My son doesn't like getting his picture taken but I talked him into it last night. I have been trying to improve my outside portraits and I think I did ok on some of these. Please tell me what you think.

These are looking great Mike.

#1 My least favorite, the grass is distracting across his body and he looks out of place against the large truck.

#2 I like it, I'm wondering if it would be stronger if he was looking at you? The sunlight might be a bit of a distraction on his arm and back of his head. I am sure you could not have used the sun as a complete rim light here based on the shadows from the building.

#3 Nicely done

#4 Nice PP work, I think my favorite of the bunch.

#5 I like this as well, good use of perspective.

I like them all just fine, Mike. They look good to me. When I have a subject in an environment like your first image, with all that tangled yellow sweetclover, I like to pose them peeking out of it. In this case it would add a bit of piquancy in an otherwise traditional/serious portrait lineup and would transform a distraction into a key element in the photograph.

really like the series, but the last one talks to me. That one is awesome! Should send it off to Nike, I'd use it in a catalog!

Thanks everyone for the comments. I appreciate you taking the time!

Dan, on the second shot, and virtually all of these I used a flash with umbrella camera left. #2 had the sun coming in from behind and to the right. I tried several there but couldn't get the light right. I'm thinking now that if I would have used the diffuser I could have tamed that sunlight a bit. Would that have worked?

Like Dan, I prefer the 4th one. If it wasn't for his squinting, I'd have gone with the 3rd one, due to the light not being as contrasty. Other than that, they're all nice images.

Mike, diffusers work great in situations like that if they are large enough. I've got a diffuser disc that opens to about three feet across and would have done the job here.

Yep, I can see the umbrella in the catch lights. A diffuser to me is as important as a light. When the sun is out I normally am using both diffuser and lights. In this case a diffuser would have worked very well I think, eliminating the hot spots on the head and arm. I have an in-expensive 6'x4' for just these types of situations. You can also set a light behind it and shoot through it which gives you a very nice soft light, works well as a fill.

I love them all. What nice work!

Thanks Everyone! Thanks Dan and Steve for the diffuser tips. I'll put them to good use.

I really like the last 2
back in time and then attitude.

I like them all but the 1st one is my favorite. I like the sweet grass in front of him and as long as it didnt cover his face or hide his body too much I think its cool like that.

All nice work. I like the last two the best. Something about black and white and the perspective on the last one.