# First time out doing posed Male Portraiture for their modeling portfolio



## o hey tyler

My friend contacted me to get some portraits for his modeling portfolio. The agency he's going through wanted more "sexy and edgy" photos, but to what extent both he and I were unclear. Needless to say, smiling isn't terribly edgy. So you won't find any smiles. 

I shot these using a shoot thru as a reflective umbrella because I liked the way the light was wrapping more. 












Available light: 











Totally welcome to all thoughts and suggestions. This was my first time doing posed male portraiture for a modeling portfolio.


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## 2WheelPhoto

I like them, especially the top two.

If I was going to pick them apart-pic 2 my noob eyes are drawn to the knees, there's soemthing all the way to the left and right that may be able to be cleaned up. 

Third pic can afford more reflector light or fill to male him pop against the background?  There's a black line going into the side of his head, might be good to remove it (the line on top will have to stay but its more subtle anyway)?  Some of the more harsh wrinkles in shirt can be smoothed? Concrete and cracks in window frame can be trimmed?

4th one lighting looks a little flat, eye sockets a bit dark, concrete could be cleaned/smoothed. Perhaps you may have filled the frame more.  Also #4 might have made a nice head shot scene too?


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## o hey tyler

Good call about the black line going through his head. I should clone that out. I don't find the other lines to be as intrusive as they're less defined than the horizontal one. 

On photo 2, are you talking about the wrinkles on his knee where the sun is creating kind of a rim light? 

I'll work on 4 a little bit as well, but I think I'll leave the concrete as is... I like it having some character without being super in your face about it. 

Thanks dude! :thumbup:


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## 2WheelPhoto

Yes sir, I think thats what it is going on, its the very outer portions of the jeans on the knees drawing my eyes to that part of the pic


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## Trever1t

Well done! Very sharp! The light and DOF in the first 2 is really nice, great separation from the backgound.


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## o hey tyler

2WheelPhoto said:


> Yes sir, I think thats what it is going on, its the very outer portions of the jeans on the knees drawing my eyes to that part of the pic



PS. Sometimes when I read your name, I read it as "2Wheel*Potato*" and I have no idea why... But it does generate a pretty funny image of a potato on 2 wheels.


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## 2WheelPhoto

o hey tyler said:


> 2WheelPhoto said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes sir, I think thats what it is going on, its the very outer portions of the jeans on the knees drawing my eyes to that part of the pic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PS. Sometimes when I read your name, I read it as "2Wheel*Potato*" and I have no idea why... But it does generate a pretty funny image of a potato on 2 wheels.
Click to expand...


^^^^thought for creating a new profile pic!  

I used to race bikes,  i still get a few track days in but have mostly been slacking.  I load my street bike to extremes with gear, sand bags  and light stuff a lot of times instead of taking the Tundra truck out is why I choose that login over "steve-anthing"


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## bazooka

#1 is awsome.  I love the sunlight separation coming through the trees (if indeed it is sunlight... it sure as heck looks like it).


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## o hey tyler

bazooka said:


> #1 is awsome.  I love the sunlight separation coming through the trees (if indeed it is sunlight... it sure as heck looks like it).



'Tis indeed natural rim light from the sun. Thanks!


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## bazooka

o hey tyler said:


> bazooka said:
> 
> 
> 
> #1 is awsome. I love the sunlight separation coming through the trees (if indeed it is sunlight... it sure as heck looks like it).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 'Tis indeed natural rim light from the sun. Thanks!
Click to expand...


Even better!


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## Mach0

Nice. # 3 is my favorite.


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## Robin Usagani

My only complain is that he is not that good looking.  I am much better looking than him.  Other than that... good shooting.  #2 looks a little weird.  It looks like he doesnt have a shoulder.


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## PapaMatt

Nice work but I felt like I was about ready to get mugged :lmao:


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## Brinr

these are pretty sick... rim light looks good. What lens?


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## fokker

I think you did you did a good job on the photos tyler, especially in regards to the lighting on the first two. I'm not so sure about his expresison though, to me it doesn't say edgy. In this first photo he looks almost sad. The only one I think his expression looks natural is the last one.


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## o hey tyler

Brinr said:


> these are pretty sick... rim light looks good. What lens?



I used the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 on these. I took a few with the 50mm f/1.4 too, but none that I posted here. 

Thanks!


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## shortpants

I know you can't help this and I think the photos themselves are great,  but I don't know if it's the shape of his mouth or what but he has this cartoon-like frown on his face. Nice lighting :thumbup:


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## tirediron

Sorry Tyler; these are nice shots, but I just don't get 'edgy' from any of them.  What I see are nice, sharp, well-exposed shots of a guy who seems like he doesn't want his picture taken (and has the same expression in every shot).  Strictly MO of course, but to me, edgy really needs dramatic lighting to work well. Head down to the local Salvation Army or similar and get some clothing that you can trash, set him up in an abandoned building, or messy back-alley, and use a couple of direct speedlights to make some really harsh lighting.


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## g-fi

These are really good!, but the #2 Poo-in-the-woods pose isn't quite what I would call edgy lol.


