A Few Shots of the Girlfriend

SearchingForElysium · Feb 28, 2017

Hey guys, you may notice that I'm brand new to the forum. Thought I might as well dump the many shots I believe are worth showing off. Critique is more than welcome.

These 2 are candid. Some of my first few shots with my then-newly bought Nikkor 50mm 1.8

https://www.flickr.com/photos/phototac0/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/phototac0/

This one was semi-candid, in a sense. We were driving home after a date, I look over and see this wonderful view of a sunset behind her. Pulled over and took this photo. (I am aware of the flare on the right third of the shot.)

pgriz · Mar 1, 2017

It is curious that in the set you selected to post, in no picture is she looking at you.

Granddad · Mar 1, 2017

Forgive me if I've misread your situation but the way she's holding herself suggests that she's shy. I'd advise you to shoot her more often and take time for her to relax into the camera (I usually start getting my best shots after the first hundred). She needs to understand that she's a very, very lovely young woman who has every right to be confident in front of the camera. YOU as photographer need to tell her that and build her confidence as you shoot.

Lighting seems to be fine, nice DoF in #2 and I like the composition of #3, the flare doesn't bother me, the edge of the rear view mirror would be easily cloned out.

limr · Mar 1, 2017

Granddad said:
Forgive me if I've misread your situation but the way she's holding herself suggests that she's shy. I'd advise you to shoot her more often and take time for her to relax into the camera (I usually start getting my best shots after the first hundred). She needs to understand that she's a very, very lovely young woman who has every right to be confident in front of the camera. YOU as photographer need to tell her that and build her confidence as you shoot.

Lighting seems to be fine, nice DoF in #2 and I like the composition of #3, the flare doesn't bother me, the edge of the rear view mirror would be easily cloned out.

Or you just accept that she doesn't feel comfortable and leave her alone.

Designer · Mar 1, 2017

Welcome!

I don't consider #2 a "candid".

Granddad · Mar 1, 2017

limr said:
Or you just accept that she doesn't feel comfortable and leave her alone.

Yeah, that's an option, too. I tend to forget that not everyone would take that for granted.

SearchingForElysium · Mar 1, 2017

pgriz said:
It is curious that in the set you selected to post, in no picture is she looking at you.

She's is pretty camera shy. I don't have any full face shots of her currently.

Designer said:
Welcome!

I don't consider #2 a "candid".

It wasn't a posed shot, she stood up and noticed I had the camera pointed at her and covered her face, so I considered it candid, but I'm sure there's and better term for it.

As for her comfort in front of a camera, she's growing into it. I should be doing her senior pictures soon enough, so that'll give me an opportunity to actually pose and work with her.

Thanks for the replies guys, and thank you Granddad, she is indeed lovely.

Designer · Mar 1, 2017

SearchingForElysium said:
Designer said:

I don't consider #2 a "candid".

Click to expand...

It wasn't a posed shot, she stood up and noticed I had the camera pointed at her and covered her face, so I considered it candid, but I'm sure there's and better term for it.

Since you're new, allow me to help you with the definition of candid. That is where the subject has little or no awareness of being the subject of a photograph.

I'd say that since she was aware that a camera was pointed at her, and hid her face, it cannot be a candid. Not sure what hiding the face shot would be called.

If it was a coy peeking out kind of pose, then it would be a coy peeking out kind of pose.

limr · Mar 1, 2017

I disagree that the term changes if the subject catches the photographer in the act. She didn't know he was going to take a picture until the camera came up, and she didn't cover her face to pose, but as a spontaneous reaction to seeing the camera. That's still a candid.

Designer · Mar 1, 2017

limr said:
That's still a candid.

A candid of the backs of her hands.

birdbonkers84 · Mar 1, 2017

Welcome to TPF, this place is a gold mine - enjoy!

limr · Mar 1, 2017

Designer said:
limr said:

That's still a candid.

Click to expand...

A candid of the backs of her hands.

Why does it matter that her face isn't visible?

Designer · Mar 1, 2017

limr said:
Why does it matter that her face isn't visible?

To my way of thinking, the girl holding her hands up is a pose. In that instant, she is posing for the photo. Not a normal pose to be sure, but a pose nonetheless. She posed, therefore not candid.

limr · Mar 1, 2017

Designer said:
limr said:

Why does it matter that her face isn't visible?

Click to expand...

To my way of thinking, the girl holding her hands up is a pose. In that instant, she is posing for the photo. Not a normal pose to be sure, but a pose nonetheless. She posed, therefore not candid.

As the kind of person who sees a camera aimed at her and who instantly wants to hide her face, it's most certainly not a pose but a reflex, a defense mechanism. I still say that she is not posing; she is reacting. A pose has much more intent than a knee-jerk reaction.

I'd say the same for someone who's first instinct is to smile when he or she sees a camera. It's the difference between pre-meditation and heat-of-the-moment. One is murder, the other is manslaughter. Posing is portraiture. Reacting is candid photography.