do you guys like this pose?

[Paul]

This is from a recent shoot I did in Downtown Fargo for a senior Portrait Session. Do you guys like this pose?

I went down about 5 steps below my subject and shot upwards with the sky in the background.

[mmeyer]

I like the composition of the buildings but I don't care for the person being in the shot. I think that the buildings take away from the image you are trying to make.

Also, I know you didn't ask but the lighting looks flat on this shot. You could try bouncing it off the wall or a bounce card.

Hope it helps, I'm no portrait photog so it's just opinion.

[Paul]

Mike, thanks for the lighting suggestion. I was having some flash troubles on this particular session had some shorted out batteries and because I am a moron and pretty much thought new batteries out of the package should automatically work but I guess not. Wasn't able to play as much as I wanted with different flash positions.

As for the Person, He was the composition. Can't really get rid of him, but I could go back and take a shot of just the ally way.

[Steve Foss]

Paul, you specifically asked only about the pose. I like this pose. Nice and relaxed.

[mmeyer]

As for the Person, He was the composition. Can't really get rid of him, but I could go back and take a shot of just the ally way.

Sorry Paul, I guess what I what trying to say was that I thought the buildings were taking away from your subject. My eye wasn't drawn to him, but to the background. Sorry if that's not what you were asking. As far as the pose, I like it also. He looks comfortable and natural.

[JollyT]

I like the pose, but agree on the distracting background. I feel it would be better with a much darker sky. The angle of the shot does add interest though.

[SkunkedAgain]

The pose works well for this photo. My initial thought is that the pose is slightly in contrast to the background, which may have been your focus. I how you went below the person to get the shot. This elongated his body which works well with the background. That being said, his relaxed pose is in contrast to the straight lines of the building. I might have tried multiple poses with the subject straight and then relaxed as you shot it.

The distance between his head and the two building tops is slightly off, skewing the symmetry. A couple of shots from different angles could help as well.

Unsolicited comments:

I like the picture in general. Like others my eye was immediately drawn to the background. You chose a unique (and quite good) location and angle for this shot. For picture enhancement, I'd mimic JollyT and burn the sky a little bit as well as the building wall on the left. Both tend to draw my eye away from the object of your composition.

You might also try playing "the cropping game" with two L-shaped pieces of paper or cardboard. You might find that slimming the photo or taking some of the top out might add a new perspective to the shot.

[MN Shutterbug]

Personally, I would have had the subject keep his hands open, rather than closed. It looks to me too much like it's "forced" relaxation, with his fists closed. His right hand could have been hid behind his left forearm ,and his left hand, gently resting on the post.

[fishinchicks]

As a mom, I would say - put on clean pants with no holes!

I think cropping out the air conditioners above the head would be a good thing. I would also agree that the symmetry could have been better. Right now, with the tilt of his head, along with the placement of the rail, it looks a little off kilter.

I do like the relaxed nature of the pose, and agree with X that the hands being a little more open would make it better.

[Paul]

Thanks for all the comments everyone. It hads some perspectives on things I did not think about. But since I have never considered myself a portraiture producer I think things went ok. You gave me some good ideas to look for next time. Maybe I can move him over a bit and take some open hands from the other shot and replace them. who knows. This is one of those deals you do for a friend for a few bucks to get some experience so I wont be able to spend to much time PP'ing with my actually job being super busy. But again it points me in the write direction and have some new knowledge to work with. Not quite the same at shooting 17mm landscapes or 400 mm birds.

[DeeDee]

As a mom, I would say - put on clean pants with no holes!

lol that was my first thought. I couldnt get past the jeans. But overall I like the shot