any photographers out there?

Question

my dream career is to shoot model portfolios, fashion, glamour. my background is in portraits, I am used to studio lighting and am practicing and experimenting with outdoor photography. I would love any feedback and constructive critique. also any critique on edgy verses portrait improvements
thank you
http://nicksmom.myphotoalbum.com
click main pic then slideshow

thank you all so much for the comments so far, and I appreciate the honesty! I don't take offense or think you are being insensitive or harsh because I want to improve!
yes, I shot this in the middle of the day, I will try the times suggested.
I agree with the angles I tend to revert back to portrait style even when I'm trying to do more interesting composition. I would love any additional advice on not blowing out the sky.
the person who said- the model looked 'sluty' the jeans outfit, I was going for a 'guess ad' sexy look, what could you suggest? her boobs aren't showing but the illusion could be too strong maybe, should I turn her more and have the shirt pulled together more?
the cream dress I was going for a 'victoria secret' look, innocent but sexy, if you perceived 'sluty' I did it wrong lol, would appreciate any suggestions
thank you all!

Answer 1

Wrong time of day. You are shooting in the middle of the day. I can tell by the shadows on the models faces. They have raccoon eyes and there are blown out regions (white "hot spots") that are very distracting. Shoot more toward the end of the day or the beginning, what's known as the "golden hour". You'll have better lighting and no harsh shadows. Unless you want to invest in portable lighting.

As far as posing, I get magazines every now and then, to see what the hottest trends in modeling are. I watch America's next Top Model, to get ideas and practice practice practice! Get hired on as a studio assistant helps too, so you can see it first hand and experience it. You'll get a better idea of what to do.

Also, watch your backgrounds. You must know what is in your frame at all times. Crop in closer and take different angles. Use this format: Full length, head shot, mid shot and some sort of ground shot and that will give you a variety of shots. But don't limit your self to just those, just make sure you get at least one of each!

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

A lot of your black and white photos are very flat. They need more contrast. In a lot of the shots the models are in strange poses that are unnatrual and uncomfortable to look at. Models should be comfortable and they shouldn't try too hard. Your compositions are on the weak side. Most of your images have the person/people directly in the center, and its rather boring. A good photograph should make your eye travel around the whole image. My eye goes to center and doesn't move. Have you thought about shooting at different angles? I also noticed a lot of your skies are completely blown out. You can control this if you are using studio lighting outdoors. I like the image of the couple and the older guy on the back of the train. The only problem is the background. Are you shooting digital? If you are you could do some post production in photoshop and really bump up the colors and contrast in your images. If you are serious about being a glamour photographer you need to find models that look like models for your portfolio. Sorry if I am sounding harsh, but I'm trying to help. All photographers go through hard critiques. That is something we all have to deal with. I do like the direction you are going with the train images. Just work a little more on your composition and lighting!

Answer 3

Please don't take this as insensitive, but there nothing spectacular. You really need to work on lighting. Use more shadow. Don't get me wrong, I love B&W photos, but that won't carry the day. It looks like you have a pretty good eye, so take the time to develop it. It will only come with time, so keep clicking!!

As far as your carear asperations go, the chances of you just getting hired to do what you want to do is slim to none. You should consider taking an internship with an established photopgrapher to learn the business and make connections with industry people. Meeting people will be your biggest help.

Also, I would suggest trying not making all of your "models" look so ...sluty. True beauty dosent come from showing your boobs.

Answer 4

I love your photos. If you need more experience with natural settings, try contacting some of the local photography studios in your area. They are normally looking for help durring the wedding season and you can get some great practice!

Good Luck!

Answer 5

I'm going to college for photography, you have pretty good pics, e-mail me if ya need it!

Answer 6

I emailed you my responce as you requested :)