  His mom was there and -hated- the shoes he was wearing so we were forced to barefoot.  

Ironically though, I snuck in that shoe picture and she LOVED it!


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Lipoly said:


> Just curious: As long as the up-the-nose shots don't show any intra-nose details, is it really that bad?
> 
> #1 Focus is off
> 
> ...



Yeah, me and my sucky focus.  I'm still learning though and I'm determined to have awesome pics to show you guys.

#2 was cropped.

#3   He liked it and his mom hated the shoes but loved the pic.


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## DerekSalem (Jul 17, 2010)

Hrm...I'm not trying to limit you or anything...but it's only the 3rd or 4th time you've used the camera and you're trying to shoot Senior Portraits? No offense but I don't really think you're qualified to do that type of work with your experience level.

For one, you'll either need some good Flash equipment or you need to move to a better part of the day (best time is just after sunrise or just before sunset -- positioned so the sun is hitting the person with the angle you want it). Then you'll need a tripod, use Center-point focus, and focus on the eyes.


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Naphtali14 said:


> Use a tripod and change it to a center point AF are the two tips I give you.



Unfortunately I don't have a tripod yet.


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Leilameat said:


> 2. has a strange facial expression, and his ear/face is blurry, also the lighting is bad.
> 1. is just a strange angle.
> 3. is cool. but not really a "senior photo"



OMG He had a strange facial expression in almost every photo.  He hates pictures and his mom was kind of forcing him.  Although he was very happy after he saw the pictures!

I'd do a reshoot, but unfortunately he was in a horrible accident recently and has a broken ankle, wrist, and neck.  >.<  Fortunately, though, he's alive, which if you saw the car, he shouldn't be!


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

DerekSalem said:


> Hrm...I'm not trying to limit you or anything...but it's only the 3rd or 4th time you've used the camera and you're trying to shoot Senior Portraits? No offense but I don't really think you're qualified to do that type of work with your experience level.
> 
> For one, you'll either need some good Flash equipment or you need to move to a better part of the day (best time is just after sunrise or just before sunset -- positioned so the sun is hitting the person with the angle you want it). Then you'll need a tripod, use Center-point focus, and focus on the eyes.



I get what you're saying.  It was a family friend.  Not for $.

It was horribly rainy that day, but I live about 2 hrs from them and we were both working on a limited time schedule so we had to get it done.  Circumstances were definitely not the best to take pictures, BUT neither was I.  Like I said, still learning.


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## DerekSalem (Jul 17, 2010)

misstwinklytoes said:


> DerekSalem said:
> 
> 
> > Hrm...I'm not trying to limit you or anything...but it's only the 3rd or 4th time you've used the camera and you're trying to shoot Senior Portraits? No offense but I don't really think you're qualified to do that type of work with your experience level.
> ...



Learning is good but even if done for free you should tell them they might want to look at a professional. It would be better for them in the end (some people later in life deem things like senior portraits to be important) and would definitely be better for you (you could converse with the photographer and possibly learn some of his methodology and ideas). Could be a huge help to someone just starting out and trying to learn portraiture.


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## misstwinklytoes (Jul 17, 2010)

Understood!  I wish I could find a paid photographer to talk to.  Unfortunately there, there's not one.  Unless they happen to work at the one gas station at the one red light.

Like I said, she's a family friend.  I asked her if I could practice with him, she totally wanted me to.  She has 2 other children who have already graduated, so she knows about senior portraits, as does he.  I didn't really offer her anything other than the best I could do, which being aware that I was new, she knew wouldn't be "professional quality".

And as I said earlier, "I'd do a reshoot, but unfortunately he was in a horrible accident  recently and has a broken ankle, wrist, and neck.  >.<   Fortunately, though, he's alive, which if you saw the car, he shouldn't  be!"

A good friend of mine is a photographer in Houston.  She's given me some advice as well.  Your input is valued, thanks for the advice!  And if you can find a professional in podunk, LA let me know!  I'll totally ask for advice.


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## KmH (Jul 17, 2010)

Start now, learning how to use supplimental light.

Your subject was not separated from the backgounds, lighting wise, in any of the photo's.

In #2 - the intended focal point of the photo, his face, is underexposed.

Supplimental light can be as simple as some white foamboard you picked up from the office supplies section at Wal-Mart to use as a reflector, to 800 watt/second studio strobes with big softboxes mounted on lightstands.


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## vansnxtweek (Jul 17, 2010)

Focus on the eyes!  Thats what I have learned from knowledgeable people on here.  These are good photos...its just that senior pictures is not what comes to mind when I see them.


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## Wfpinky (Jan 1, 2016)

As everyone else said, focus. Are you using single-point focus or letting the camera decide for you? It made a _huge _difference for me when I figured that out. Not sure what your shutter was set at, but at a minimum I (typically)  keep mine set at 1/125 for portraits. As someone else said the bokeh seems really strange; that shot in particular seems to have a lot of noise as well, what was your ISO set at? 

Having said all of that, you're off to a good start! The more you get out and shoot, the better you get!


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## tirediron (Jan 1, 2016)

Who dares wake up zombie thread?


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## Wfpinky (Jan 1, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Who dares wake up zombie thread?



...my bad lol I didn't notice the date on this when I clicked on it...


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## chuasam (Jan 6, 2016)

just say no to fake bokeh, over processing and selective desaturization.


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