DCurtis wrote:
I am looking for critiques of my photos, specifically the top row done in white light. How can I improve the lighting? Are the images 'flat'?
Hi there,
So there are a few things I noticed in your images.
1. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36745323
He doesn't seem to exactly be in focus. It's not THAT off but I can tell. There is also a lot of noise in the image. I'm not sure if you are using low power lights so you have to crank the ISO or what's going on. There is also some odd retouching on the bottom left of the image. You'd have more luck using the healing brush or the patch tool rather than painting over that with a color. I don't mind the lighting much, I just feel that there could be a little more light to separate him from the background (his head/hair is blending a little too much into the background).
2. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36744902
The backdrop looks a bit dirty. That probably should be cleaned up, the image is also a little noisy, less than the one above though. The lighting is better. He's in focus.
3. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36743186
Same feedback as number 2 plus I have to mention the bottom left retouch job. It doesn't look good to fix things that way.
4. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36745261
The background retouch is messy. I can see weird specs all over. The skin on his left arm needs to be fixed a little bit. He's also blending into the background because of the lighting and he isn't looking as in focus as he could be.
5. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36667164
He is not in focus and the background looks messy. There are also weird specs on his skin.
6. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36743246
He looks like he is in focus. The effect is pretty interesting. The background looks a tad pixelated and this could probably pop more through contrast, curves, level, dodge and burn, something.
7. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36667176
He is out of focus. There are a few little specs in the background that could be cleaned up too. His pants have some noise to them.
8. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36743419
Great but a little more contrast would make this really pop. Also, on the right side I can see the fold of the backdrop. Try to stretch out the material you use to avoid folds.
9. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36742169
There is some pixelation going on in this image. Also, one side of him is not in focus but the other is. Not sure what happened there. And again, try to avoid the folds.
10. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36674739
If this had been in focus, and the retouching of the background had been better, this would've been pretty cool.
11. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36674966
There's a lot of things on his skin that doesn't really need to be there and a few specs in the background.
12. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36674979
The lighting is not that great in this one, specially the shadow on his face. Again, stretch the background even more to reduce wrinkles and folds and then photoshop them out if there are still some left. Also, take out things on skin that don't need to be there like the glowing bits.
13. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36667216
Pretty interesting but the retouching of the background is killing this image.
14. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36744923
The retouching of the background in this one is pretty bad. You even took some of the skin on his left leg.
15. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36674963
There is a little noise, a few specs, and something that should be taken out on the cloth on the left side that is glowing a little too much and looks like a small triangle.
16. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36674977
Lots of specs on the skin.
17. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36743572
Background is a little noisy. There are a few little things on his skin that don't belong there. There is a blue little dot on his testicle that should go.
18. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36743538
Background issue, noise, out of focus.
19. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36667195
Out of focus, noise, skin and material need to be retouched.
20. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36667186
Skin needs to be retouched, specially by his belly button, there is a little noise in the background, material needed to be stretched more of photoshopped a little more.
21. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36757270
Looks like it's not in focus. The background issue again, there is also noise.
22. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36742333
He's not in focus, could have maybe used hints of light on his hair.
23. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36667158
Same background and noise issue and his skin needed a little retouching.
24. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36743476
A lot of noise. Some specs on his skin. Could use more contrast just like the past few to make things pop more.
25. https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/36749570
There is something weird going on with the background, lots of specs, I'm not 100 percent sure his face is in focus either. His skin needed to be retouched, lots of weird dots going on by his butt that I bet he doesn't even have on his skin.
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Overall there is a quality issue, backdrop issue, and a focus problem as well. The retouching needs to be improved too. And while the lighting technique is interesting, it is pretty repetitive, specially because you use the same models a lot and pose them in the same, straight-forward kind of way. Also, yeah, some of the images could use more contrast for sure. This is what I think anyway. Hope it helps.
