How to click good Portraits

Ankur003

Ankur003

UltraWideLife.com
debarshiroy said:
Details of your experiment set up please :)
Click to expand...
Nothing fancy Deb.
I just cut a white glossy, kitchen blotting paper (used by wife to clean off excessive oil from fried stuff) and stapled it around on camera flash. Good for fewer times use only.
I liked the soft and diffused light affect it produced.
The first picture of this post and this post was shot with DIY diffuser.

Setup looked something like this. (Picture copied from web)

paperdiffuser.jpg


I saw some small plastic like diffuser on ebay and may order it soon (not before i check on a local store)
 
AnupamR

AnupamR

Super User
Thanks for sharing the info Ankur, I will try this during weekend...


Ankur003 said:
Nothing fancy Deb.
I just cut a white glossy, kitchen blotting paper (used by wife to clean off excessive oil from fried stuff) and stapled it around on camera flash. Good for fewer times use only.
I liked the soft and diffused light affect it produced.
The first picture of this post and this post was shot with DIY diffuser.

Setup looked something like this. (Picture copied from web)

View attachment 586497

I saw some small plastic like diffuser on ebay and may order it soon (not before i check on a local store)
Click to expand...
 
hensil

hensil

Guru
Re: How to click good "Portraits"

I'd like to share some examples of bad portraits and good portraits or you can say not so bad portraits.;)

This is an classic example of busy background. There are so many objects in the back ground that your eyes start wondering from one to another. The worst is the bamboo sticking from the head.
_DSC4928.jpg

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON 1 V1
Lens: 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6
Image Date: 2014-12-08 07:18:04 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 110mm (35mm equivalent: 297mm)
Aperture: ƒ/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250)
ISO equiv: 360
Exposure Bias: -0.67 EV
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No
GPS Coordinate: 25° 4′ 16.12″ N, 74° 1′ 19.36″ E
Creator: Henry D'Silva
Copyright: ©2015 henrydsilva
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.6 (Windows)

I consider this as an good portrait or at least not bad. The light and the expression are good.
_DSC4955.jpg

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON 1 V1
Lens: 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6
Image Date: 2014-12-08 07:22:44 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 55.1mm (35mm equivalent: 148mm)
Aperture: ƒ/4.2
Exposure Time: 0.0080 s (1/125)
ISO equiv: 160
Exposure Bias: -0.67 EV
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No
GPS Coordinate: 25° 4′ 13.98″ N, 74° 1′ 27.47″ E
Creator: Henry D'Silva
Copyright: ©2015 henrydsilva
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.6 (Windows)

Henry

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This pictures back ground can be distracting if some one try to figure out whats written on the wall. But what I don't like is the distraction in the right side fore ground.
_DSC4920.jpg


Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON 1 V1
Lens: 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6
Image Date: 2014-12-08 07:17:49 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 110mm (35mm equivalent: 297mm)
Aperture: ƒ/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160)
ISO equiv: 400
Exposure Bias: -0.67 EV
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No
GPS Coordinate: 25° 4′ 16.12″ N, 74° 1′ 19.36″ E
Creator: Henry D'Silva
Copyright: ©2015 henrydsilva
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.6 (Windows)

The same picture when cropped works fine. In fact the back ground works as a design pattern at least for a foreigner who cannot read that text.:)
_DSC4920-NIKON 1 V10001.jpg


Your critics please. I want to know if you have other opinion.
Henry
 
Last edited:
BHOOTER RAJA

BHOOTER RAJA

Chalo .......let's go.
Yet another example of busy background.
Little bit soft too....I find main focus on the right side of the sweater .
 
hensil

hensil

Guru
Re: How to click good "Portraits"

I think this portrait works fine with the selective focus technique.
_HDS2980-NIKON D40001.jpg

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D4
Lens: 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0
Image Date: 2014-12-08 14:17:08 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 50mm (35mm equivalent: 50mm)
Aperture: ƒ/4.0
Exposure Time: 0.010 s (1/100)
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: Yes (Auto, return light detected)
GPS Coordinate: 25° 10′ 40.55″ N, 74° 7′ 46.61″ E
Creator: Henry D'Silva
Copyright: ©2015 henrydsilva
Comment: All Rights Reserved
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.6 (Windows)

However this one is a complete disaster when trying to isolate the back subject. There are quite few reasons this portrait failed. One, the foreground even though out of focus is too large to be ignored. Second, scince I used flash the front subject is more lit, third the color of the turban is also distracting.
_HDS2983-NIKON D40002.jpg

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D4
Lens: 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0
Image Date: 2014-12-08 14:17:33 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 44mm (35mm equivalent: 44mm)
Aperture: ƒ/4.0
Exposure Time: 0.0080 s (1/125)
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: Yes (Auto, return light detected)
GPS Coordinate: 25° 10′ 40.55″ N, 74° 7′ 46.61″ E
Creator: Henry D'Silva
Copyright: ©2015 henrydsilva
Comment: All Rights Reserved
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.6 (Windows)

Henry
 
hensil

hensil

Guru
Re: How to click good "Portraits"

abhinavrakesh said:
How about this Henry .. View attachment 586701
Click to expand...
Hi, The back ground could have been cleaner.
Remember, while shooting portraits one has to be conscious of the back ground also. A little effort by moving little here and there can work wonders. However, it is difficult when shooting candid.
Henry

- - - Updated - - -

BHOOTER RAJA said:
My contribution....
Click to expand...
There are few things that are not working in my opinion.
Never mix lighting (tungsten and flash) it will always be a problem.
The light is flat.
It could be better if the subject was looking at the camera.
Henry
 
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