Some pros. Opinions?

Question

I deleted my post earlier because I felt that the photos weren’t portrayed the way they should be, anyway I was wondering is the first photo better or worse than the second photo. and if If this person can use the second photo in a modeling portfolio?, I know which 1 is my fav. But I want to fan it out and see what the people think, in the second, I only changed the background, smoothed the skin and put a water mark on there, as apposed to the other one which I had done a lot of work(including face alterations & a lesson well learned on fixing photos to much) and still got nothing really out of it, so let me know what you think and tell me how to improve my photography ability…..

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6966/jryebrasmaller1vr9.jpg

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8784/2ndpickb5.jpg

!!!OPPS!!!!! the first photo is suppoesed to be the second one and vise versa, sorry

Answer 1

If the model hopes to get a job as a model, then I wouldn't use either of these in a portfolio. They are both unflattering, both in lighting, capture, and post production.

I had answered your question last night in some detail on the other 7 pictures you had posted. You need to learn about posing, lighting, and post production. Get some beginning photography books, or take a class or two. Then get some books on portrait lighting. You have to learn some basics before you can get edgy and break the rules.

And her skin is too smooth, the contrast is really funky as well, particularly in the second one. (Or is it the first?)

Anyway, keep learning and practicing and try again. The model is pretty, but your present level of photography skill is not doing her justice.

Answer 2

I'm not so much on composition or photography etc etc, but I like to consider myself well versed in Photoshop so I thought I would lend some advice.

There's way too much "smoothed skin" in the pictures, I'm sorry, but it doesn't really look natural. So much so, in my opinion, her head doesn't really look real in the colored picture.

Here's a tutorial on how to Glamorize a photo with PhotoShop that I found very useful:
http://www.eyesontutorials.com/articles/40/1/Glamour-Model

If that doesn't help or you don't have Photoshop, just go to google and type in "Smooth Skin Tutorials for ..." and then put whatever program you're using.

Answer 3

Try doing most of your work with the camera and light and not so much with photoshop. The pictures were bad and your model needs to change her expression.

Go back to the drawing board and start again and when you think you shot some better pictures upload again and let us know.

Remember if you ask others what they think you have to take the good with the bad.

Hope that helps,
Kevin

Answer 4

I am guessing that you missed the lesson on the basics of composition?

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=3275
CGSociety - Phil Straub Composition Tutorial

Answer 5

The black and white one is total crap, WTF kind of expression is that on her face? She looks like she's constipated and trying to take a big dump.

The color one is better, but when you blurred you lost so much detail on the edges of your subject. Go back and retrieve that detail and you could keep it.