How to click good Portraits

[AnupamR]

While shooting portrait we come up with frequent questions like where to focus, how to crop and make the picture more presentable, what should be the appropriate settings and obviously which lens to be used etc. etc...

This thread is dedicated to all who are new to this field like me and open for feedback (negative as well)

Please post your portrait images with Exif data and would request experts to comment and help us learn. Thanks!

Camera- Nikon D3100
Lens- 105mm, (35mm equivalent:157mm)
Exposure-1/640s
Aperture-f/5.6
White Balance-Auto

 

[debarshiroy]

Good thread here dada. Will help us learners immensely...

Now about the image looks perfect to me except left part of face bit overexposed...Waiting for other comments.

 

[hensil]

While shooting portrait we come up with frequent questions like where to focus, how to crop and make the picture more presentable, what should be the appropriate settings and obviously which lens to be used etc. etc...

This thread is dedicated to all who are new to this field like me and open for feedback (negative as well)

Please post your portrait images with Exif data and would request experts to comment and help us learn. Thanks!

View attachment 586231

Camera- Nikon D3100
Lens- 105mm, (35mm equivalent:157mm)
Exposure-1/640s
Aperture-f/5.6
White Balance-Auto

To start, the portrait is very good. For me what matters is the subject itself more than any technicality. You have got very good expressions in the picture.
I want to tell you that even though I may be having little more knowledge in photography than you, I am still learning every day. And believe me, I have so much to learn in photography.
Now from my point of view, the light in your picture that is coming from the side is very good for portraits or for any scene. The shadows give a 3D feeling to the picture. (That is why window light is considered to be best lighting for portraits.)
However, the light is bit over exposed. This can be seen in the part of nose, chin & forehead being burnt out. By this I mean the details are lost. Also the right side of the face is very dark. This can be fixed in software by increasing the shadow slider if shot in RAW and reducing the highlights. Therefore, shooting RAW is advantage.
I like the composition. Even though the head is in the center it works with the square format.
Others will also give their opinion.
Henry

 

[Ankur003]

Anupam, This is a beautiful picture. I loved it. Henry has already pointed what could have been better settings...

 

[nishchaya]

It is a very good portrait Anupam. Henry has said it all whatever could be improved. I just loved it ! Very nice.

 

[iamsomnath]

Re: How to click good "Portraits"

In course of shooting portraits I have encountered various difficulties and have had many many more failures than success. As Henry has mentioned, most of my failures have centred around the "subject". In course of time and practice the number of "technical" failures have come down but the biggest challenge still is to capture the "subject", it's character, mood & environment.

In the first portrait which has captured the emotion so beautifully, apart from what the others have mentioned I would nit pick about the following :-

1. I would have preferred a vertical crop of the right side as the right shoulder and negative space there is not adding much and such crop would make the head off-centre.

2. The top of the head is barely touching the top margin. Such placement does not go well. Either keep enough space between head and top margin or go for a lower crop of say around forehead.

3. Noise and artefacts are visible in darker areas as if too much shadow lifting has been done. Would ask for a bit more general sharpness as well.

regards
Somnath

- - - Updated - - -

One from my side. Please feel free to critique harsh

Nikon D610 with 70 - 200 f4. ISO 320, F 4.5, SS 1/1000 sec, focal length 112 mm

 

[nishchaya]

All of a sudden the photography section is getting more interesting with lot of people pouring in with their views. Wonderful learning opportunities for most of us. I am showing the audacity to critique your picture Somnath, please feel free to ignore if it seems absurd.
Couple of nits:

1. To me it seems like a candid portrait and if that was your intention then you've captured it pretty well. Otherwise I would've wanted the subject(s) to be looking towards the camera.

2. Second thing that has caught my attention is the crop. I would've liked the complete fingers. I would also like the complete right shoulder with little space towards the left of the frame.

I couldn't find much that I didn't like in this picture. The exposure is perfect with the natural light and the subjects are in sharp focus. The DOF is exactly as per my liking.

 

[debarshiroy]

Some great tips here..immensely helpful thread it is. Posting one for harsh feedback..

I think missed the chin here..

 

[iamsomnath]

Yes, it was a candid one and I actually did NOT want them to look to camera. They were looking at another camera in the hands of my daughter . The point about finger is absolutely spot on.

One more thing I am not satisfied about is the exposure of "white" part of the striped shirt. It could have been better IMO, details have been lost there. That is the beauty of critique. The flaws come out.
Nothing is more helpful than serious critique.

Cheers

 

[nishchaya]

Oh yeah, I just realized the white stripes, they are just a tad overexposed.

Debarshi, your subject is so beautiful that I'd refrain from commenting but you missed the chin for sure