My husband's day at a bookstore

[blackrose89]

Yesterday I decided tot ake my husband out for a practice session. Up until recently I have been doing portraits (for free) for other people, and I don't feel like I have really been able to focus on concentrate on the areas I need to learn because I've been learning on the go. My husband is very cooperative and would allow me to do a session without any pressure, I could take me time learning and trying different techniques, lighting, composition etc.

I choose a very simplistic subject matter: My husband reading, it's what he does all day so it's natural to him, it's what he does all day, and I could focus on the areas I need to focus on. I choose this location because it's a pretty clean location with a lot of repeating patterns and lines to help aid with my composition and framing.

So the main problem areas from my previous portraits that I tried to work on yesterday were framing, cluttered background and a desperate need for even lighting/ fill flash. I think I got the lighting pretty spot on and (at least I hope) I think it's an improvement from my other portraits. I tried to have the framing and lines from the ceiling to work to my advantage to frame him. Hope you enjoy

No problem with critique but if you could let me know what I did right, That'd be great too

1.
DSC_0040 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

2.
DSC_0200 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

3.
DSC_0112 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

4.
DSC_0174 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

5.
DSC_0172 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

6.
DSC_0181 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

7.
DSC_0084 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

8.
DSC_0085 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

9.
DSC_0076 by blackrose1981, on Flickr

My husband and I are going out to do this again in a few days, so any tips, things to watch out for or even ideas for next time will be greatly appreciated!

[Sailor Blue]

To me #2 and #5 are the best shots because of the angled body and composition. In both shots, however, you need to blur out the background more to concentrate attention on the main subject. The brightly colored books in the 5th image are also distracting.

In general you need to pay more attention to depth of field to blur out the background.

You make good use of the background leading lines in #3 but you need to darken all the doorway behind your husband in post processing to keep the bright areas from drawing the eye away from him.

[blackrose89]

Thank you

[Rain Lily]

I think as a set, this shows attention to detail and trying to use lines and other compositional aspects to frame your picture and bring attention to the subject. I think you're showing improvement in that aspect - there is a lot to be said about taking your time and setting up a shot carefully before pressing the shutter button, rather than machine gun firing. Kudos to you for that.

Also as a set, I think they are slightly underexposed, because there is detail lost in his hair and in his clothes, especially like in #8.

Just to comment on a couple of them individually, I really really like #2. Compositionally, it's interesting with all the elements in there. There is a clear subject placed according to the rule of thirds and facing into the frame, and there is also interest in the setting and 'props' used - but they don't completely take away that the man is the subject. I like the light on his hair and his shirt as well.

I like #6 also - I think I would have composed it horizontally rather than vertically, and also would have stepped to the right a bit to remove the arch leading out into the sunlight - that brightness is pulling most of the attention from your subject.

My favorite compositionally is #8, although perhaps he's too close to the edge of the frame. But I love the bookshelves as a background and the different lines they add to the image. This one needs more light, though, and a flash or a reflector would have served you well here (see the shadows under his eyebrows?). What were your camera settings for that one?

Hope that was helpful. Keep shooting and posting! This is a great thread.

[patterfr]

Keep shooting,
I think, and not everyone agrees, but if you post one photo people can be a lot more direct and helpful....try it, you might like it.

[blackrose89]

Thanks everyone....

Originally Posted by Rain Lily

IWhat were your camera settings for that one?

.

Aperture f/4.5
Focal length 28 MM
shutter 1/125
ISO 800

It was all helpful. I didn't have much time in the bookstore to really play with the lighting. Don't think I was suppose to be taking photos in there so I had to shoot and run haha! Well tomorrow I will probably heading back out to the same location to apply some of the new practices I learned today. Thanks again everyone.