Portrait Photography September 2009 Sean Reason

Martin's Pick - score and comments

Em

Very nice indeed... Great light and contrast. I probably would have done a little burning to the shine
spots on tooth, eyes and nose (and not told me about it). Image is nice and crisp with good
emphasis on the eyes. It appears she is looking slightly away from the lens, could have been
improved if she was staring through the sensor, or glancing obviously away. This colour is really
good. I am glad you didn't monochrome it. Not that it really detracts, but I might have liked a little less
depth of field to accentuate the eyes. Nailed it Bra. Print it.

Other image notes in order of merit

Ryno - Nicely composed. Probably a little too much flash on the face (we would all love some
studio gear). A real punchy image.

Mum - Nice natural shot with good lighting. Very sharp. I think way too much depth of field.... I
keep looking past the subject to work out what the bloody hell that "thing" is. I also think it may
have been improved if it wasn't so closely cropped portrait wise. Mum will be happy.
Geoff -contoured – Bryan Ferry is it?? Nice colours and good light. I don't like the cropping....

Natures Angel – Trippy. Great DOF really brings out the eyes. Nice job on the desat. Very low
in noise. Again, I think you have cropped too close.

Heres-Geoffrey – Great colours. Sharp too for a slow shutter? Probably too close a crop
again!!

My Beacon - Good job getting Nice light with sun overhead. Good point of view. I would have
definitely cloned out the star picket Bra.

Luv to gang with kind regards

Marty.

Sean's Pick - score and comments

Cathy1

Mate – I see you have had a good go at your shots this month.

Out of all the shots I really think the best Portrait shot (Classic style) would be of Cathy1. You really nailed the composition
and use of the neutral background works really well. It reminds me of a studio shot – & a little cleavage helps balance the
eyes.

With this in mind I feel you didn't need to send the other image titled just Cathy – Its in-superior to this shot.

Jammie: This is my second pick. The way in which he is leaning to one side with the sunglasses on his head with the
relief of the natural background sort of sums up his demeanour as a person at his work. And I guess therefore you have
successfully nailed this shot.

When you compare this to the photo of George – a much different impression is imparted.

Ok other image notes

Libby & William – The angle of the background slides my eyes off the photo and causes enough distraction to
spoil the nice facial expression. Not to sharp?

Libby and Lizzie – Again you were working under difficult lighting conditions I understand that, White balance
adjustment to take blue out of spectrum which removes the pastey skin colour. Dropping both set of eyes to the
one level to balance would have worked better also. They look happy which is great though.

Jaylah – Point of focus not spot on eyes but great composition with the embrace of Mum – perhaps a smile would
have got this over the line with more sharpness.

Eva - I really like this shot mate but you stuffed it with the background! If you would have framed this shot with
Jammie’s background it would have been the money shot. I do love the use of light all the same. The skin tones
are perfect. But what is that in the background an exhaust? And why is it there?

Helen Henk & Allison – White balance adjustment needed, to much cropped - I like the background but the light
creating to much facial shine. More depth of field needed to get focus spot on – difficult with low light I know but
possible with tripod and still subjects.

Carla & Laurie – Similar composition with better use of light, to much cropping of Laurie’s chin – to much noise
grain.

Keep up the good work mate, it looks like you are surrounded by lovely people which is great. Love to the gang bras.

Sean's Submissions

Martin's Submissions

Overall with weighting 7.93 / 10

September 2009
Topic: Portrait
set by Martin

This work is by Sean Reason. It is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence

Relevance to Topic	9
Composition	8
Use of Light	9.5
Wow Factor	8.5
I wish I took this!!!	8

"Mum"

"My Beacon"

"Geoff contoured "

"Ryno"

Overall with weighting 7.93/ 10

Martin's photo notes

Here’s my load for ya. Some notes:

1) Carla and Laurie – Cropped, colours, noise reduction, teeth
whitened

2) Cathy – Colours, teeth and eyes whitened, wrinkles slightly
smoothed, some cloning to background

3) Cathy1 – Colours and levels, shines burned, eyes whitened

4) Eva – Desaturated and softened

5) George1 – Desaturated, cropped, shines burned

6) Helen Henk and Alison – Levels, desaturated, cropped

7) Jammie – Cropped, desaturated

8) Jaylah – cropped

9) Libby and Lizzie – Cropped, levels, teeth whitened

11) Libby and William – Cropped

I hope that lot will keep you going for a while…… Stay famous!!

Relevance to Topic	9
Composition	9
Use of Light	9
Wow Factor	7.8
I wish I took this!!!	7

"Em"

Sean's photo notes

Have been thinking about this month more than usual -
probably due to the arse ripping you gave me.

1) Natures Angel: Cropped - Colour adjustment

2) My Beacon: Image rotation - slight dodge to face

3) Mum: Crop and dodge to glasses

4) Heres Geoffery: Blur to background to remove noise only

5) Geoff contoured: Crop and colour adjustment

6)Em: Cropped and obvious colour adjustment

7) Ryno: Cropped - desat - levels

8) Top visitors: level adjust

Hope you and the family are going great.

Best regards

"Nature's Angel"

"Heres Geoffery"

"Cathy"

"Jammie"

"George1"

"Libby& William"

Next month "Open Creative"

This means that your free of
constraints and I want to see some
experimentation under a creative
umbrella!