# Close-Up Headshots C&C requested



## DGMPhotography (Jun 29, 2015)

Hello there:

So here are some close ups I did of Savannah. I like them, but I only want to use one or two, and would love to hear your thoughts on them.

My favorite is #3 

1) 

Not sure what I think.

2) 
I like the composition here, but the hair in this case (the single strands) were a little distracting. I'll have to shop them out.

3) 

Thanks!


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## JacaRanda (Jun 29, 2015)

DGMPhotography said:


> Hello there:
> 
> So here are some close ups I did of Savannah. I like them, but I only want to use one or two, and would love to hear your thoughts on them.
> 
> ...


 
Use one or two for what?  Not sure the hair in the face works on any of them, but may depend on what you are using them for.


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## funwitha7d (Jun 29, 2015)

#2 is easy fav for me, #3 looks king of sad and #1 too much hair in the way for me


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## tirediron (Jun 29, 2015)

What is the intended use?  None of them are suitable for portfolio or professional work.


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## FKP007 (Jun 29, 2015)

The colours look muddy, her skin unnaturally matt and flat, the lighting is not very flattering and it seems as though your retouching needs to be pulled back a lot. In all honesty I agree with the chap above.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk


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## DarkShadow (Jun 29, 2015)

#3 looks like a Police mug shot IMO.I can't see that one used for anything.I think a reshoot would be better but fix the hair first.


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## Bryston3bsst (Jun 29, 2015)

I'm afraid I agree with everyone except funwitha7d.

She appears to be a pretty girl but you're just not doing her justice. The hair is covering the part of the photo we're supposed to be looking at. 

Police mug shot? I dunno........I think the police would want a better picture where you can actually see her face.


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## Designer (Jun 29, 2015)

Use one or two for what purpose?  

It looks as if you'll have to NOT use one of them.

Because there are three of them.


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## Derrel (Jun 29, 2015)

I dunno D...these are on the margin, man.


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## DGMPhotography (Jun 30, 2015)

First off.... I didn't do any retouching so idk how I would pull back on that??

Thanks for the feedback yall.. looks like these are going nowhere xD


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## DGMPhotography (Jun 30, 2015)

But I still think they're interesting looking.


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## JacaRanda (Jun 30, 2015)

Ok,  what were you thinking about using them for?   I asked that long ago on a different post of yours and you did not answer.  Now I'm just curious again.


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## chuasam (Jun 30, 2015)

DarkShadow said:


> #3 looks like a Police mug shot IMO.I can't see that one used for anything.I think a reshoot would be better but fix the hair first.


I guess they can be used as Facebook photos to use as a snapshot kinda aesthetic to make it seem like you're having a ton of fun.


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 1, 2015)

JacaRanda said:


> Ok,  what were you thinking about using them for?   I asked that long ago on a different post of yours and you did not answer.  Now I'm just curious again.



Most of the time I reply to constructive feedback. If I didn't respond to you, I either didn't see it, or your feedback was counterproductive. In either case, my bad. 

_Use_, as in, put on my Facebook page. I probably wouldn't add this one to my site. It's nowhere near perfect enough.


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## JacaRanda (Jul 1, 2015)

DGMPhotography said:


> JacaRanda said:
> 
> 
> > Ok,  what were you thinking about using them for?   I asked that long ago on a different post of yours and you did not answer.  Now I'm just curious again.
> ...


 
No problem and thanks for the reply.  It was the same thing.  You had mentioned using the photos (I believe it was a model sitting in a hallway with her back against the wall) so I asked the same question. 

Thanks again for following up.


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## Braineack (Jul 1, 2015)

#2 isn't bad, but it's not great.   I think you could pull something out of it if you work on bringing out her eye.  It should be the focal point, but it looks slightly out of focus.

I prefer the colors of #3-- 1 and 2 look washed out in comparison, might be from the additional side lights you were using.

The light pattern is odd.  Looks like on on-board flash for main and two fills low on the each side?  All three are too far away from her and the on-board is cast an ugly shadow.


I threw your #2 into the free Polarr Online Photo Editor (basically LR) and spent two minutes on it:


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## Designer (Jul 1, 2015)

It's good, Braineack, but it's not his anymore.


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## chuasam (Jul 1, 2015)

DGMPhotography said:


> JacaRanda said:
> 
> 
> > Ok,  what were you thinking about using them for?   I asked that long ago on a different post of yours and you did not answer.  Now I'm just curious again.
> ...


