I'm looking for feedback on my most recent portrait work.?

Question: I'm looking for feedback on my most recent portrait work!.!?

So, I am hoping to soon invest in starting a portrait photography business!.

What I would like is some feedback and whether or not you think I am capable and what you like and dislike about the photos!. Especially what you think I could do to improve them!.

Feel free to comment on the flickrphoto itself if you have an account, if not you can do it here!.

thanks so much!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I totally believe you are capable!. But, I would like to point a couple things out!. The first thing I noticed is that you don't seem to be engaging your subjects enough!. Their facial expressions are mostly awkward!.

I noticed, by looking at the EXIF data of a few of your shots, that most of the focal lengths you use (in mostly the headshots) are in the normal range!. That's not terrible, but though you benefit from the crop effect, you are too close to your subject for them to feel comfortable!. For some people, that's an invasion of personal space, even if they do not make that apparent!. It may not be an issue for them, but it can make them feel uncomfortable, especially if they do not know you, or have a well established rapport with you!. If you are going to be taking portraits of people for money, you want them to be happy with what they get!. The first step to make a person feel more comfortable is to move out of their face by using a good telezoom that extends into the 200mm range!. Either a 70-200mm f/2!.8 (if you can spend the money) or the 70-300mm IS (if you're on a budget) should get you a good 8-10 feet away from them when you're shooting their portrait!. This is good for two reasons, first it allows them a bit of breathing room, second it allows you to take advantage of a little telephoto compression, which is more flattering to the face of your subject!. Wider focal lengths tend to exaggerate facial features like the nose!. I'm not a pro, and on a budget, so I use my nikkor 70-300mm VR when shooting portraits, (a $500 lens), and I typically shoot portraits at between 200 and 250mm!. Some use 300mm!. For shooting full length portraits, I keep my distance, but bring my zoom back to about 100mm!.

also, be in the habit of constantly talking to your subjects throughout the capture process!. Take frequent test shots and tell them you are taking test shots, and get a few candids while you're at it!. When you tell someone you're taking test shots, they feel more comfortable because it's not the real thing yet, so they don't feel they have to "pose"!. Posing can ruin good portraits!. Taking test shots can also get you accustomed to experimenting with your lighting!.

The one other thing I wasn't very impressed with is the lighting you used in most of the shots!. They were either too bright, with little detail (perhaps due to being too close), or with uneven light!. Lighting is probably the most important aspect of taking professional style portraits!. Most of what you shot was in a natural setting, so the use of light modifiers like diffusers and reflectors is best!. It looks like you have used some sort of light modification, but many of your shots are too overexposed!.

For example, in new-Ray-1, the exposure is wrong - there are shadows around his eyes and highlights that are clipped on his nose and cheeks!. Use a reflector and point it up at his face from low, and using exposure compensation, dial in an under-exposure of a third stop (or maybe two)!.

Those are the only two things I saw that have room for improvement!. The way you pose (or not pose) and light (or not light) a subject is very important in portraiture!. I don't want you to think I'm being overly critical, but I did want to provide you with an accurate (to my taste) assessment of your work, which I think is very nice overall!. One of my favs is new-Ray-4, a very nice pose!. But do something with his expression, he's mostly got a blank stare going on!. Again, engaging your subject can help bring out their personality, which you want to show in your work!. And!.!.!.!.!.keep your shutter advance on burst and click off a few each time, pick the best out of the burst and delete the rest!.

So there's my two cents and I hope that it helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You will do well with more training and maturity!. I've been in photography longer than you've been alive so I have a few comments that I hope you'll learn from!.
You need to be more observant of the backgrounds of your portraits!. They can easily distract from the portrait as in Ray #6, and Christina #11!. Look for plainer backgrounds as in your pictures with the fence!. I especially liked your photo of Christina #7, also liked #3, 5, & 6!. Most of the photos of Ray were good but you must be careful not to distort people's faces by taking the picture too close to the subject as in Ray #3!.
I wish you well as you learn and practice your craft!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You have some good answers from experts above me, but I have one thought!.!.!. You used the word "invest" in your question!.

Although we always say that it's "not the equipment," if you are going into business taking portraits, your first investment should be one good lens!. The one you have offers no control over depth of field to speak of and it apparently also has a problem with vignetting!.

