# My first paying portrait session



## mandabec (Nov 9, 2007)

Here are a few from my first paying session Please CC but go easy it is my first.

1. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





2. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




3. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




4.


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## oldnavy170 (Nov 9, 2007)

I have to say that you did an excellent job.  Your lighting is just perfect! Is that just your flash?


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## The Phototron (Nov 9, 2007)

The lighting is unnatural and forced. On-camera flash and underexposed background. And even with the flash, his face still looks underexposed.


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## Alpha (Nov 9, 2007)

I clicked on the link to this thread, and when it first opened, I saw this:





And I immediately said to my self, this shot is going to be underexposed or poorly it. And sure enough...

#1) The light needs to be on his face, not his shirt.
#2) Not bad but his blown-out collar is a little distracting, given the very dark background.
#3) The tree is taking up too much of the frame. 
#4) There is too much of the tree on the right-hand side in the frame. The exposure is correct, but it's too dark overall. There is too much dead space at the top of the frame. It's generally not a good idea to have one arm in front of and positioned across the subject.

I think that these could make for some decent shots with good processing, but overall they're sub-optimal, especially the lighting.

Why did you decide to shoot these at night?


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## Sideburns (Nov 9, 2007)

The kid looks like he's gonna kill himself in the first one...lol.

I think you should have taken them in the day...The lighting is a bit off, and they turned out underexposed...another thing is his white shirt is probably throwing your meter off (if that's how you were doing it)...because it's bright, but everything else is dark...or maybe that's how you bounced the flash..I dono.


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## The Phototron (Nov 9, 2007)

My take on the edit.


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## Alpha (Nov 9, 2007)




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## SpeedTrap (Nov 9, 2007)

Rule of 3rds?


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## Alpha (Nov 9, 2007)

SpeedTrap said:


> Rule of 3rds?



Oh god. Don't get me started on the rule of thirds.


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## Flash Harry (Nov 10, 2007)

One third body 1/3 head, 1/3 background, whats the prob. H


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## SpeedTrap (Nov 10, 2007)

Flash Harry said:


> One third body 1/3 head, 1/3 background, whats the prob. H


 
:lmao:

mind if I use that as a sig line?


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## mandabec (Nov 10, 2007)

These pics were taken about an hour and a half before the sun went down and obviously we were in complete shade in the woods.  I used a flash on a bracket not the on board flash. So what should I have done differently as far as lighting?


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## Alex_B (Nov 10, 2007)

There is no "rule" of thirds 

I agree composition could be improved though, and the shots appear, underexposed (as already mentioned)


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## mandabec (Nov 10, 2007)

Will you please explain how you did these edits?  I am still learning Photoshop.


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## Garbz (Nov 10, 2007)

Lighting on bracket is a better option then directly on camera, but it's a solution to be used on the fly. If you have time to do a portrait like these the bracket is really sub optimal.

The main problem is the facial features appear flat and all the shadows cast straight down slightly. The trick is to soften the light and get it off camera. Since you're using a bracket I guess you have a strobe so it shouldn't be too hard to trigger either wirelessly or with a sync chord and put the flash on a tripod somewhere. From there maybe fire the flash onto a piece of paper, or through a piece of paper to make the light source seem softer.


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## Mesoam (Nov 10, 2007)

they kind of look like the typical "in the bar with my girlfreinds" flash photo's...

next time try for a lighter time of day and skip the flash or just use it for fill to highlight the face instead of using it to actually make the picture clear...


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## wildmaven (Nov 10, 2007)

See how directional lighting can change the look completely (and get rid of that field of white shirt)? The first one is yours, the rest have the lighting applied at a different direction, sort of as it would be had you used a different light source:


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## Alpha (Nov 10, 2007)

mandabec said:


> Will you please explain how you did these edits?  I am still learning Photoshop.



Sure. I started by burning the highlights on the collar at 10%, because I wanted to raise the exposure level of the rest of the shot and I knew that the collar would blow out when I did that. Then I used shadow/highlight (but only the shadows part) to raise the exposure level of the shadows. Then I dodged and burned the midtones of certain parts of his hair. This helped lighten some of it overall, and selectively applying it to sections of hair helps make the hair look more voluminous and less flat. Then ever-so-slightly burned the shadow areas on the face in order to increase its dimensional qualities. And finally, I added a weak warming filter (using Photo Filter).


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## Alex_B (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm impressed, this (again) tells me how stupid with photoshop I am


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## littlesandra (Nov 13, 2007)

I agree with the lighting looking forced and un natural, Alex B sure has you covered though


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## Holly (Nov 13, 2007)

Great try with your photos.. I give you credit for getting out there and just doing it.. It took me a really long time to push over that hump...   You did a good job with poses etc.. THe lighting I agree.. Its easier to do it during the day when the sun is up and shinning.. Even if its cloudy,, In fact I prefer clouds over direct sun any day..

here is your first photo using photoshop edits.


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## Alpha (Nov 13, 2007)

Holly said:


> Holly's post



You have GOT to get those highlights under control.


