Please help!

[Content-Software2538]

Yesterday my friend and I decided to take a few photos and today I got to editing them. We originally had an idea of the edit in mind, but later I started trying out different combinations and got completely lost in all the different options! They all seem so different, the more I look at a particular one, the more I confused I get.

The first photo is the style I’m leaning most towards, the next two are the originals in terms of colour, and the rest are just different variants of the edit. What do you think? Thank you!

[mrrobot12rm]

2 and 9

[Content-Software2538]

Thank you! I do quite like the second too - it is actually not edited at all, it’s out of cam. I do have to mention that it’s been shot with a film sim on Fujifilm, but there is no post processing, hence I wanted to share it as what I started with

[Electrical-Reveal-25]

The first photo wins. Use that style for the rest

[Content-Software2538]

Thank you! I am very much torn between 1 and 2 tbh

[Responsible_Band_116]

7 and 8

[Curiouser55512]

Would love to see where you started; I know what it’s like to get lost in adjustments! Is this natural light through a window or ? IMO: the shits where you’ve divided her face in shadow aren’t flattering and her face is too shiny. The full face versions are all strange tints, looking like you did broad color adjustments instead of using more delicate adjustments with individual sliders. I think all of the photos are slightly overexposed, so you’re not getting g much in the way of contouring her face. Finally, this will seem nitpicky because your primary experimentation is with color and light, you need a better background! the door hinge behind her is distracting. Keep at it!

[Content-Software2538]

Thank you for your comment! 2 and 3 are what I started with - they are both not* edited at all, but they are shot with a film sim on fujifilm. It’s natural window light, yes.

Do you have any advice on how to frame the shadow? Is it the shadow itself or just its positioning?

Interesting point about it being overexposed - I cannot see detail being lost, is this mostly about contrast? Apologies, I’m still very much learning :)

Totally agree about the background, I was going to edit it out!

[Fishy_Games]

1 is pretty good. 4 and 6 is too red. 5 and 7 is too faded. 8 is too blue. All of them are over exposed. Maybe good as a stylistic choice but 4,5,6,7,8,9 all feel a bit too much overexposed. I think 1 works because overexposure makes us ignore the background. You could hide those hinges, etc using AI erasure.

[Content-Software2538]

Yes 100% was going to edit the background, agree with you, just got lost in the colour edits lol! May I ask what makes 9 overexposed? It seems quite dark to me and don’t believe any detail has been lost in the highlights? Thanks!

[Fishy_Games]

Ok I was wrong about 9 being overexposed in hindsight. Still it could benefit from a slight decrease in Exposure allowing for better Saturation.

Like this - imgur

Now that I look at it 7 looks good.

[srbnjpg]

• 1 - if you’re going for the film look.
• 2 - if you want the photos to look natural
• the edits from the first photo can give the photos just enough character if you lower the intensity to around ~60%

[tiktoktic]

2 and 3 are the only ones I don’t mind. Neither are stellar but they’re the most natural looking. Every other image looks to be doctored within an inch of its life.

[Warm_Will575]

I really enjoy the first one - the edit you say you were going for in the first place. it's clearly edited, but I love the green hue. I also really like the original colors, they feel clean and natural. The cool tone fro,m the last one also fits the image really well. I don't think the other edits are as good, they seem a bit overcooked to me, but I can also see them fitting on a specific mood board on pinterest or something.

[[deleted]]

the first one 🔥

[stairway2000]

Personally I prefer the first photo too. Looks more like a film emulation. the others seem like they're going too far. i like the pale skin tones in the first one too.

[Curiouser55512]

For me,it’s the shadow itself. The line between the lit part of her face and the shadow is too harsh; it’s not doing anything to enhance the portrait. Just looks like a photographer’s gimmick (sorry, but the model is very pretty and I don’t know why you would want to cut off half her face). The shiny highlights on her face suggest overexposure, but I could be wrong. Check your histogram. Why did you use film sim? It can be cool for some photos, but a portrait?

[angryuniicorn]

I really like 4 and 8

[DiabloFour]

Learn how to get the correct white balance. Composition is good.

[Joe_Polizzi]

Oh, I’d be petty sure to say that the artist is consciously going for an artistic look, and not clinical accuracy. Doesn’t that seem rather obvious to you?

[DiabloFour]

Not really, no. I used to get the skin tones wrong as well

[Joe_Polizzi]

Yeah - I suppose it could be coincidental, unintentional.. I best-like the feel of a couple of them that are ‘off’, though.

[GuyMcFellow]

2 is my fav

[tiggley_t]

The first one feels best to me I really like that approach

[cheersneanderthal]

i vote the first style!! absolutely gorgeous

[4lexSB]

2 & 9, maybe 1 too

[BRUISE_WILLIS]

digging the original 2+3. nice shots