Look into this excellent lens as a replacement zoom: http://www!.the-digital-picture!.com/Revie!.!.!. (Canon-EF-24-70mm-f-2!.8-L-USM-Lens) This will cost more than your camera and it's not going to be the last lens you buy, but if you are going to keep your costs down, it may be the most useful lens you can get for your purposes!.

http://www!.bhphotovideo!.com/c/product/26!.!.!.

Lighting is your next concern, but I'm not an expert on that by any means, so I'll refrain from commenting!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

New Ray 6 and Christina 6 are the shots that look closest to professional!. These are fine shots for a high-school yearbook!.

You can look to your local art college or community college for classes to support your credibility, in both photography and business!.

Look online too - here's an article about wedding photography, for example: http://www!.dcolegrovephotography!.com/wed!.!.!.

good luck!

If you really want to open a business, get out there and take dozens of shots of your friends!. You'll need more than 2 good shots to earn new customers, the practice will improve your professionalism, and you can get a taste of what it's like doing this all day!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think a better place to ask this question would be http://www!.betterphoto!.com or any site where you can build a gallery and get feedback from other professional photographers!. Yahoo!Answers is good for some things, but is probably not the place to get professionals' opinions!. Don't get me wrong - you might happen to get some insight from some talented people, but it's not necessarily a given!.

Personally, I think your photos are good - one or two of them are a little close and the faces have been distorted, and you need some help with lighting!. But I'm not a pro, so what's my opinion worth to you!? Take the time to set up an account at one of these sites (http://www!.webshots!.com/g/ is another good one) and get tips from other photographers!.

Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

The soft, flat light ig good for women, but men can stand more shadow -- it "sculpts" the face!. Are you shooting with a wide-angle lens!?!. A longer focal length is better for portraits!. also, keep the backgrounds as simple as possible unless you're aiming for the type of portrait that's called "environmental!." But I'm just nit-picking!. Overall, they're good!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Indeed you have a talent,

the photos are really nice,

but if you want to widen you difference in these photos then i suggest using different camera angles or different shots!.
eg!. LONG SHOT, from afar
FULL body, taking the full length of the body!.
FROM the SIDE!.
LOOK UP, taking shot from below,
UP HIGH!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.etc

i really like how you focused on the person and made the background blured!.!. it really brings the picture out, very eye-catching & appealing!.

you will be sucessful with your gift, just be open-minded!.

GOOD LUCKWww@QuestionHome@Com

Dont shoot in anything less that 1/60 without a portrait!. Try using a low ISO (100) if you're outdoor!.

You have a lot of talent, its a matter of just picking up a few details!. try investing on lenses, but that have low aperture!.!.anything less that f3!.5 is bestWww@QuestionHome@Com

I think they're great!

http://flickr!.com/photos/gummyworldlover!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I do like them alot! You make the vignette work
They are a bit ordinary!. What will make people choose you over someone else is having a shot that will just blow them away!. Maybe something different and unique!.

Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

these are really good!

but i think you might wanna try to get people doing what they love best!.!. other than just posing!

hope things work out!Www@QuestionHome@Com

You have quite a bit of talent with a camera! I wish you good luck with your business!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

amazingWww@QuestionHome@Com

The kit lens is generally good--but the aperture at 55 mm is no bigger f 5!.6, which is not an ideal for a portrait!. also, you can't use anything wider than 55 mm (for example, "New Ray 3" was shot at 44 mm--and you can see a bit of distortion there!.

For an extreme sample of that, see this:

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

This was shot at 16 mm (full frame, so it would be at 10 mm for your camera)!.

And this one at 100 mm (62!.5 mm for your camera)

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

also, the background--stand your subject in front of something that is not so distracting--like this:

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

You need to also focus on the eyes!. And if you can do it, focus manually instead!. Like this: http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. (from the same shot--the smaller one is a crop of it)!.

and watch the light--the direct sunlight on Ray ruined his photos and made them look like a snapshot!. Wait until it's cloudy, or in the shade, like this:

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

I think you will do better with a longer lens!. I am suggesting 85 mm f 1!.8 (should hopefully be within your budget) see here: http://www!.bhphotovideo!.com/c/product/12!.!.!. (click on READ REVIEWS tab)!.

100 mm or anything above that is too long for your camera!.

I hope I have not been too harsh!.Www@QuestionHome@Com