DPC Mentorship - Portrait - DPChallenge Forums

07/28/2005 05:08:39 PM · #226

I, for one, can say the I've gained quite a bit of information from this group already and it's only the second assignment. I think my main reasons for being here were to learn more about good (interesting) composition and processing techniques to really "finish off" a portrait. I fumble my way around PS and can usually come out with something I like, but I really need to come up with more of a process. I have a hard time remembering how I processed a shot so that I can keep it consistent with others. Not so much a problem now, but if I ever actually go through with trying to do a little portrait business on the side, I'll really need to come up with a more uniform post processing ritual. Lighting is another thing that I'd like to learn more about.

I think the feedback you guys have given has been most helpful and Kevin's step by step PS tutorials have been great. I'm a visual person so "seeing it" helps it sink in more for me then reading about it in a book. And Sher's re-edits really help to show things that may have been missed or done differently. Glen is always ontop of things with keeping the thread moving and providing helpful info and instructions (except when he words his posts wrong) ;-P So to sum it up, here are some things I'd like to learn more about:
-Post processing routines
-Interesting compositions
-finding the right light
-Dynamic B&W processing

Thanks again guys and everyone in the group. I'm learning lots by seeing what everyone is doing. :-)

Nitin

07/28/2005 05:24:35 PM · #227

, see next post.

Message edited by author 2005-07-29 12:04:55.

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

07/28/2005 05:40:00 PM · #228

i haven't been here for very long, but i think this is a really good program to help the casual portrait photographer. like you said, there's a lot of fields in portrait photography, you got classic portraits which most DPCers do, fashion, glamour, conceptual/emotive stuff like what joey lawrence does, etc. but again, no mentor could cover them all, so in other words, what you've done already has exceeded my expectations, artyste

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

07/28/2005 10:15:46 PM · #229

Originally posted by vfwlkr:

bump - any comments would be appreciated.
Originally posted by vfwlkr:
I finally got off my laziness for assignments 1 and 2:

those are nice headshots but they don't convey to me an idea about your subjects' personality. your focus is good but the light background shows some vignetting around the edges and it could be a little brighter. you should try mixing up your poses a bit...show a little more of your subject. also, try shooting some shots in portrait orientation instead of landscape orientation. next time, take your models outside and make use of the natural light. browse through some of the portraits here on DPC or other portrait sites and look at how the photos are composed.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

07/28/2005 10:24:23 PM · #230

art-inept: i agree with Arty about the slight tilt and the blown lighting. shooting in midday sun can make it hard to get a balance of light. try metering somewhere in the middle of the bright and dark.

this is where i have to part company with Arty, though...i love the pose and the mood in this shot. i don't read weariness but more aloofness (lol...is that a word?). glamour/fashion models always seem to have a bit of arrogance and i think your model is projecting that (in a good way). your slightly lower perspective accentuates the mood.

Arty is completely correct about the interaction between model and photographer, though. the photographer should be in control of the mood and emotions he/she wants from the model.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

07/28/2005 10:53:36 PM · #231

ok...i think i've commented on everyone's photos. if i've missed anyone, please let me know. i'd like for all of you to read all the comments left on all the photos, not just your own. be sure to post any questions you might have.

here's some photos i took this past weekend. (and a couple from my portfolio that shows more my style of composition). give me your suggestions and critiques, please. how would you have shot or processed these differently?

from this weekend:

portfolio:

Message edited by author 2005-07-28 22:53:58.

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

07/28/2005 11:47:29 PM · #232

Originally posted by sher9204:

thanks Sher, i agree with both of you. i tried to get that arrogant look, but the thing is, these models aren't just models, they're my friends and stuff from school. so i've never actually said the word "arrogant" when describing a look. but i try to make faces for them to copy. but it's tough, maybe im not good at making those faces :P. im still working on it though.

and, is it just me, or do fashion models have two looks: the closed tight mouth and the puff-a-cigarette open mouth look? i find it hard to communicate my ideas to my models. also i've found that it's not really the mouth that shows the expression, it's the eyes/eyebrows. but im trying really hard.

oh and Artyste, i tried what you said about talking to the model freely to relax her up. and it worked! it made things so much easier. thanks Sher and Artyste.

