Portrait advice

[aerobat]

Here's a portrait with my daughter and I'm looking for advice on lighting and composition.
Gear used is D750 with AF-S 85mm f/1.4 @ f/1.4; 1/640s; ISO 200; no flash.

[Mike G]

Beautiful Daniel, maybe better in portrait mode but that would be a nitpick!

[gryphon1911]

I always ask this question in response to the OP's original question:

Is there something about the image that you feel is "off" or that you want to do better?

As is, for me, it is a beautiful portrait.  As Mike had mentioned, for the subject alone, having the picture in portrait orientation may be a more effective presentation.
Personally, I might find that the lighting is a bit too flat.  I like the background as it is, but I might have introduced a reflector or off camera flash to give the facial features a bit more depth, even slightly.
The blouse is lovely as well, and I really like the pattern and texture of it.  I would have explored possibility of including more of the material - perhaps a 3/4 framing(if it were a top only)  or more(if it is a whole dress).

[MFloyd]

Beautiful model and picture. Composition-wise you should have framed an additional part of the waist. 😊👍🏻


All what is green is acceptable.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Portraits of course have an expected approach, as given by the term 'portrait mode'

However rules are there to be broken, and I for one find this portrait very nice and conveying a relaxed and friendly personality set against a likewise pleasant background.

[elsa hoffmann]

Agree with Mr Floyd. Crop in the wring place. Also  you can improve the image with background editing - but that is a personal choice directly related to what you want to achieve. Beautiful girl

[aerobat]

Many thanks for your comments Mike, Andrew, MFloyd, Bjørn and Elsa.
I'll work more on composition and posing of the model.
Elsa, what do you mean with background editing? I'd like to learn this.

[MFloyd]

This is a good example of a portrait in about similar circumstances as yours https://flic.kr/p/SxpjED

[Erik Lund]

I like it as is! Super


There is no right or wrong, sure you could crop or get closer or further away,,,

[John Geerts]

I agree with Erik, I like it as it now.  Beautiful classical portrait, with good light, and a very matching bokeh.

[armando_m]

+1 on Erick's comment, but I do tend to get closer and keep the landscape orientation

[Woodley Willie]

To me the bokeh is competing with a beautiful portrait, thus somewhat distracting.

[tommiejeep]

Daniel, beautiful daughter and really great image of her.  Not crazy about the background  light sources around her head.  I cannot offer any additional advice since I really only shoot candid portraits and have never really worked much with external light sources.  I am normally not big on full face at a 90 degrees and normally prefer the face to be at an angle but this one works well.  Where possible, I do look for a shooting angle which gives me the best back ground be it birds or people  .  At times I run across great natural light with some possibilities of very good BG but I never know when and seldom have my wife with me.  When we plan a session the light just doesn't cooperate .   My wife has probably 40+ years on your daughter which means I am only allowed to use her favourite lenses (135 2.8 Q being her current favourite and not the Samyang 135 f2 ...  ) .    She likes the 85 1.4D    She also likes 'soft focus' from Nik ... lol
Edit:  I really like the depth to her face, well done.  Many , of my, images from the Oly 75 f1.8 , 45 f1.8, Sony 55 1.8 seem flat/canned(?)

[Akira]

Indeed a beautiful portrait, Daniel!  I can feel a special communication that is only possible between a father and his daughter on different levels.  In this sense, I could hardly find anything to criticize.

However, if you would force me to nitpick (LOL), I would say that the background bokeh feels ever-so-slightly too busy, especially the trunk on the right side and the blurred point light sources around her head.

If I understand correctly, the bokeh of a fast mid-tele lens could become a touch smoother when it is stopped down just a little.  So, maybe I would try another frame with the lens stopped down to, say, f2.0, unless you look for different backgrounds.  Of course, the background will be a bit sharper, but chances could be that it would become a nice "environmental" portrait.

[Airy]

You put the full aperture at a good use
I tend to use that lens at f/2.2 for portraits; call it a fetish since I have not done systematic comparisons. Just memories of keepers shot at that aperture. (Note: With the old 85/1.8 AF-D, sharpness soared at that aperture. There is no such behaviour with the AFS, because it is much better wide open)

Minor edits could be :
- cropping part of the right side a little: about 1/10th of the width but no more, lest she would get short breath (I think MFloyd's recommendation is right, no matter if framed vertically or horizontally)
- getting rid of the green LoCA around the lights in the background; it will look more natural, and slightly less busy.