Ok ok constructive feedback. Try more interesting lighting. Sav is pretty but this shot is too in your face without being truly Interesting. 
There is no real expression in her eyes and her hair isn't messy enough to be different.


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 1, 2015)

Thanks for the feedback. 

I'll admit I kinda just threw it up here without a ton of thought. I was looking more for an immediate reaction to the composition.

I'll do some editing myself and see what it looks like though.


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## klaesser (Jul 3, 2015)

I like them all, but then I am only a hobbiest so what should I know.


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 3, 2015)

Some edits.


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## Braineack (Jul 3, 2015)

That looks much better, but that last shot still needs to be shot.

I'd be curious to see what it looks like with a redder lip and the catch-lights edited to look like one larger source.


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## Designer (Jul 3, 2015)

klaesser said:


> I like them all, but then I am only a hobbiest so what should I know.


Hey!  

I'm a hobbyist as well, so don't denigrate our position.


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## chuasam (Jul 4, 2015)

Designer said:


> klaesser said:
> 
> 
> > I like them all, but then I am only a hobbiest so what should I know.
> ...


It depends on whether you seek to improve


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## beagle100 (Jul 7, 2015)

FKP007 said:


> The colours look muddy, her skin unnaturally matt and flat, the lighting is not very flattering and it seems as though your retouching needs to be pulled back a lot. In all honesty I agree with the chap above.



I agree, nice looking girl but they're bad mugshot pics - lighting, color, etc.


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## kundalini (Jul 7, 2015)

chuasam said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > klaesser said:
> ...


And a hobbyist doesn't seek to improve?  Parvenu much?


DMG:  Not much to add than the general sentiment.  You can do better with her.


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 8, 2015)

Haha you're right. This was a last minute shoot and I drove two hours to find out my remote flash trigger decided to stop working.. so I tried to compensate with slave mode. 

Eh, I'll try those other edits to see what I get, but I agree that this isn't my best work.


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 8, 2015)

I did a similar setup with Rachel, but I think the photos turned out much better. 

What do you think?


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## Braineack (Jul 8, 2015)

I like that first one, but the skin smoothing _seriously_ distracts.

I personally dislike skin smoothing, but look at what Dan O or Emily Rose are doing--you can clean up bad skin and/or smooth it out without losing the original character/detail. These shots are the epitome of the "plastic look".


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## MichaelHenson (Jul 8, 2015)

DGMPhotography said:


> I did a similar setup with Rachel, but I think the photos turned out much better.
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> View attachment 104777 View attachment 104778 View attachment 104779



These look much better overall in terms of being a usable, portfolio headshot. Previously, you mentioned that you did no retouching (on the Sav pics), but the skin and eyes look overdone on these in my opinion. I'm all for retouching, but these seem to cross the line and make the model look plastic with unnaturally wide eyes. Granted, I understand her eyes might naturally be that wide - but in that case, I'd have her narrow them a bit.


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 8, 2015)

MichaelHenson said:


> DGMPhotography said:
> 
> 
> > I did a similar setup with Rachel, but I think the photos turned out much better.
> ...



Like I said, I didn't do any retouching with Savannah. In the most recent edits, I cloned the hair out of her face, but I'm telling you (and you need to trust me on this) I didn't retouch her at all. I added sharpness but certainly did not make her eyes wider. That's ridiculous and you have no basis for assuming as such. 

I _did _retouch the pictures of Rachel. I did some skin smoothing on her and while I admit that it looks a bit overdone in the second and third one, I really like how it looks in the first one even though it is obvious. It reminds me of the magazines. 

Thanks for your feedback!


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## MichaelHenson (Jul 8, 2015)

DGMPhotography said:


> MichaelHenson said:
> 
> 
> > DGMPhotography said:
> ...



I apologize, when I said, "the skin and eyes look overdone on these in my opinion," I was referring to Rachel's photos, not Savannah's. I didn't communicate that distinction clearly...


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## Braineack (Jul 8, 2015)

magazine edits are typically bad to downright offensive.


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## MRnats (Jul 8, 2015)

I like the second model's look a lot but the skin smoothing is killing it for me. What did they look like pre edit if you don't mind posting?


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## DGMPhotography (Jul 8, 2015)

You have a point Braineack, but I wanted to try it out, and my model is happy with the results, as are her friends and family. 

I will chalk it up to experience and try to tone it down for future similar looks.


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