first senior portrait

[Wink11]

Hello, this is my first time on this thread. I shot my first senior portraits and need some suggestions on crops. She is a cute girl... I'm having trouble w/ the short sleeves (wide arm) and a larger bust size and long hair. She brought her trumpet along for a prop. The impression she gave me is this is what she wanted to use as her yearbook photo. I have a few samples I would love to share...I'll post one here as the rules state, then maybe I can post the others somewhere else on this thread? Thanks for any suggestions and or critiques. No adjustments have been made.

[Wink11]

oh, I'm looking for 8x10 crops

[tclune]

The only thing that bothers me is the black background -- it gives the gestalt of her as a wallflower, at least to me. A backdrop that had higher contrast to her hair and dress would allow her to stand out instead of "sink in," if that communicates.

[Wink11]

Yes, that does communicate. Thank you soo much. I've used this black once before on a child portrait and find it my safe zone, I can clean it nice w/ burning the shadows. This girl is someone that goes to my church and is a bit shy and classic. I really need to learn how to light white.

This pic is sooc.

[FaithfulPastor]

This is a question, not a suggestion.

As a trumpet player myself, I'd be she's holding a Bach 180s37 Bb trumpet. That's a nice horn (I happen to have one myself). I can't tell if that's a Monette mouthpiece or Bach's version of a gold Monette.

This photo cuts off the bell of the trumpet, but has significant headroom. I know the 2/3's rule, but I wonder if getting the whole trumpet in the photo would make a difference?

I also would try shooting her standing with both hands on the horn. I have read that 135 mm on a full frame camera is starting point for a whole person shot. (90 mm if you're using a 1.5x body).

The extra distance would lessing the bare arm, having her body angled, but with her head turned toward the camera might be a nice shot.

Also, take a look at around for two female trumpet players photos:

http://www.alisonbalsom.com/disco/cd_oct2006.shtml

http://www.tinethinghelseth.com/en/#/photos/

Faithfully Yours,
FP

[Wink11]

Thanks, FP.

I love the links you shared. Wish I would have seen them before my shoot. I'm shooting w/ a Nikon D90 w/ a 24-70mm 2.8, I was at 70mm. This truly was my first time w/ a senior. I dabble in newborn and child portriature, non-studio. I know nothing about posing and felt a bit overwhelmed. I was thinking "head shot" and got trapped there. I did pull back a bit on some of the images and have the whole horn, I'd love some feed back on those. I'm just afraid I shoot too tight and won't get a 8x10 out of them. :/

Where on this fourm can I post the series? The rules on this thread said only 1 shot. I'd love to know how I can improve and refine for the next time.

Thanks
Jen

[VTphotog]

The forum rules tend to be 'strong guidelines', and can be fudged, especially in the case where you have questions on a series of similar shots, and are looking for this kind of advice. Go ahead and post what you think you need to. Where we run into trouble, is when someone posts a dozen or so shots and asks what he can do to improve. That is way to general. Since you have specific questions, it shouldn't be a problem.

brian

[FaithfulPastor]

Wink,

I may be giving you bad advice, maybe a moderator could step in and straighten me up. If I have several shots I want comments on, I post one photo. Then I reply to my message. In my reply I post a second photo. Then I reply to the second photo with a third photo. That way, each photo is a post all by itself. And people can comment upon each photo separately. I think they want to avoid a bunch of photos all on the same post. I could be wrong. Mods?

[Photo 5]

Please post the other wider shots with the whole trumpet. I'd like to see them as well.......

dave

[Wink11]

Thanks everyone for your response. I truly want to improve and this is new territory for me.

FP, I'm attatching a shot w/ a body angle and head turned. My husband said it's still too much arm. I think it's adorable. W/ her head down like this it took away the shadow under her chin and slimmed her body.

I did crop and edit this photo.

What are everyone thoughts on this image? In the next post I'll attatch the pulled back version w/ full trumpet. I think I really struggled w/ those :/

Thanks
Jen