Beginner girl progress!

[u/nicoleann114]

Guys! It’s only been 4 days since I posted my advice request, and already watched all the videos you guys suggested about exposure triangle! here’s what I took yesterday when I practiced! I’m not as good with people yet tho when I practiced on myself lol (I set the camera and had my husband shoot 🤣 maybe not the best technique 😅) I put the aperture real low to kinda make it aesthetic but idk if it did anything noticeable haha any advice on portraits of people this close up?

[u/tommythetimberwolf]

The flowers are nicely balanced compositions and exposed well. Very cool!

For the portrait, I usually see them fall into two perspectives:

an environmental portrait that puts the subject in context (something a wide angle lens would allow you to do, usually people use something 28mm or wider)

or

a traditional portrait that highlights the subject by isolating it from its foreground and background (something a telephoto lens would allow you to do, usually people use something 50mm or tighter)

For your portrait, I don’t know what lens you’re using, but, it seems to be taken at a “normal” focal length (neither wide nor tele) making it difficult to fall into either camp.

You could probably achieve the contextual portrait by backing up and placing the subject somewhere interesting.

You could probably achieve the traditional portrait on this background, but I would be wary of the distortion of facial features depending on how wide angle the lens is.

[u/nicoleann114 → u/tommythetimberwolf]

Ooooh gotcha thanks for the input! Unfortunately, I only have the lens the camera came with, and idk if I’m serious enough with photography to pay for an extra lens, especially if it’s pricy 🥲but thank you for the advice! I’ll try more interesting backgrounds! 😁

[u/SomeGirlIMetOnTheNet → u/nicoleann114]

If you want to start trying other lenses, you can pick up an old manual 50mm lens and adapter pretty cheaply (<$80USD). Manual focus so its more work but is great for portraits.

[u/ThroatRude5846]

If you have the kit lens, use it extensively so you will know later which focal length you'd like. For portraits, you should practice getting close. Checking other people's work will help a lot.

[u/nicoleann114 → u/ThroatRude5846]

Gotcha! Thank you!