Jessica Eldredge
pro member
I personally love this picture, but I'm certain it could be better. The only editing I did was changing the contrast and saturation a little. Any feedback?
-
Please use real names.
Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed
Firstname Lastname
Register
We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know! -
Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!
Sunset Portrait
- Thread starter Jessica Eldredge
- Start date
Edward Bussa
Member
The exposure looks good to me - one way to improve the lighting would be to get the flash off-camera...
The interaction is a little cold. He is interacting with her, She is interacting with the post. I think I'd like her standing up straighter and not turned so much away from him.
I like the picture though too!
The interaction is a little cold. He is interacting with her, She is interacting with the post. I think I'd like her standing up straighter and not turned so much away from him.
I like the picture though too!
Last edited:
Jessica Eldredge
pro member
Ed,
I would agree that the interaction isn't very good in this shot. I'll have to work on that some more. I'm still a little uncomfortable trying to pose people. Thanks for your comments.
I would agree that the interaction isn't very good in this shot. I'll have to work on that some more. I'm still a little uncomfortable trying to pose people. Thanks for your comments.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I personally love this picture, but I'm certain it could be better. The only editing I did was changing the contrast and saturation a little. Any feedback?
Of course one could say that posts shouldn't come out of one's head! However, that is often great since it annoys people who know the rules! Just make sure it's your choice or else you are adding perhaps symbolism of a crucifixion when the sky is behind the person!
The couple are lost in the open space. Our eyes are given conflicting instructions by the lines in the copmposition. There is no comfort here and no security. The over exposed sky on the right magnifies this distrubance. However, the couple are charming and disarmingly unpretentious. They are, I bet really good people. So let's see what we might do, if I can be a little agressive.
- The right side of the image adds nothing. Here we can crop that away with no regrets. This powers up the remainder of the image.
- Cloning in the sky,
- Brightening the figures and an S curve gives them a little punch.
- Making the image square format now puts the image in the Hasselblad, Mamiya C330, Bronica Sq and other memorable film cameras which carry with the shape a whole section of major work by great photographers.
Now we have an image which is wonderfully anchored to the right, as if their relationship has potential. The eye comes from the beautiful natural background to a loving couple, yes, a little awkward, but that adds charm. A real couple not actors and they will cherish this. Two people you'd love to share a pizza and wine with then let them be on their own for gthe rest of the beautiful evening!
Asher
Edward Bussa
Member
The advantage you have in this situation, is you can see how they look. I think most people are open to guidance from their photographer because 1) you are in a position to provide help, and 2) they want to look good.
I would advise to just say what you see! It seems that should go over well when done courteously, no?
I would advise to just say what you see! It seems that should go over well when done courteously, no?
nicolas claris
OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Sorry, for me this is bad crop, she's banging toward a big piece of wall, she has no way to escape, she's jailed.
then the pictures is closed, no, locked, no hopeness this way. And the poor guy seems to have a branch in his back like a sword!
They look trying some Kama Sutra… but they are not unclothed!
I feel very uncomfortable looking at this crop…
then the pictures is closed, no, locked, no hopeness this way. And the poor guy seems to have a branch in his back like a sword!
They look trying some Kama Sutra… but they are not unclothed!
I feel very uncomfortable looking at this crop…
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Well Nicolas,
For a monent with the new election in France I thought that finally the idisynctratic Fech were now going to be much easier to please! Well, not so. Sorry for that!
The "banging" is just your memories playing tricks with you! These nice people are just chilling out.
The right is not closure but anchoring and that is different. The couple are secure. You just look at it in a negative way. I'm a pragmatic optimist. They are not looking to escape and there's nothing negative about the crop.
Whatever is on your mind??
For a monent with the new election in France I thought that finally the idisynctratic Fech were now going to be much easier to please! Well, not so. Sorry for that!
Nicoals Claris said:
The "banging" is just your memories playing tricks with you! These nice people are just chilling out.
Nicolas Claris said:
The right is not closure but anchoring and that is different. The couple are secure. You just look at it in a negative way. I'm a pragmatic optimist. They are not looking to escape and there's nothing negative about the crop.
What demons haunt you? I laready mentioned the rules about blocks of wood coming out of one's head and that we were ignoring all of that, so that branch is silly and not worth mentionng in a casual portrait, unless this is for a commercial advertising campaign when such matters are of course important.Nicolas Claris said:
nicolas Claris said:
Whatever is on your mind??
Nicolas Claris said:
In my humble opinion I think its a picture with great elements and may be the starting point for a little project where you continue to repeat the style of shot with similar lighting and elements but may be play around with the position of these element to see what you get.
I'm definitely no expert but may be as an experiment you could try turning the models so they are looking into the area of interest on the shot (but you still want to see their faces!!) rather than straight at the camera, that way people could imagine what the too models are looking at/thinking about. Also I always like to place major element using the rule of 1/3rds (unless they are very symetrical) and that seems to give a balance to the picture
Also just try the shot again when the sun has got a bit lower so the exposure may be easier to deal with (or can you fit a graduated filter to you camera?).
Isn't it great to capture these moments.
Tim..
I'm definitely no expert but may be as an experiment you could try turning the models so they are looking into the area of interest on the shot (but you still want to see their faces!!) rather than straight at the camera, that way people could imagine what the too models are looking at/thinking about. Also I always like to place major element using the rule of 1/3rds (unless they are very symetrical) and that seems to give a balance to the picture
Also just try the shot again when the sun has got a bit lower so the exposure may be easier to deal with (or can you fit a graduated filter to you camera?).