Nitin

07/29/2005 11:48:24 AM · #233

Originally posted by sher9204:

Thanks Sher. Actually, the first three were taken outside.. it was quite foggy at the beach and hence the light background.

Nitin

07/29/2005 11:54:04 AM · #234

Artyste asked (via PM) that I use only one photograph per assignment, so I'll pick these:
#1

This was a candid. I cant place my finger on what inspired me to use this composition, but just happened to like how it turned out. Post processing was minimal - slight levels and sharpening.

#2

This pose was chosen by the models, they wanted something like this. Again, minimal post processing.

08/02/2005 02:40:31 AM · #235

Assignment #3 will be posted soon, but I was really hoping that we'd get more than 2 or 3 of you responding on the feedback request.

I was gone for the weekend, and was busy.. Sher's been busy as well, but we'd like to move on. Please, if you haven't done so, give us feedback on how we're doing so far, what you'd like to see for the future, and where you'd like to be by the time we're finished.

There are more than 3 of you out there!

08/02/2005 12:24:26 PM · #236

bump for daytime.

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II

08/02/2005 02:32:52 PM · #237

I think you and sher are doing a great job. I love that Im getting a more one on one kind of "training" if u will. I have already learned more than i thought i would. My goal for portraiture is just to make my portraits more professional looking with both my poses and processing and I am getting help in both of thoes ares in this group. Im still working on having enough light without getting too much(blown highlights) so i was over compensating with my exposure. I havent really been able to get my daughter to go out for a portrait session as it has been ungodly hot here for a few weeks with very little cooling off in the evenings. I still have intentions of trying different exposures and aps...just need the weather to cooperate with me just a little. :o)
I think the progress is going a little bit slow(assigment wise) but i totaly understand that everyone here has a life outside of DPC as do I. I too have been seriously busy with getting my girls ready to return back to school on aug 10. Keep up the great work!

debitipton

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

08/02/2005 07:09:55 PM · #238

Originally posted by Artyste:

Assignment #3 will be posted soon, but I was really hoping that we'd get more than 2 or 3 of you responding on the feedback request. There are more than 3 of you out there!

Sorry - Missed this post and the bump, plus I've been busy here as well. Can't wait for the kids to go back to school....(heavy sigh)

I think you and Shar are doing a great job. I'm anxious to move on to the next assignment. I'd like to suggest we begin a new thread for upcoming assignments. (DPC Mentorship-Portraits-Assignment#3 for example) This way we can keep the length of the threads down and it will contain the information for that assignment. That way if I need to look back at how something was done I can go to that specific thread.

Artyste - Thanks you for the information on adjusting the photo of Spencer. I have yet to find the time to try it. I'm thinking of giving up sleep until I catch up on these wedding photos. Being busy is a good thing -- right?

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

08/03/2005 01:08:44 AM · #239

hi y'all :) everyone is doing such a great job so far and i hope you're all still enjoying this program. if there is anything we're doing or not doing that you have questions about, let us know! suggestions are always welcome!

debi: i think they want us to keep our forum posts confined to this thread since there are so many groups.

Assignment #3

Arty and I were browsing through this website a few days ago and we both fell in love with this photographer's work.

Jinky Art

Using what you've learned so far, attempt to take a portrait in the style of this photographer. Pay attention to the composition and lighting. Your model need not be the same age or gender, but try to stay as close to the overall feel as possible.

Try to get your photos submitted by Saturday night. Once your photographs are in, we'll discuss similarities and differences between your shots, and the chosen photograph.

Sound like fun?

08/03/2005 01:40:21 AM · #240

I love love love JinkyArt!!!!!!!! I've had them marked in my favorites forever. They are what I aspire to be (hey, a girl can dream) :-)

*Jen does a little happy dance*

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

08/03/2005 01:46:48 AM · #241

Originally posted by jenesis:

I love love love JinkyArt!!!!!!!! I've had them marked in my favorites forever. They are what I aspire to be (hey, a girl can dream) :-)

*Jen does a little happy dance*

yay! aren't they the most amazing portraits?!?! :)

08/03/2005 01:48:55 AM · #242

The most!! ;-P

ergo

08/03/2005 08:21:37 AM · #243

Assignment 3 -- Jinky Art

What struck me the most about the photographs in the Jinky Art website was the strongly emphasized lighting. There was a consistent approach to get highlights that are blown, or almost blown, to strongly contrast against shadowed areas. In some of the images, like this one, the whole background was blown to bring a lot of attention to the subject.
This image shows a series of images that I thought could be related to the one I ended up shooting for this assignment. I liked how my subjects weren't both looking at the camera, and how there is something that to me seemed like an individual and private story being shared by the subjects, and not necessarily by the photographer or the viewer.

