Flowergirl PhotoShoot / Critiques Please

Hi, I took these with my Pentax K10D, fa 50 and da 18-55 kit lens in conjunction with my Alien Bees strobes. The rest of the set is here: http://kemal.ca/mine//thumbnails.php?album=42














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Hi. The last one is probably the best of the bunch but I think I would have prefered it without the bunch of flowers obscuring the models mouth. Maybe if the flowers had been held lower it would have worked better, or just the girl on her own with the flower in her hair. The others don't really do anything for me.

Steve

Too much distracting background on most of them. with the last two I'm not sure what the main image is about, the girl or the flowers, it just ends up being neither.

There are too many for me. I find it easier to critique one image or to "Help" out on a specific problem area.

But I'll try to offer some general advice...

one area that you could look at is controlling the light.

Bright hotspots draw the eye... good if you're making that area a focal point... not so good if it draws away from the subject.

Have you tried building your shot, by metering, or test shooting each light seperately?

How much planning are you putting into light ratios, and contrast?

Where are your shadows etc.


I'll throw one in here as an example.....





here Iv'e built up the shot, starting with a gridded snoot on my male subject to bring out some ruggedness, and texture in his face, carefully aimed to keep detial in his eyes.

She is lit with a large gridded reflector to give a softer light (but controlled), she is slightly overexposed to blow out some skin blemishes, the brought back on processing to even out her exposure with his.

there is a backlight (softbox) to seperate them from a black wall.

no spill, no odd shadows, or uneven backdrops.

no fancy photoshop work either, just a little burning, and highlight recovery.

While there is room for technical improvement, I like your photos, Kemal. I get a strong sense of character and context from them that I do not from more obviously posed professional studio shots.

So I say take notice of those who offer you technical advice, but don't follow it to such a degree that you loose your own style.

I salute Kemal for avoiding mediocrity.

25/31 I do really like though.

I don't know if I seemed harsh....
but the images posted here just don't work for me.

in the first image,
there are three things that hit me right away, for example:
the red gelled light in the background, see the gel in the second image? it would've worked better on the first image, because of the detialed lace poking through her black dress. The wall behind her her is distracting to me, and there appears to be something drippping off her elbo.
add to that the head position.. a slight turn of the head, (or less contrast on the face) and here eyes wouldn't have to compete with her nose for attention.

the second image:
A slight reposition on the background light, would've eliminated the distracting glare off the tv, and a fill card filled the shadow causing the dark ring under her eyes. a simple "PSST" might've got kitty looking at the camera.

third image:
Don't ever make a womans legs look fat! simple re-pose. ( "Hey Beautiful, kick your left leg up for me!"

fourth image... outtake for me.

fifth image...
even out the light on the background, reposition the flowers so the gapping hole in the boquet, reveals her mouth, and shoot it verticle or square, without cropping off her head.

Some posters seem to critique harder on some individuals and go easier on others. Understandable to critque them based on skill level of poster and be fair, So if Kemal is new, I hope he finds some useful tips in the critique, and takes no offence. But I just saw too many flaws, (in images that have lot's of potential)in these ones.
(If Mr hypothetical had posted these I suspect he would've been torn to shreds.)