First Portrait

Critiques [Translate]

•  
• luckybry (6791)
• [2009-10-22 3:44]
• [+]

hi Dennis for your ist attemp this is a realy good shot i am not a expert at this type of work but the details you have captured are very good not sure bout the blue framing though thinkit clashes to much with your models top just my opinion tfs
regards bryan

•  
• Ejtaan (11411)
• [2009-10-22 4:53]
• [+]

Ashton is a lovely model Dennes and you have captured her well.
The colors are nice and bright and the composition is simple and good.
I'm not a particular fan of this kind of framing, but that's just my personal taste.

For a moment I was wondering if you have been working on this image and in particular in Ashton's skin. It looks amazingly soft and smooth. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I also see it in her eyes and eyes should always be sharp, specially in a portrait.
Did you work on this?? if you did, what software did you use?
With most softwares you are able to make a new layer or a copy layer on top of your original.
You can try that next time. Then work in the layer and erase the parts that need to remain sharp, such as the eyes and hair.

All in all I think this is really a good start!

Cheers,
Anneke

•  
• fransx (8410)
• [2009-10-22 6:24]
• [+]

Hi Dennis,
As a first attempt in portraiture is good!
I just take it that the blurness is a soft filter you used...I like this softness on such a beautiful girl!
I'm not sure of the framing, I would prefer a more classic one or just a margin!
Lighting is just marvelous and the BG is distructing, too many interesting things to look at!
Take another chance with this girl, she's a gorgeous model and very photogenic...this time with a plain BG and just a margin for frame.
Good work as a portrait.
Best regards,

Francis Xavier

•  
• solrac (2307)
• [2009-10-22 7:43]

Retrato muy natural tanto en color como en luz captado con gran naturalidad
Buen trabajo
un saludo

•  
• muhammadtariq (3121)
• [2009-10-22 8:18]
• [+]

Hi Dennis,
I do not know much of portrait photography but at times few portraits force me to write few words.No technicalities only one thing that is its very good looking portrait why???because your model is pretty and you shot this portrait very well.The frame is looking very good to me i do not know what others say.tfs

•  
• horias (3903)
• [2009-10-22 8:22]
• [+]

Dennis
Lovely portrait!
I like the lovely colors of your capture,the back light is great!
Horia

•  
• werdir (2862)
• [2009-10-22 8:42]
• [+]

Hi Dennis,

Good job on your first protrait. Your model is photogenic and the natural lighting works really well. Others have commented on eye sharpness and selection of background, which are excellent suggestions. Did you use a tripod? TFS

Best regards,
Werner

•  
• bri (2367)
• [2009-10-22 12:21]
• [+]

Hi Dennis,
Nece portrait shot, clear, good colours and lighting but I think the frame detracts the eye from your model and such a pretty lass needs all the attention. Good work. TFS
Bri

•  
• rewshearer (20984)
• [2009-10-22 13:35]
• [+]

Hi Dennis

Inevitably in portraiture, personal taste plays a role - not just the frame in this instance, but the application of skin smoothing. It has become more and more prevalent these days, although to me it looks horribly fake and loses the magic and beauty of real skin textures.

That aside, you've used light well, and the slightly-off-centre placement of her face works. It's always worth getting plenty of shots in a portrait shoot, so that you can choose the most natural, most appealing expression and look.

Ashton is a beautiful subject and I'm sure she'll be pleased with the shot.

Rew

•  
• tanburi (37528)
• [2009-10-22 21:27]
• [+]

Hello dennis,
It is a natural posing with a genuine smile on her face. Good eye contact.
But in my opinion, skin texture isn't natural.
Anyway as a first portrait, a good one.
My compliments..
TFS
Selahattin E

•  
• skot (413)
• [2009-10-23 1:21]
• [+]

Hey Dennis,

This is a good portrait. I would say something about the frame, but you deflected that in your note. I've made my opinions about funky frames known in the past and I won't rehash that.

For a first portrait, this is pretty darn good. To me, her arm seems a little awkward, but not uncomfortably so. Hands and arms are tough to compose and I still have a lot to learn myself. I'm really in no position to critique someone else in that regard.

I prefer my portraits more natural, so the skin smoothing is somewhat over the top for me, but that really is a personal decision. Some like it, some don't.

Another personal decision is DOF. While I don't find your background offensive in the least and think you did a good job with it, my preference would have been to pull Ashton away from the background a couple feet to place the rocks and moss outside of your DOF. That would have blurred them and really made your model pop out at us. Again, that's just preference and what you did was fine in its own right.

Good work, keep it up!
skot

•  
• Tanjicka (1580)
• [2009-10-23 3:36]

Hello Dennis,

OK, if I ignore the frame I think this is a very good start for your portrait shots.
This lovely young girl is very photogenic and her pose is very natural and spontaneously.
The lightness is good, but as other critic said, you have to work more on PP work.

Best regards,
Tatjana

•  
• papajoehermit (1431)
• [2009-10-23 19:37]
• - [workshop] [compare] [+]

Dennis, there are so many things that can be done to a portrait. My workshop is only one example. The frame you chose for this one is simply a matter of personal choice. If the girl liked it, enough said. Teenagers have their own personal taste, which doesn't necessarily mean it's not a good one. Overall you did a wonderful job with the available lighting and background. Cheers, JoeGoff

•  
• Jonathan (465)
• [2009-10-25 4:37]
• [+]

Hi Dennis,
I think the frame is a good choice, matching well with the model.Nicely composed with friendly smile and great eye contact.
erwin...

•  
• dilshan74 (2173)
• [2009-10-27 18:27]
• [+]

Beautiful portrait of this girl who has such a gorgeous smile and piercing eyes. The choice of frame actually suits the situation in my opinion and I am not going to be critical of that. In fact what really impresses me about the photo is the lighting you have captured with this POV and composition. The result is not just down to good photographic technique but its your perseverance and effort you made to go out and look for the time, light and place. This is what put this priceless smile on her face and she will treasure this moment for the rest of her life. This photo is from the heart and a great first time portrait-

Well Done!

Warmest Regards,

Dilshan