Forums > Critique > Serious Critique > Would like your comment on my picture

Photographer

Serge Couvrette

Posts: 1

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I am quite new to portrait photography ( 5 months ) but i am getting quite addicted to it. I have been doing wildlife photography and bird photography for a long time and i was putting a lot of emphasis on every little details of the feathers etc... But i dont know if this is as necessary in portrait. I ask that because on this picture i loved playing with the light to make her hair and eyes come out, maybe i was focussing too much on that i was forgetting about other things. I am proud of this picture because i like it, but i want your comments on what i missed, how i could of made it better, more lively etc... She is a friend and never posed infront of a camera.

Please tell me what you really think, i will not get down at all if i get bad comments or constructive comments, i just want to get better so i can evolve, get more creative...

Thanks

Serge


https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/39690308

Dec 14 15 05:02 pm Link

Photographer

Thomas Van Dyke

Posts: 3232

Washington, District of Columbia, US

Serge Couvrette wrote:
...comment... so i can evolve, get more creative...

Serge thank you for sharing... this rendering has a delightful "senior portrait" ambiance to it... it's enchantingly charismatic... love how her haunting gaze pulls the viewer in... the soft warm illumination with interplay of light and shadow contrast (Chiaroscuro) works exceptionally well here...

That said, if you are looking to evolve into the commercial side of the equation here are some thoughts in that direction...

While senior portraits are enjoyable and oft can lead to bridal/wedding assignments (if you let the talent know how you would absolutely love to be their wedding photographer). 

Beauty genre may be a wise vertical move...

Analysis?  Your effort here while indeed enchanting falls short on certain aspects of beauty... First you failed to separate this talent's hair from the background... it simply falls off into shadow... a hair light "kicker" to "frame" this talent would have created more drama and likely yielded a more polished aura... Second the wardrobe components are a major distraction... vivid floral patterns are certainly not a complimentary feature to this narrative... you've created dysfunctional colour harmonies... Soft pastels would/could have worked here, but certainly not vivid red, orange and cyan...  Please bring a wardrobe stylist into the mix if your not strong on colour theory... The stylist would have certainly pulled up the necklace so as to better compliment her neck line... The third area of concern is want of a tenured makeup artist on this session... her eyebrows are poorly groomed... and the heavy mascaraed lashes with dark eyeliner are totally out of context from the overall "clean beauty" look... would like to see a hint of white shimmer on her brow-bone to add lift to the eyes... However her nude lip decor is superb... and establishes the clean beauty look here...  In my minds eye, this talent's amazingly gorgeous long flowing golden tresses are her signature... a hair stylist's dream... 

Final thoughts? Please consider collaborating with a hair stylist, makeup artist and wardrobe stylist moving forward... Without a full team you'll not likely reach the next level... Also please consider a tad longer focal length... yes the 50mm is indeed an excellent lens (for full length fashion)...  Beauty genre on a full frame D750 starts at 85mm, 135mm being an industry standard while top commercial shooters will likely use 180mm to 200mm macro primes... it's a matter of how those optics render facial features...   

Hope this helps, or is at least food for thought...
All the best on your journey Serge

Dec 15 15 06:12 pm Link