Isn't it great to capture these moments.
Tim..
Hi Jessica,
Nice fence. Pity the people are blocking the view ;-)
I think whatever you do with that image, unless you get into using the clone tool or similar, will result in bits of wood sticking out of/into the wrong places. The fence is as sharp as the folk, and my eye is drawn into the bright blue sweater/shirt area by the fence lines, their faces are lost in the woodwork. If you like the location, and want to use the wood as a 'prop', then maybe use a shallower depth of field, and stand the folk away from the background. I liked Asher's crop - until Nicolas had his say. Then once you see something, it is difficult 'to get it out of your head'.
If 'tis easy for you, go back, play around, and play some more - all have fun, if the subjects can make the time. They will get some good results. Maybe use the wood to frame the couple's faces, or whatever. Barbed wire is not nice, if you want a 'cuddly picture'.
In my mind post processing (photoshop) is as important as the initial photograph, if the aim is to get a pleasing image.
Best wishes,
Ray
Nice fence. Pity the people are blocking the view ;-)
I think whatever you do with that image, unless you get into using the clone tool or similar, will result in bits of wood sticking out of/into the wrong places. The fence is as sharp as the folk, and my eye is drawn into the bright blue sweater/shirt area by the fence lines, their faces are lost in the woodwork. If you like the location, and want to use the wood as a 'prop', then maybe use a shallower depth of field, and stand the folk away from the background. I liked Asher's crop - until Nicolas had his say. Then once you see something, it is difficult 'to get it out of your head'.
If 'tis easy for you, go back, play around, and play some more - all have fun, if the subjects can make the time. They will get some good results. Maybe use the wood to frame the couple's faces, or whatever. Barbed wire is not nice, if you want a 'cuddly picture'.
In my mind post processing (photoshop) is as important as the initial photograph, if the aim is to get a pleasing image.
Best wishes,
Ray
Well, Asher's crop disturbs me too because the models are facing out from the center of the picture. Sometimes that works, this time it doesn't.
Ray hit the nail on the head -- "Nice fence". That's what got me thinking.
What's this picture about? There at least 3 competing elements -- fence, sunset, people, and I would argue that the electric blue fights everything. And that is quite likely why I didn't' notice the wood growing out of heads the first time I looked at it.
I tend crop my portraits pretty tightly. I want to make sure the print can render color and brightness to the eyes. I also don't like subjects in the center of the crop. Off center is more interesting to me.
Jessica -- it's a nice shot... you are onto something... I think the light is beautiful, so the challenge to me would to take away the competing elements, or at least minimize them.
So heres my 1 minute edit. (Using Nikon Capture NX, and another software package I'm beta testing ). (No clone stamp available)
Aside from the drastic crop, I reduced the saturation of the blue, increased brightness in the faces, and added a blur to bring focus to the faces. As I said, this was a 1 minute edit... but its the artistic direction that I would personally take. (and I went too far on the blur)
(I hate having to crop away the huge number of pixels like this, but they had to go, they were not adding value to the picture.)
Ron
Ray hit the nail on the head -- "Nice fence". That's what got me thinking.
What's this picture about? There at least 3 competing elements -- fence, sunset, people, and I would argue that the electric blue fights everything. And that is quite likely why I didn't' notice the wood growing out of heads the first time I looked at it.
I tend crop my portraits pretty tightly. I want to make sure the print can render color and brightness to the eyes. I also don't like subjects in the center of the crop. Off center is more interesting to me.
Jessica -- it's a nice shot... you are onto something... I think the light is beautiful, so the challenge to me would to take away the competing elements, or at least minimize them.
So heres my 1 minute edit. (Using Nikon Capture NX, and another software package I'm beta testing ). (No clone stamp available)
Aside from the drastic crop, I reduced the saturation of the blue, increased brightness in the faces, and added a blur to bring focus to the faces. As I said, this was a 1 minute edit... but its the artistic direction that I would personally take. (and I went too far on the blur)
(I hate having to crop away the huge number of pixels like this, but they had to go, they were not adding value to the picture.)
Ron
KrisCarnmarker
New member
Some good points have already been made. A agree with Nicolas about Asher's crop. My thoughts where pretty much the same, before I even read his post. It's not only the post on the right, but this in conjunction with the the position and poses of the people. For instance, her right had is in a "pushing" position, like she is trying to push the post away.
Anyway, as been said, the location seems promising. Here's what I would try:
-Wait a little bit longer for the sun to set some more (but get there ahead of time to make some test shots first)
-Assuming there is no disturbing elements to the right of the current shot, I would move about 45 degrees to the left and frame the couple in between the two posts, but keep the posts/couple off-center.
-Get a bit closer
-Use a bit less fill flash
-Use PS to clone out the barbed wire
Anyway, as been said, the location seems promising. Here's what I would try:
-Wait a little bit longer for the sun to set some more (but get there ahead of time to make some test shots first)
-Assuming there is no disturbing elements to the right of the current shot, I would move about 45 degrees to the left and frame the couple in between the two posts, but keep the posts/couple off-center.
-Get a bit closer
-Use a bit less fill flash
-Use PS to clone out the barbed wire