Portrait of a pastor

[bigsarg7]

Hi Folks, long time no post. Kids have kept me very busy lately plus i've been busy with my photography. I was recently asked to do a christian Pastors photos for a web site (Sister), I am pretty happy with how they've turned out and I would love to know what you guys thought and if there is anything else I can do to improve either of them.Just worth noting is that it was requested that the images had negative space to the left. I've been looking over loads of the IRC and flip there have been some spectacular images posted since my last visit...... hope everyone is well and keeping busy.

Kristen

[chrisk]

The first is wonderful. The negative space is brilliant. For me there is a tad too much chopped off her body in the second. Really like the idea though.

[zafra52]

I guess the left space needs to be there for
some particular caption. The first photo is
very good, but it pixilates a bit around your
subject and I am assuming that it will not
happen in a larger uncompressed version of
the same.
As far as the second, I tend to agree with the
comment above that we should see more of
the subject. I like how you managed to
capture her pleasant smile, her beautiful eyes
and relaxed posture.

[Mj]

Ok so my 5c worth...
The first image is spot on for what you are after... nice soft shadows and just the right amount of colour variation on the background to keep it from being too flat... and nice relaxed pose from the model.
The second shot doesn't work however. I think you needed some reflection below/left to soften the jawline... that's something not so easy to sort in post.
In post you could look to have her fill the frame more top to bottom and remove the other artifacts (wall?, shadow etc)... unless that all forms some part of the final composition you're not showing us yet?

[bigsarg7]

Thanks guys for the comments, in particular the comments about the second image. I know she personally liked that particular image as it captured her eyes the way she had hoped for a close up. I do have another few images of her similar to that image with a little more body etc. Will go back and have a re look at them and see what I can get from them. The wall however was something she was naturally leaning against, it was literally only a 10cm corner to what purpose it served I had and still have no idea. So the actual white negative space wasn't added in post processing. On zooming in on the 1st image on my screen even at 300% there's no pixelation. It was shrunk for web so maybe the compression has done that zafra. I hope anyway!!

When I walked into her office I noticed the orange feature wall and thought to myself I really like colour and suggested we do some images against it, she was quite hesitant at first as she had always thought it was gastly but she trusted me and my preferences and dropped her shoulder for the pose as awkward as it was it worked and I am personally pleased with that 1st image.

Thanks guys will post another image once completed a little PP just to tidy it up etc.

[Mj]

So with the second image, given your Client has expressed her interest in it, I would do some PP to have her fill the frame vertically and just PP out the shadow edge of the wall.
The main issue I think is that the image just looks unfinished and some simple PP can deal with that.
Don't waste an image that a Client likes on the strength of some silly photogs like us.