I shot my image in strong afternoon light, outdoors. The light came in from the right side of the frame. Settings:
Canon EOS 20D, with Canon EF 70-200 L IS lens at 70mm. Aperture at f/2.8, ISO at 100 and shutter speed at 1/125. Metering was at partial mode, with OK (the boy)'s face being the spot.

Processing:
1. Conversion to greyscale and quadtoning, then back to RGB, and crop
2. Brightness/contrast layer at +15 brightness and +20 contrast
3. Curves and Levels layers
4. Hue/saturation layer with saturation set to -100, and the layer faded back to 75%
5. Slight channel mixer adjustments
6. Resize, USM, saved for web

As far as I know it, all these steps are legal under DPC's basic-edit rules.

Message edited by author 2005-08-03 12:00:01.

08/03/2005 11:36:54 AM · #244

Regarding Assignment 3: Please don't forget to attach with your photograph the reason you chose the one you did, the link to the specific photograph, and how you went about trying to achieve that look. Please include your camera settings!

08/03/2005 03:04:33 PM · #245

Quick question, is it alright to go ahead and post our original and edited at the same time and then get advice on what to do differently from there? Might save some space in the thread... if not, no big deal. Just thought I'd ask. :-)

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

08/03/2005 03:11:51 PM · #246

Originally posted by jenesis:

Oh, sorry, for this one it's fine to just go ahead and post your edited photo :)

irishempress

Nikon D200

08/03/2005 08:03:22 PM · #247

ASSIGNMENT 3:

Hi Everyone! Sher and Glen...you guys rock! that website is incredible -- i, too, wanna be like jinky art!!! What an inspiring website. I saw this image, which reminded me of my little guy, so I tried as best I could to replicate it (we've had a sniffly baby all week, so he has been all buggy and not very photogentic -- if you know what i mean). Jinky Art Image of Toddler Boy

Here is My interpretation:

This was taken in the late afternoon sun/shade (about 6 p.m. here). Nikon D70, 18-70 mm lens, 29mm, aperture priority, f/4.0, 200 ISO, 1/100, no flash. I'm waiting to get a 50 mm/1.8 lense...can't wait!

BTW...the cowboy hat was not staged...Max HAD to wear that out on our walk. It worked out because i think he really needs a haircut.

My edits were:
1. slight crop (there seemed to be something on my lense, which i didn't notice until half way through shooting)
2. adjust curves
3. slightly adjust brightness and contrast
4. I did use the band aid feature to erase a small scratch on Max's cheek)
5. resize and USM.

I really wish i could erase the boogs in his nose -- he wouldn't let me get them out before the shoot.

Thanks again, guys! It feels good to be caught up with everyone else!!!

Message edited by author 2005-08-03 20:04:37.

08/03/2005 11:51:58 PM · #248

ASSIGNMENT 3:

alright, here was my inspiration photo (loosely interpreted) boy in grass. The thing I love about Jinky (besides just their amazing greatness) is the way they get the colors to really pop without being oversaturated or fake looking. My biggest problem is getting my colors to look true and bright. Jinky pictures are just so real and natural looking. Someday, I'm bound and determined to get it right.

Here's what I think is wrong with my photo. I cut off his hand and a liiiittle bit of some toes, the collar is blown out, the colors are not quite right (too red??) and I think it might be overall a little too bright. I noticed the skin of the jinky models (the cutest kids ever!) are usually quite bright without being blown out... how do they do this?? I couldn't get it for the life of me. This is a close as I could come. Anyhoo, I've rambled on too long.... I again had two or three that were hard to choose from and I have one that was probably technically better but this one hit the inspiration photo pretty closely so I went with it.

Message edited by author 2005-08-03 23:52:42.