I'm 17 and I've been taking pictures for several months. I finally got a 50mm lens and this is one of my first portraits as a result. Is it any good?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marisarenee/4952038379/
By the way, this is not a picture of me, it's a picture I took of someone else.
Ara57
Favorite Answer
You will enjoy the capabilities of your 50mm lens as you continue working with it.
I like the setting, color and light in the shot, and the model is pretty. (I love her red hair!) That is not a very attractive picture of her, though. Her look is dis-interested, and her pose is not very good. She looks tense and uncomfortable. She is skinny, so you got away with her facing the lens squarely. Most people need to turn their bodies at an angle. Hands are hard to know what to do with in a photo. Do some research on posing, and you should find some pointers on what to do with hands to make them look natural. Three quarter portraits take some work and practice to get right, they are harder than full length or close-ups. Be careful not to crop through a joint (you didn't) Another thing is the tilt. I know a lot of young and beginner photographers (and a few who should know better) do a lot of skewed horizons as it is trendy and they are trying to look "artistic". You have a lot of tilt throughout your photostream. Honestly, almost any image will look and feel better straight, not to mention framing and hanging on the wall.. Tilt can be an effective technique if used sparingly, and **very** seldom. Overuse tends to make me think the photographer lacks knowledge of good composition. Finally, think about how much DoF you want. Some portraits are fine with more in focus. Often you will want the background out of focus so it won't compete with the subject. Practice using large apertures on the nifty fifty to get those pleasant soft backgrounds. Be careful of the focus using narrow DoF, be sure to put the focal point on the eyes.
Continue to practice and make a point to learn some more basics about photography, portraiture in particular if you have an interest in it. There are lots of books and DVDs on the subject. You have made a beginning, so keep improving your skill as you go. Best wishes and happy shooting.
thephotographer
Not really...
What's with the slanted angle? The background doesn't really work with the photo either, it'd be better if it was just the red building behind her, without any of the black on the right. I felt you could've have gone closer and use a larger aperture as well, to blur the background.
ocularnervosa
Yes, a good light balance and nice background contrast and inframement of your subject. Just don't get to carried away with the tilted angle bit.
Forlorn Hope
nope, not really...
there are too many confusing parts to the shot...
what is the f~stop on the 50mm lens??? because there is almost no bokeh (the background isn't blurred as much as i would expect)...
and because the "subject" isn't isolated in the pic, that causes problems...
?
It's tilted, for one. Horizons should be straight.
Her hand has turned into a claw, for seconds. And third, she looks drugged out of her mind.
But, it has nice colors. I'd say, reshoot, working on the angle and the models pose.