Topic: struggling with a client portrait. (Read 6942 times)

jareddimartine · « **on:** December 29, 2008, 05:03:43 pm »

Hey guys...

I'm working on a website corporate portrait for a small business owner, and I can't figure out why i'm struggling on these images so much.

The client chose the image, and to be honest it wasn't one of my favorites in the group, but if you would, please have a look and give me some feedback.

thanks!

paulbk · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2008, 06:32:47 pm »

Applied Shadows/Highlight with a radial gradient centered over her right eye running to black in the lower right corner. Then a little local contrast boost.
I think my version has a little too much punch. It needs softening.
p

Wolfman · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2008, 07:01:41 pm »

Quote from: jareddimartine

Hey guys...

I'm working on a website corporate portrait for a small business owner, and I can't figure out why i'm struggling on these images so much.

The client chose the image, and to be honest it wasn't one of my favorites in the group, but if you would, please have a look and give me some feedback.

thanks!

I did something similar to paulbk. I used the adjustment brush in CS4 camera raw and lightened the right side.

Tim Lookingbill · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2008, 08:58:53 pm »

Just a curve fix to give less harsh light on the face at the same time add contrast definition and contrast to shadows.

[attachment=10602:jessportraitLLFix.jpg]

citizenjoe · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2008, 09:14:49 pm »

Could it be that the colour of the back ground has nothing to do with her or what she'd wearing?

Cheers,
Hugh

Tim Lookingbill · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2008, 09:24:43 pm »

And this one has a bit more softbox feel to it.

[attachment=10603:jessport...essHarsh.jpg]

jareddimartine · « **Reply #6 on:** December 29, 2008, 09:59:32 pm »

You guys are awesome. I appreciate all of the retouches. The background color definitely has to go, no doubt about it. Any suggestions on colors? I'm pretty sure I can use a hue/saturation layer to change the color and perhaps throw a vignette or gradient on it to knock it down a bit.

Overall impressions of the shot?

Arminw · « **Reply #7 on:** December 29, 2008, 10:02:16 pm »

Allow me to add my 50c to it as well . I think dont like the skin color it's a bit to red for me so I desaturated it and also the background could do with some texture ... see what I have done !

Armin

Tim Lookingbill · « **Reply #8 on:** December 29, 2008, 10:08:53 pm »

Overall impression of the shot is that the lighting is too harsh.

Her appearance reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry's girlfriend had two looks according to the type of lighting they met under, one that made her look beautiful (soft light) and the other that accentuated acne, crow's feet, smile lines and bags under her eye's (harsh light).

I think the color of her skin looks great, but the blue background does have to go.

dchew · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2008, 07:57:40 am »

Quote from: jareddimartine

Any suggestions on colors?

I like John's use of a neutral gray. I think the green blouse would be tough to compliment.

Dave Chew

jareddimartine · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2008, 11:11:29 am »

I redid it from scratch this morning, taking in all of your advice. I do appreciate it!

Feedback?

JDClements · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2008, 03:28:02 pm »

After viewing the first photo, I was going to say too bad you can't alter that slightly silly bemused expression she has. But looking at your last photo above, it seems you have done just that. I think the difference in the two is amazing.

Wolfman · « **Reply #12 on:** December 30, 2008, 03:46:29 pm »

I lowered the contrast, took out a little red and made a softer background.

Pete JF · « **Reply #13 on:** December 30, 2008, 04:31:16 pm »

Here's a shot at it. The thinness of the tonality was bugging me in this pic. I think it needs a grounding in the darker tones and the lighting looks a bit chalky to me too. Started getting some banding after messing with the file..online jpegedness.

Anyhow..my suggestion.

[attachment=10620:jessportraitnewv1.jpg]

paulbk · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2008, 07:25:43 pm »

I like Pete JF's version. The varied texture and tone in the background help.. a lot! Also, his skin tone and contrast work well. Did you add the rose color to the apple of her cheeks?
Good job..... Pete.
p

dalethorn · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:05:31 am »

Strange though it may seem, the rotation forward seems to have accentuated the smile, making it more like a smirk. I'd go with the original perspective.

Geoff Wittig · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:47:22 am »

Quote from: jareddimartine

I redid it from scratch this morning, taking in all of your advice. I do appreciate it!

Feedback?

Call me crazy, but what does the client want? I mean, generally for business portraits people want to be seen as professional, powerful, competent, in command or whatever. The dramatic lighting in the first version seems to carry that vibe, so it may be just what the client desires. You also need to match any color scheme to the website, so the background may be decided for you ahead of time. Finally, what size is the image going to be on the website? It's not worth struggling over it too much if it's only running 2x3" or so.

mistybreeze · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2008, 11:59:13 am »

Quote from: Geoff Wittig

Call me crazy, but what does the client want?

I'm sure she doesn't appreciate being the subject of a Photoshop lesson on a very popular site for photographers.

There are too many problems in this image to "fix" it. I would invite her back for a re-shoot and blame the first on a bad day. Then, light her properly, dress her properly, hire a better hairdresser, and find a talented art director to make it all come together. After all that, watch her mouth, watch her eyebrows, and watch her body language. One has to ask, where was the photographer when this photo was taken?

jareddimartine · « **Reply #18 on:** January 01, 2009, 06:38:57 pm »

Quote from: mistybreeze

I'm sure she doesn't appreciate being the subject of a Photoshop lesson on a very popular site for photographers.

There are too many problems in this image to "fix" it. I would invite her back for a re-shoot and blame the first on a bad day. Then, light her properly, dress her properly, hire a better hairdresser, and find a talented art director to make it all come together. After all that, watch her mouth, watch her eyebrows, and watch her body language. One has to ask, where was the photographer when this photo was taken?

thanks for the post Misty!

Unfortunately, the clients budget doesn't allow for such indulgences as art directors and hair/makeup artists. Which is why she hired me, a still learning college student...

This image is the shot that she CHOSE out of the 70 portraits we took that day. Others had different outfits, poses, better expressions and better lighting, etc. I suppose the biggest mistake I made here was not editing the shots down to the ones I felt were competently done, and giving her the opportunity to choose one that has a number of rather difficult challenges.

With that said, I'm not sure I was actually asking for your opinion on what I should have done while at the shoot, but rather how I could best make THIS image usable for the client. If you have any input on that, i'd love to hear it as you appear to be someone familiar with corporate headshots, and thus your views here could be beneficial.

FWIW, here is another image from the series, and is one that I MUCH prefer to the one chosen.

JDClements · « **Reply #19 on:** January 01, 2009, 07:03:02 pm »

The difference is like night and day. Most people are not good judges of pictures of themselves.

Author Topic: struggling with a client portrait. (Read 6942 times)

dalethorn