The wife asked for some photos today so I did my best. I'm not a portrait photographer nor is she a model, how did we do?Totally in love with the 50mm 1.2

In this photo shoot and hereafter, she is definitely a model

MartynD2oo wrote:The wife asked for some photos today so I did my best. I'm not a portrait photographer nor is she a model, how did we do?Totally in love with the 50mm 1.2Hi Martyn,As good as the 50 f/1.2S lens is, and as good of a photographer you are (and you're a wonderful photographer!), I'm still going to give your wife most of the credit for the beauty of these imagesThanks for sharing!Best Regards,RBhttp://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges https://www.nikonimages.com/member-photos/532

Then they are great.  It's good to see an image that doesn't look like it's been fingerpainted with something.

Its all about the posing.   When working with a model, you want to pose the model to accentuate features and hide others.  For example in the 1st photo,  having her sit up rather than flat against the chair would thin out her waist area.  Profiles of the body are always more flattering as they conceal wide hips, etc etc.  Get yourself a good posing book to help flatter your models.   I've learned this the HARD WAY!!!  lol

Commenting as non-Pro...I would try gold colored reflector to add some glowing tan light to her.

RBFresno wrote:MartynD2oo wrote:The wife asked for some photos today so I did my best. I'm not a portrait photographer nor is she a model, how did we do?Totally in love with the 50mm 1.2Hi Martyn,As good as the 50 f/1.2S lens is, and as good of a photographer you are (and you're a wonderful photographer!), I'm still going to give your wife most of the credit for the beauty of these imagesThanks for sharing!Best Regards,RBhttp://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges https://www.nikonimages.com/member-photos/532Wow so many compliments in one comment thanks so much! She did excellent I have to agree😀

The open shade light worked well and the lens definitely delivered. You had a good location and great model who made the shoot fun. And it shows in the photos.Besides the suggestions already mentioned by others, mine would be to watch for cropping to avoid fingers coming into the frame out of nowhere.

Great subject- model material.Did the same with my ex-wife years ago:

BGD300V1 wrote:Then they are great. It's good to see an image that doesn't look like it's been fingerpainted with something.She is over the moon with the session. I am set for a few enjoyable days...:-D

MartynD2oo wrote:BGD300V1 wrote:Then they are great. It's good to see an image that doesn't look like it's been fingerpainted with something.She is over the moon with the session. I am set for a few enjoyable days...:-DShe should be pleased, and enjoy the coming days! Great to see what that lens can do wide open.  Did you let the camera focus on her lovely eyes?

Next timeyoudo a shoot perhaps you can do even better – she is about as good as it can getsWhat you leave out can be more relevant sometimes to highest quality images than what you live in - in the 1st shot the plant pot behind her left shoulder would've taken about 10 seconds to move before starting shooting.Longer focal lenses defuse the background more than wider apertures on shorter focal length lenses.As your gear list includes the 200 mm f2 it is should be worth experimenting using this lens option

Leonard Shepherd wrote:... - in the 1st shot the plant pot behind her left shoulder would've taken about 10 seconds to move before starting shooting.I noticed that too. To be honest, even with f/1.2 I found elements of the background rather distracting. I guess it's a matter of personal taste, but I also personally found the cropping (e.g. cut-off elbows, fingers emerging from the sides of the frame) to look very odd in some cases.

MartynD2oo wrote:BGD300V1 wrote:Then they are great. It's good to see an image that doesn't look like it's been fingerpainted with something.She is over the moon with the session. I am set for a few enjoyable days...:-DHappy wife, happy life!

For some reason this thread reminded me this episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hirFhwcyBP0

papajohnny wrote:For some reason this thread reminded me this episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hirFhwcyBP0Don't get it or am i missing something?

whtever lens you take, this is a good example, that other factors (wife, model) count more than equipment...