These are really great portraits but as you asked for critique here I go ;): I love the one with the little boy, that one's perfect. The first one could be tiny bit lighter to make out his face better and the one with the woman laughing is very charming but the microphone obscures part of her face. In the last one I would like to see more of a frontal view but it is dynamic.
I wouldn't alter anything about the middle two, yes, the lady's face is partly hidden by the mic, but that's kinda what happens in radio, so I say it works in this instance, showing her at work.
I would perhaps brighten the top one as it just seems a bit dark. I have the same criticism of the bottom on in that the hands are cut off. Obviously there's nothing you can do about it now, but maybe altering the crop would stop it being distracting. I'm not sure how I'd crop it myself, but it might be something to play with.
Hope that helps.
The DOF on these is great - really, these could be very busy, distracting pictures with everything that is on the walls in the background, etc., but you made it work. I would have cropped just a tiny bit more on the red guy and the lady, but I tend to crop pretty tightly anyway, so that might be my own personal preference!
Here's your EXIF data, and some commentary on your shots:
RED DUDE
Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO Speed: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
This shot is a bit blurry, probably because your shutter speed is a little slow. I'd raise your ISO to 200 or 400 so you can get a higher shutter speed. Since you're shooting at ƒ2.8, you might be able to muster 1/200ish, which will drastically improve your sharpness. Also, there's no harm in making him not-so-red in post ;)
LITTLE FELLA
Exposure: 0.0167 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO Speed: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
Same goes here for this little guy. Higher ISO so you can get a faster shutter. As for the content: the most important part of a portrait is arguably the subject's eyes, but you're missing them here. Take a step around your subject so you can see their face.
LAUGHING LADY
Exposure: 0.0667 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/3.2
ISO Speed: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
This is also a bit blurry, but it could be from the slow shutter, or the focus. Her jacket looks pretty sharp, but since she's laughing, it's totally possible that her head is moving, and her body is staying still. Definitely my fave of the shots. It's got most of her face, and she's conveying a lot with her smile. Makes me smile too :D
HAND DUDE
0.0006 sec (1/1600)
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO Speed: 1600
Focal Length: 50 mm
This is EXIF is the total opposite of the rest. You're shooting ISO 1600 with a 1/1600 shutter, but it's still soft, which is making me to believe that you're focusing inaccurately -- especially since the desk/paper is razor sharp, but his face is soft (probably also owed to the ƒ1.8).
Are you using automatic focus? Or are you picking a position manually? I'd suggest mastering the focus selection button by your right thumb, and rolling the wheel with your index finger. It saves lives, and photos.
Overall, my opinion is that you should chosen a different ISO. 100 is too low, 1600 is too high. With an ISO 400 or 800, you could have maintained the ƒ1.8 aperture. But why shoot ƒ1.8? Your shots are pretty wide.
I'd say (and this is just my humble opinion), if you're going to shoot ƒ1.8, get in closer so you take advantage of the DOF and the bokeh. If you're going to keep your distance from the subject, shoot at a higher aperture so you get the sharpness.
With ISO 400 or 800, you would have been able to manage a faster shutter speed (at least somewhere between 1/100 to 1/200), and increased your aperture for sharper shots.
Try shooting Av mode. First, decide which aperture you would like -- Wide open? Closed? Then, pick an ISO that allows you to get a decent shutter speed, and click away!
Also, like @jannaellen said: get in front of your subject! Let's see their eyes! @_@;
@beautifulthing Thank you! The reason I always use such a low aperture is because I work with a crazy old lady who loves to hang cards and pictures and stuff on the walls, and they really do get quite distracting if they're not so out of focus. :)
Interestingly, I am shooting in AV, and the 1600 was a total accident; I'd let a small child play with my camera about 30 minutes before and didn't think to check it. :P But always in the station, if I shoot at 200 my pictures are terribly washed out and awful, and require a ton of PP in order to get them to look alright. And yep, using automatic focus most of the time; the exception is when I'm photographing musicians.
I'll play with it some more during the morning tomorrow and see how things come out - thank you! :)
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I would perhaps brighten the top one as it just seems a bit dark. I have the same criticism of the bottom on in that the hands are cut off. Obviously there's nothing you can do about it now, but maybe altering the crop would stop it being distracting. I'm not sure how I'd crop it myself, but it might be something to play with.
Hope that helps.
RED DUDE
Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO Speed: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
This shot is a bit blurry, probably because your shutter speed is a little slow. I'd raise your ISO to 200 or 400 so you can get a higher shutter speed. Since you're shooting at ƒ2.8, you might be able to muster 1/200ish, which will drastically improve your sharpness. Also, there's no harm in making him not-so-red in post ;)
LITTLE FELLA
Exposure: 0.0167 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO Speed: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
Same goes here for this little guy. Higher ISO so you can get a faster shutter. As for the content: the most important part of a portrait is arguably the subject's eyes, but you're missing them here. Take a step around your subject so you can see their face.
LAUGHING LADY
Exposure: 0.0667 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/3.2
ISO Speed: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
This is also a bit blurry, but it could be from the slow shutter, or the focus. Her jacket looks pretty sharp, but since she's laughing, it's totally possible that her head is moving, and her body is staying still. Definitely my fave of the shots. It's got most of her face, and she's conveying a lot with her smile. Makes me smile too :D
HAND DUDE
0.0006 sec (1/1600)
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO Speed: 1600
Focal Length: 50 mm
This is EXIF is the total opposite of the rest. You're shooting ISO 1600 with a 1/1600 shutter, but it's still soft, which is making me to believe that you're focusing inaccurately -- especially since the desk/paper is razor sharp, but his face is soft (probably also owed to the ƒ1.8).
Are you using automatic focus? Or are you picking a position manually? I'd suggest mastering the focus selection button by your right thumb, and rolling the wheel with your index finger. It saves lives, and photos.
Overall, my opinion is that you should chosen a different ISO. 100 is too low, 1600 is too high. With an ISO 400 or 800, you could have maintained the ƒ1.8 aperture. But why shoot ƒ1.8? Your shots are pretty wide.
I'd say (and this is just my humble opinion), if you're going to shoot ƒ1.8, get in closer so you take advantage of the DOF and the bokeh. If you're going to keep your distance from the subject, shoot at a higher aperture so you get the sharpness.
With ISO 400 or 800, you would have been able to manage a faster shutter speed (at least somewhere between 1/100 to 1/200), and increased your aperture for sharper shots.
Try shooting Av mode. First, decide which aperture you would like -- Wide open? Closed? Then, pick an ISO that allows you to get a decent shutter speed, and click away!
Also, like @jannaellen said: get in front of your subject! Let's see their eyes! @_@;
I hope this helped! Good luck!
@gurry Wow, thank you for all of that!!
Interestingly, I am shooting in AV, and the 1600 was a total accident; I'd let a small child play with my camera about 30 minutes before and didn't think to check it. :P But always in the station, if I shoot at 200 my pictures are terribly washed out and awful, and require a ton of PP in order to get them to look alright. And yep, using automatic focus most of the time; the exception is when I'm photographing musicians.
I'll play with it some more during the morning tomorrow and see how things come out - thank you! :)