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## EJBPhoto (Nov 13, 2007)

I'll be a major bad guy, but when you're still using your on camera flash,I do not think you should be taking paid clients.  How long have you been working on photography? The pinlights in the eyes are extremely unattractive to the subject. I suggest you check out www.ilovephotography.com to learn more about children's photography.  These look like they were done in automatic with no thought to composition, exposure, or settings.

I wont' say 'nice try' because when you're accepting people's hard earned money, you should not be TRYING.  I suggest you practice and portfolio build for awhile. I would be angry if I paid for these.

Sorry to be the bad guy... but I worked hard to be in this industry as did many others and I hate seeing people jump in without the basics.  It brings the whole industry down.

And for the record to whoever said it, no amount of pping can fix poor photos.


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## EJBPhoto (Nov 13, 2007)

I would also like to add that it is possibly an honest mistake to start off in business before you're ready- but it is still frustrating to photographers.  The world is giving everyone an idea these days that anyone can be a photog with a nice camera.  They're forgetting the hard work of it.  Two years ago I got a nikon d70 and 2 weeks later had a website that I was a photographer.  HAH..... two years later, I can confidently say that I am now.  Never charged anyone back then.... I knew deep down I was fooling myself.

Perhaps I am judging you wrong and this was just a bad shoot for you- but these don't look professional.  I know you already hate me now from all of this, so will disregard anything else I say, I would hate me too.  I swear I am not cruel, just straight forward.  Anyway, good luck!


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## mandabec (Nov 14, 2007)

EJBPhoto said:


> I'll be a major bad guy, but when you're still using your on camera flash,I do not think you should be taking paid clients. How long have you been working on photography? The pinlights in the eyes are extremely unattractive to the subject. I suggest you check out www.ilovephotography.com to learn more about children's photography. These look like they were done in automatic with no thought to composition, exposure, or settings.
> 
> I wont' say 'nice try' because when you're accepting people's hard earned money, you should not be TRYING. I suggest you practice and portfolio build for awhile. I would be angry if I paid for these.
> 
> ...


 


I think I said this before but I did not use an on camera flash I used a strobe on a bracket. As far as the clients they absolutely loved them! I wasn't asking if I should be a photographer I was wanting some constructive 
criticism. So thanks for nothing.


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## Holly (Nov 14, 2007)

EJBPhoto said:


> I'll be a major bad guy, but when you're still using your on camera flash,I do not think you should be taking paid clients. How long have you been working on photography? The pinlights in the eyes are extremely unattractive to the subject. I suggest you check out www.ilovephotography.com to learn more about children's photography. These look like they were done in automatic with no thought to composition, exposure, or settings.
> 
> I wont' say 'nice try' because when you're accepting people's hard earned money, you should not be TRYING. I suggest you practice and portfolio build for awhile. I would be angry if I paid for these.
> 
> ...


 
Just wanted to say I LOVE this site.. ILP!! Great tips and wonderful wonderful photos!


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## Kimber57 (Nov 14, 2007)

EJBPhoto said:


> I would also like to add that it is possibly an honest mistake to start off in business before you're ready- but it is still frustrating to photographers. The world is giving everyone an idea these days that anyone can be a photog with a nice camera. They're forgetting the hard work of it. Two years ago I got a nikon d70 and 2 weeks later had a website that I was a photographer. HAH..... two years later, I can confidently say that I am now. Never charged anyone back then.... I knew deep down I was fooling myself.
> 
> Perhaps I am judging you wrong and this was just a bad shoot for you- but these don't look professional. I know you already hate me now from all of this, so will disregard anything else I say, I would hate me too. I swear I am not cruel, just straight forward. Anyway, good luck!


 

I don't think your criticism was harsh at all, although I do believe that the average every-day client would have been happy with the above photos.  Most people don't have the eye for lighting and composition that photographers do.  I mean, I've been coming to this site for a few months now, and I'm astonished at what I've learned and how my eye is different  now....and I still basically know NOTHING!!  

I've decided that if I ever were to decide to be a photographer, I'd definitely go to college and learn from the ground up, so to speak.  There's just too much to learn for someone to buy a camera and set up shop.  I love the hobby of photography, but I have no desire to make money at it -- I like to eat too much for that.....LOL

Anyway, thanks to everyone who gives constructive criticism on this board.  I hope that I have the backbone to take is in the spirit that it is given when I post pictures!!!  I love the learning part.


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## AprilRamone (Nov 14, 2007)

I don't know, my own clients would be very PO'd if I had tried to submit this to them after they paid me.  I guess I'll be the bad guy too and say that it still looks like you used your on camera flash so it doesn't really matter if you didn't.

That being said, you do want some tips on how to make it better and I would start by cloning out the little reflection on the tip of his nose.  This is part of the reason it looks so much like your on-camera flash.   Then, I would attempt to dodge the eyes a bit to see if I could get some more light in them (it looks like MaxBloom did that in his version).  
Next time, if you do have to shoot that late when there is not much light, try to bring a tri-pod and drag the shutter speed more to catch whatever light there is left and hold the flash higher up off camera as well.  It also looks like you shot from below him in a lot of them since you can see up his nose a bit.  I would try to shoot either straight on or even from above a little bit.


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