1st Senior portraits

[horseluvr]

I really had fun doing this, wasn't sure if I'd like it.
C&C always appreciated! Thanks for looking.

[kenwae]

A very nice set...

[Benji]

Some general comments about posing and some specific comments about your images.

When your subject is a female and she has a few extra pounds one thing she does NOT want to see in her images is any "extra" weight! The camera tends to "add" ten pounds, so we image makers MUST be able to subtract 10 pounds right from the git go, then if we can slenderize her even more all the better!!! So how do we slenderize? First of all no square on to the camera poses (see # 1.) Square on poses make anyone look wide. Anything that is wide is usually also considered to be heavy. Things that are thought of as being heavy are usually thought of as being (dare I say it.....fat.)

Flat lighting. Lighting that is flat makes the face look wide. See above comments about wide things!!

"Pose" the hair! You pose the subject so her hair should likewise be posed. Don't just let it do its own thing because it will look unkept and just generally bad.

Seated poses tend to squash any extra pounds the subject may have into rolls around the midsection and thighs, especially if they slump over (like in pose 3 and 4.) Standing poses allow the extra bulk of the subject to arrange itself over the entire length of the subject.

If you want to seat the subject have them "sit tall" which will do several things. She will look more alert, she will gain two or three inches in height and stretching out the tummy and torso gives that roll around the tummy somewhere else to go. She will lose 10 pounds around her midsection and it will make her breasts look larger and fuller. Most people know that sitting up makes them look slimmer, they just don't know how much slimmer they will look. Use this to your advantage by "helping" her to lose a few more pounds in Photoshop.

Never allow the subject to hunch up her shoulders as it will make them look wider (image #2)
and hunching them up makes her lose her neck.

Reclining "comfy" and or relaxed poses will make a plump subject look even more plump (#3.)

I'm guessing in image # 2 you shaved off her roll around her tummy? If so it looks good!!!

Fists look good on prize fighters and football players. Open flowing hands look good on beautiful women like this young lady.

"Liquify" in Photoshop does wonders on those plump cheeks!!! (See below.)

She is exceptionally beautiful and the lighting while flat is a nice flat!!!! All in all I think she will be happy with these.

Benji

[jc77]

I think they're beautiful, and Benji your comments were very helpful. I learned a few things here

[horseluvr]

Originally Posted by Benji

Flat lighting. Lighting that is flat makes the face look wide. See above comments about wide things!!


Benji

How could I have avoided flat lighting? I was shooting in the late afternoon, and using a reflector. I tried to have her in the shade. Should I have had the sun coming from a different angle?

Thank you Benji for all your helpful hints. I wasn't sure how to help slenderize her and the hair, lol, wasn't sure what to do with it!

I didn't "shave" off any tummy roll in image 2, I actually did on another pose that I didn't post here.

Now I really want to take her photo again, and try all your suggestions! She was really happy with them at first, but she's told her Mom that she looks fat. Her parents love them, but I want to make her happier!

[k9ofkaos]

I was going to suggest not posing her straight on, but Benji knows a lot more than me and he covered everything.

A beautiful girl and I think you are in the ballpark!!

[Benji]

Originally Posted by horseluvr

How could I have avoided flat lighting? I was shooting in the late afternoon, and using a reflector. I tried to have her in the shade. Should I have had the sun coming from a different angle?

Instead of a reflector use a black light absorber. See this posting of mine Subtractive Lighting which will give you the idea of what I'm talking about. The closer you have the absorber to the subject and the larger it is the more light it will absorb and the darker the shadows will be. My absorber is 4 x 4. An 8 x 4 would work even better. Always have the shadow side of the face closest to the camera for maximum slenderizing effect.

My absorber is home made out of a 4 x 8 sheet of builders styrofoam cut in half. Shouldn't have cut it!

Benji

[illini309]

I think she will be happy! Good Job! Thanks Benji

[Gna]

Shame those images are disfigured by that watermark.

[horseluvr]

Originally Posted by Gna

Shame those images are disfigured by that watermark.

Yea, I know... These were already on Facebook and I didn't want to have to upload the ones without watermarks just to post here. I figured just for C&C purposes, one could look past those.
There aren't any watermarks on my maternity set, if you want to have a look at those.

[gaopa2]

You have a very pretty subject and while there are things that could be done to improve the images as suggested by Benji, they are still nice photos. Cheers, Bill P.