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## Derrel

One thought might be to consider placing the artificial light source on the side on which the sunlight is coming in from...in shots 1 and 2, the natural sunlight is coming in from camera left, but the flash is coming camera right, so he has a nose shadow on the wrong side, which makes the viewer aware that the shots are "lighted" or "lit". It's a preference thing...some viewers might prefer the look of flash-lighted shots....others will prefer using the flash to more closely mimic the natural light that was present, by keeping the light all coming from the same basic direction. I do like shot #1, and my first thought was "good flash exposure".

Pose #2 makes him look absolutely horrible...his shoulders are all "peaked", and he look like a total whimp....contrast that shoulder line with the one in #3 and #4. I like shot #4 of him standing against the brick wall; that flat light could be tweaked pretty majorly in post, and the shot made to really sing. Thanks for showing us these shots. Since this is your very first time at this, you oughtta' be doing great with just a few more shoots under your belt!


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## Lowrider

I'm no pro, but that does not say edgy to me. Looks like a guy trying to be edgy and failing. Almost like he thought "look at the camera and frown. That ought to do it."
I would think that would hurt him with the agency.


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## vfotog

the model has some serious problems with posing; the photographer has to notice that and get him to do better if possible. He's got to learn to know his angles and work to maximize his assets. The way he pulls in his shoulders makes him look smaller and definitely not sexy. His biggest problem is his facial expressions; he needs to relax his face and have expression without scrunching. It makes his forehead a mass of wrinkles and makes his right eye look much smaller than the other. The white shirt in front of the white door is not good. More flattering and better fitting clothes would help in the sexy, edgy department.


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## vipgraphx

I really like the first one the best. Very sharp and I love how the light wraps around him.

I also liked 3 minus that black line. Even though its not as sharp as the first two I like the softness and I think I could see where you were going with this shot. It almost like high key....


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## Majeed Badizadegan

Well he looks like he's trying too hard. Your technical implementation is admirable, however. One thought might be to have some sample photos prepped that you both can see beforehand to give the poses and looks more direction.


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## Christie Photo

The first view is very nice.  We don't often see this level of outdoor portraiture here.  The clothing is good, posing good, and the lighting very nice.

Sweet.

-Pete


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## camz

I think overall #1 is the winner.  Like CP mentioned, the exposure, lighting and sharpness is most def something I would do.  Your subject has that grittiness about him that applies in certain fields.  I can see him on a sports theme shoot, or some sort of tough persona theme.

I personally like his expression. So on the last one where he's actually smiling threw me off because it didn't seem fit the theme(plus I don't think it fits him either).   Good Job Tyler - glad to see your work finally.


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## Nikon_Josh

Good work here Tyler mate, really like the first one. They have a really polished look to them.

Only thing I am not a fan of is the fact he seems to be trying too hard to look 'tough' in my opinion, but that is more a model based fault than a photographer based one.


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## fotomumma09

The first one looks almost 3D! Very cool how his whole body pops right out.


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## jowensphoto

You captured his sexiness well, IMHO.

Eh, the lighting isn't too shabby either


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## chuasam

The photography is alright. The model needs to be able to have more than ONE facial expression.
Take a look here to see what other models are using for their portfolio Ford Models
John Casablancas International - Modeling & Talent Agency Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The agencies/clients want to see physique and range of expressions.


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## daarksun

I like #2 and #3 poses and composition the best. Good colors too. The knees are no big deal. I wasn't drawn to them looking at the photo. They're faded blue jeans for crying out loud. The shirts were plane which can be a pain, black like a blot and white catches the light. Great job! You friend should be happy with these. 

It can be difficult to find a good background. Any when you do find one it doesn't work for everyone. But I also feel that the background even blurred plays an important role in outdoor portrait shooting.


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## tmjjk

Wow... Great! I knew you were someone to listen to and learn from on here... And these images just assured me I was right!!  Very impressive... Only using available "natural light"?


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## o hey tyler

tmjjk said:


> Wow... Great! I knew you were someone to listen to and learn from on here... And these images just assured me I was right!!  Very impressive... Only using available "natural light"?



Thank you! I didn't realize this thread got bumped again. 

To answer your question, no these were not all available light. The first two were flashed, with the sun placed behind the subject, hitting his back. You can see the soft glow around him from the sun. The second two were all available light.


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## ceejtank

you spelled "drum" wrong on all these pics . . .

haha i kid i kid. pics look good, however as mentioned above, he looks more uncomfortable, not edgy.  From a technical standpoint the pics are good though.


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## Designer

Hey, Tyler. This is my first commentary on a photog doing his first male fashion shoot.

I see only two outfits, and neither one is "fashion" IMO. Also, his scowl tends to send a message, and it's not a friendly one. 

Suggestions: Ask him to bring a couple of nicer outfits, and pose him in nicer places, and ask him to be serious without being dour. Also, Does he ever let his hair get longer? With the set he has chosen, it seems he could model for lawn care equipment, but not a BMW.

Also note the wrinkled brow.  A modeling agency might wonder if his forhead has those wrinkles permanently.


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## o hey tyler

Designer, 

It wasn't really a fashion shoot, per se. It was just modeling. It wasn't so much about the clothes, but how he acted in front of the camera. Normally, provided we had more time, I would have someone bring 3-4 sets of clothing. But a lot of this was off the cuff. 

I appreciate your thoughts, thank you for responding!


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## Josh66

Really like the last one.


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## laynea24

I love them... All. The first two are my favorite!


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