1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5

After 2 years~

2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4

Please to leave a comment on them. Thanks all~

This post has been edited by Jason5877: Apr 21 2014, 07:01 PM

Focus and light source are the main issue here

Hmm... meaning by?

I am a newbie too.
I liked #2.

#4...too bright...the sunlight too harsh...maybe need to wait suitable time to get proper natural light?
#3...model face a bit underexposed...did you also use a flash as well? is the flash power enough to reach that distance?

Open to other "sifu" comments too

I used 2 flash, and a kits lens. Will note that, will improve in next shooting.

#1 subject is not noticed, like you are curi curi snap those girls.
#2 this is OK, newbie should start with big head shot. Try diff emotion, compo, bokeh background...
#3, 4 & 5 subject seems out of focus, flash is not necessary to me as the weather is very good.

To me portraiture the most important thing is subject should be stand out and focus of the photo.

Try learn the basic 1st (compo, lighting, subject, story telling etc.) before moving too far.

My 2 cents.

There is a lot space for improvement for compo and ligting as well.TS, you may think why you take this shot? Is there a story behind this photo? Sometimes we can use imagination before we shoot so outcome of our photo will more feel or emotion on it.

I am just cameraman, a noob one cameraman.. This just my 2cent opinion

Need to work on your picture composition.

Overall your models seemed a bit stiff and the poses come off as a little unnatural. Not that I blame you or the model for this as they are probably your friends and not really comfortable in front of a camera.

You should try to get your subject to look/act as natural as possible.

Pic #2, since you have kit lens, try not to get too close using a wide angle focal length. If you look closely, the subject's nose appears to be enlarged. Wide angle focal length have some distortion that will cause this problem as they often cause things that are closer to the lens to appear bigger.

So the most important is compo, lightning, and story now?

Thinking for getting another lens here. 50mm 1.8 or 35 1.8 would recommended?

Not to say compo or lighting and/or story is most important but they all play a role in the final product.

It boils down to what you want to show and how you want the viewer to see it.

E.g. what if a shot has great compo, perfect lighting but is hopelessly out of focus. Would you consider that a successful shot?

All factors have to fall in place to get you the end result.

As for the lens choices, if you have an APS-C body then I would suggest you get the 35mm if full-frame then it's the 50mm.

Either one will be great however fully utlize kitlens is the best. Maybe get some book to read some guide, or joining another photogpraher to shoot together. Than compared your shot with their shot and start understand about the basic.

Sorry to tell that I stay at small town, here very less people playing DSLR. So I hope can getting guide and commend from u guys for my improvement. Kit lens cant do bokeh well...

I see. Than try looking at another photographer work will be a great help for us. Amazing photo will inspired us to shoot better so don't stay on your comfort zone by thinking photo we take already great or amazing. I believe a lot us before will fall for bokeh when start our journey as photographer however soon you will realize bokeh become something overrated after awhile. For me, compo, lighting, shape , etc will be much much important than bokeh. However, I am just an cameraman, all this just my 2cent opinion.

sibu??

#1 shoot at a lower angle would look best (that's my opinion)

#2 you can try to have the subject facing the sunlight but make sure she dont squint her eyes due to strong sunlight

#3 i assume you take this shoot underexposed and attempt to brighten up the subject in post processing? i see some sign of editing there which is not good if you leave sign of editing

#4 you left sign of editing, near the shoulder of the model

Yes, some of them taken from Sibu. U from there too??

i'm from sibu but work in kapit

Have you considered other genre of photography since you have just started out? Perhaps you can go out and try landscape? I'm sure there must be many interesting scenes you can take in Sibu (and even sometimes when I live in KL, I would drive far away from town to find something unique to shoot). Interesting things could be anywhere. Perhaps something that can be related to your memories with that place. Or perhaps you can shoot something at Sibu that probably you can share with us the story. That can be a good starting point.

If you want to get a feel on bokeh, then a trusty 50mm is good enough. With only less than RM400, it is a lens of wonders, well to the least, produce a good quality photograph with decent bokeh "feel".

This post has been edited by geekster129: Oct 14 2012, 03:46 PM

like #2

for starters, portrait shoots are very challenging. If you don't have composition skill yet, don't bother with shooting people because they require direction.

Start off with still subjects for example, practice your composition first.

Like shot #2. #1 & #3 a bit dark.

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

This post has been edited by Jason5877: Jan 2 2013, 10:24 PM

I think you over PP the face for your subjects. They looked like they have plastic faces now. I know most will want to have smoother skin but overdoing it makes the subjects look fake.

For example pic 2.6 the skin is overly smooth and feels fake. Plus the eyes feels oversharpened. The 2 combined gives it a little bit of creepy feeling. The composition is fine but I think the post editing kinda spoiled it.

Pic 2.1 I think the tilt does not work. I'm never a fan of tilting photos but this one might as well tilt all the way to 90 degrees. Just feels weird.

Keep it up.

Thx for the comment~ will try to improve more~

2.1 i think tilt too much, and part of her hair is close to pure black, should give some details to the hair

2.6 overdo

2.8 her body proportion look wrong, dont know is caused by the lens or clothing

you smoothen the skin but never whiten the teeth

Updated for Version 2~

PP is an effort to bring back the visual memory at the spot, and sharpen it. Hence when it's going too far, everything looks not compromising and people will think it's an edited photo.

Black - This is being adjusted too much in each photo. The hair even looked like stick together. Try lower it down.

Anyhow, pay less attention on colour and more on composition, as all the sifu previously had said. Trying to break the rule is good but you must understand it before you break it. Buy some portraiture magazine, it helps

IMO. Depth of field abit too shallow. One eye can see, one eye blured out. Both eye can see, but sweet smile blurred out.

If that's not your intention to just show the eye only (which is your subject) then I think you should increase your DOF. Coz she have a sweet smile but it was blurred out from viewers.

My humble opinion. I may be wrong.