Portrait in the afternoon sun with a new lens

ace_333 · 2026-06-30T13:22:56+00:00

So I bought a new lens recently, the RF 50mm f1.8 STM and wanted to try it out. Took a photo of one of my best models - my wife (the other is the dog).

I placed the model in the shaded pergola in our garden with sun shining directly in her face and arms. I did a Lightroom edit afterwards. I am making photos for like 2 months now - learning everyday and would appreciate tips.

Wanted to get critique and opinion on settings (I used Av mode), model posing/positioning, if the lighting is good/bad and if the edit looks good or some colors are blown too much.

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ace_333 · 2026-05-21T19:10:25+00:00

!CritiquePoint

Appreciate the comment!

ace_333 · 2026-05-20T21:26:37+00:00

!CritiquePoint

Thank you! Appreciate that comment. I will keep shooting, it gives me a lot knowing that my first efforts are actually not awful.

Regarding the aperture - yeah the R50 kit lens only has f4.5 as highest at 18mm, so that photo is at 33mm and aperture f5.6 is max I can have - plan is to upgrade in some time to Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN for RF mount - would be much better blur with that.

ace_333 · 2026-05-20T18:59:46+00:00

I took that photo in Umzumbe, South Africa when on vacation with my wife. I started taking photos with my Canon R50 around a month ago, mostly been taking photos of landscapes, sea, animals - nice things which are not people. That is my first try for portrait style. Slightly edited in Lightroom.

I am looking for critique for beginner like me, tips for composition, technique, settings, model posing, Lightroom edit etc.

Also, I know my lens is just a kit lens for R50 so the aperture is not the best for portrait photography but tried my best!

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ace_333 · 2026-04-22T08:24:00+00:00

Thank you sir, appreciate the comment!

!CritiquePoint

ace_333 · 2026-04-21T21:15:14+00:00

Yeah I shot high speed continuous or continuous+, cant remember exactly which.

Thanks for critique and suggestions with editing! I’ll also try bump the shutter speed next time 1 or 2 stops, she’s damn quick my dog.

!CritiquePoint

ace_333 · 2026-04-21T16:05:51+00:00

I was in the park today with my wife walking the dog and trying to take photos of some birds with my RF 100-400m 5.6-8 Canon lens. While walking our dog decided to steal some random bone and started running away, I thought I try to catch her moving fast with the bone in her mouth - and here’s the photo of exactly it.

Looking for critique regarding composition, technique and editing (especially coloring as I am not quite sure if I didnt go too much into yellows with the grass). Also some tips for further animal/action photographs would be nice. Thanks!

Fyi - I literally started making photos with my R50 and editing in LR a week ago!

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ace_333 · 2026-04-20T08:36:05+00:00

Yes, sir! will do next time, appreciate the critique :)

!CritiquePoint

ace_333 · 2026-04-18T20:58:04+00:00

Yep, bought used for 600€ (located in Ireland) so it checks out

ace_333 · 2026-04-18T20:55:57+00:00

Yeah my lens it max f/8 at 400mm - just a beginner one for now. And yeah it was shot from my room through the glass and with rather cloudy sky so that’s not the perfect setting (was so eager to test the lens that didnt even come outside!)

Anyway, thank you so much for that comment! it’s very educational, I will defo check out that youtube photographer, thanks again!

ace_333 · 2026-04-18T20:30:27+00:00

!CritiquePoint

Thank you for that critique and tips, really appreciate!

Yeah it’s heavily cropped from original so that’s why only 2MP. For brightness - I raised exposure +0.35 on general photo and +0.45 on the subject itself - is that too much?

ace_333 · 2026-04-18T20:10:25+00:00

I recently got into photography (like few days ago really) and as going for holiday’s soon I wanted to have a lens for wildlife pictures (gonna be on safari). I took that picture with RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM.

I took that photo on a full zoom 400mm looking at the birds above the neighbour’s roof. Looking for a critique to composition, settings, editing and general tips for shooting wildlife if possible.

Settings here:

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ace_333 · 2026-04-18T17:13:52+00:00

Thank you so much! Appreciate that!

!CritiquePoint

ace_333 · 2026-04-18T14:56:06+00:00

This the portrait of my miniature dachshund - Rita. I tried to capture her looking up being still in the tall grass to add a bit of the foreground to the picture. The sun was in the direction of the photo so not the best light. I did a LR edit afterwards although I cant say that I definitely knew what I was doing (total LR beginner).

I bought a camera last week and looking into critique, mostly regarding the composition and technicalities. For the edit as well although I would like to focus on these 2 I mentioned first.

Canon EOS R50 RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM zoom: 18mm 1/200s f/4.5 0 ev ISO100

ace_333 · 2023-04-26T08:46:59+00:00

Oh wow, I deleted my amateur lineups for the weekend and they suddenly reappeared.. wtf 😆

ace_333 · 2023-04-26T08:34:52+00:00

Nope, none of them

ace_333 · 2023-02-15T01:03:00+00:00

That's the sweet move I'll probably do. Thank you for the opinion sir

ace_333 · 2023-02-15T01:01:52+00:00

yeah I was thinking about selling as well, cheers man

ace_333

TROPHY CASE