I have recently done my first photoshoot and have downloaded a couple of pics from it. Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

71608The flash is overpowering, just too much.If you had used a shorter depth of field, the background would be less of a distraction.I would also crop into portrait. 58457Love the eyes on the parrot.Crop out the bars. Good luck

Just my opinion!
After all what do I know?

"Heaven is a close reach!
Pulled along by a warm force 3/4
in flat water, with a firm horizon."

I'd get rid of the Parrot image to be blunt. I like parrots but it's not really NP material like my Lancaster Bomber. But I do like your black and white image that the last commenter says has too much flash exposure. I disagree with his statement. You would get a similar image if you used a silver reflector so I wouldn't be too concerned and you could adjust it quite easily with a computer program that all digital photographers have to rely on these days, you know the one? Don't you? If this is your first attempt then it's good. Better than my first attempts.

Why seek the Star, when you are The Star?

Hi - Yes I don't agree either - I don't think there is too much flash and as the last post said - it can easily be adjusted - although for me there does need to be a little bit of light anyway - triangle on top of cheek bones - to help the face look alive - otherwise it can look pale and not interesting. Not sure if it's just my screen that needs adjusting but it doesn't look very black & white to me - more a strange sepia tone so if it's not my screen then this to me would benefit the shot if it had a strong monochrome content. I do agree with the first post in that it may be better if cropped differently although - whilst I understand it can't easily be done now - I notice a good tree line and a river below so could perhaps have posed you to show those features differently - although it could be argued that we are really looking at you as the model here and not a landscape shot.
Not sure if that helps but hope it does..

TheLoke , Photographer  posted on 04/03/2010 16:57:19   Posted 9 times

Located:Norwich,Norfolk, UK
Member Since: 15/02/2009

The reason it has that sepia tone to it is because he hasn't set the image to greyscale and it is in 24 bit colour mode.  But I like it myself , in fact when I scan black and white negs I always scan in 24 bit colour and not in greyscale.


Why seek the Star, when you are The Star?

Whats SOOK?

I like the parrot pic best - it has 'soul' and is better composed and taken than the other two.

Keep trying

Thank you all for your comments.. Its appreciated. I do agree slightly with the 1st comment about the flash was overpowering. Maybe in time i`ll alter settings to overcome this but at the time i was using the camera in auto and the flash in TTL setting so it was a bit of `point and shoot` attempt. The picture is a sepia effect as apposed to a B & W pic. But this was only altered on the camera itself and nothing else has been altered i.e no computer cropping or altering.

Hopefully in time the pics will be more oiled and better as i gain practice.

Not sure if u meant SOOC not SOOK. If its SOOC it stands for `straight out of camera` unless i`m mistaken

Thanks again

Quoting post from roynesbitt1973
Thank you all for your comments.. Its appreciated. I do agree slightly with the 1st comment about the flash was overpowering. Maybe in time i`ll alter settings to overcome this but at the time i was using the camera in auto and the flash in TTL setting so it was a bit of `point and shoot` attempt. The picture is a sepia effect as apposed to a B & W pic. But this was only altered on the camera itself and nothing else has been altered i.e no computer cropping or altering.

Hopefully in time the pics will be more oiled and better as i gain practice.

Not sure if u meant SOOC not SOOK. If its SOOC it stands for `straight out of camera` unless i`m mistaken

Thanks again

SOOC...I see...thanks
OK - if I'm going to be constructive I'll say leave the Auto and TTL and have a go at something that involves a little more input from you. Mess about with aperture in AV Mode, especially at the faster end and marvel at the artistic opportunity that suddenly becomes available.

You dont need models to get better at framing and composing images, practice on flowers, insects, cars - anything but take a lot of pictures - but try to avoid the fully auto settings until you know what the manual ones can do. They have their place, but I reckon its essential to know how to take a picture yourself 1st.

Hope that helps

Gary

Hi thanks and i will. It was just a bit of a rush. I only got the flash unit a day before so it was a case of getting thrown into. But i am practicing all the time. Different angles on the flash. Different shutter speeds etc. I will get there in the end i`m sure