Niece snapshot + CS-5: I took this picture Labor Day at our family's gathering. I captured Journie on the go as she was playing what appeared to be tag with some of the other toddlers...

CajonPhotog Loc: Shreveport, LA

I took this picture Labor Day at our family's gathering. I captured Journie on the go as she was playing what appeared to be tag with some of the other toddlers that were there. There was no time to insure focus was set, or even to look at the histogram. I feel lucky that the flash went off. The results were that she was the only thing that came out worth keeping. I worked it over and added a better BG in CS-5 and here is the result. C & C welcomed and you may tinker with the photo if you so desire to show something that I might have missed or mess up on.

Little Journie

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

CajonPhotog wrote:

I took this picture Labor Day at our family's gath... (show quote)

I love this shot. The expression and catchlights are incredible, especially considering that capturing a picture without the use of a tranquilizer (for subject AND photographer is trying to tie down a tornado. I did crop a bit at the bottom to remove the arm. Because I was trying to main the aspect ratio, a bit of the right side was cropped out also. Except for the cropping, I made no changes; I didn't feel any were necessary.

CajonPhotog Loc: Shreveport, LA

Mogul wrote:

I love this shot. The expression and catchlights are incredible, especially considering that capturing a picture without the use of a tranquilizer (for subject AND photographer is trying to tie down a tornado. I did crop a bit at the bottom to remove the arm. Because I was trying to main the aspect ratio, a bit of the right side was cropped out also. Except for the cropping, I made no changes; I didn't feel any were necessary.

I never even noticed the bare shoulder, thanks for your input. I will mark it down for things to do tomorrow. Oops, it is tomorrow! Well maybe Sunday then.

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

Adorable.

CajonPhotog Loc: Shreveport, LA

Heirloom Tomato wrote:

Adorable.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

CajonPhotog wrote:

I took this picture Labor Day at our family's gath... (show quote)

You might have captured this on the go, but it appears to be a posed portrait. You caught just the right moment. The lighting is good and I really like it that the little girl looks like she was groomed for the photo. Her hair is brushed and she has her hair bow and pretty dress on. I'm old school that way and don't like to see food on baby's faces in portraits. Snapshots, well OK, but not in portraits. You captured the creamy beauty of her skin perfectly and there are no distracting shadows. The issue of cropping the photo was addressed by another poster. Great work, even if it was of the moment and not posed.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

CajonPhotog wrote:

:thumbup: :thumbup:

You have to say why? HT got away with the adorable comment because later on her said what he liked about the photo. Why to you agree with HT's adorable. Even the prettiest child can be photographed poorly. What about this photo says adorable to you. :D

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I have to say she is very cute, but the photo has a cut out and flat feel to me, probably due to the on camera flash. I realize that there are times when that is all you can do to catch the moment, but this might have been a better shot with the flash bounced off the ceiling.

CajonPhotog Loc: Shreveport, LA

Country's Mama wrote:

You have to say why? HT got away with the adorable comment because later on her said what he liked about the photo. Why to you agree with HT's adorable. Even the prettiest child can be photographed poorly. What about this photo says adorable to you. :D

HT said that MY niece was adorable, plain and simple. HT has good taste in children, and so, when the child is in MY family, I agree whole heartedly with her being adorable. I thought the 2 thumbs up would be all I would need to say, but guess more was needed. Next time I will add a few flowery words of praise.....and then give the 2 thumbs up.... it's all in jest, I will try harder to communicate my thoughts in words instead of thumbs. Thanks for the heads up on this one.

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Its a snapshot.
The flash front lighting is flat and unflattering.
The ribbon is sharp, the eyes are soft.
You are looking down on her which hardly ever begets a good shot.
The background replacement is clumsy.
The writing in the bottom right is too noticeable.

CajonPhotog wrote:

I took this picture Labor Day at our family's gath... (show quote)

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

lighthouse wrote:

Its a snapshot.
The flash front lighting is flat and unflattering.
The ribbon is sharp, the eyes are soft.
You are looking down on her which hardly ever begets a good shot.
The background replacement is clumsy.
The writing in the bottom right is too noticeable.

It's a photograph. Maybe it's a portrait; maybe it's a snapshot. The nomenclature is irrelevent.

The eyes are soft - but the highlights are sharp. The entire picture is a composite of sharp detail and artistic softness. That must have taken a lot of effort on the OP's part.

Looking down on her as she flashes by is not as good as being even with a frozen model, but this was a quick shot while she was playing. A modest success.

Ah, yes; I hadn't noticed the background replacement. Good catch. I must admit I was distracted by the facial expression.

As to the watermark, the OP can, if that is added in a layer, simply decrease the opacity if the layer. Some artists like bold signatures; others are less concerned. If you'll notice my modest cropping, the watermark was deleted; now the OP will have to do it again. Perhaps he will choose to decrease the opacity per your suggestion.

MIKE GALLAGHER Loc: New Zealand

A snapshot it may be but because we're taller than our kids and pets we're used to looking down on them. So, without thinking,taking a photo from that height ('looking down on them') seems natural to a lot of people. Look at most of the pet shots round here. Same thing. But all you have to do is think "kid - squat!" (or "kitten - on the floor") and the whole world will change. Once more it didn't.
Mike.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

MIKE GALLAGHER wrote:

A snapshot it may be but because we're taller than our kids and pets we're used to looking down on them. So, without thinking,taking a photo from that height ('looking down on them') seems natural to a lot of people. Look at most of the pet shots round here. Same thing. But all you have to do is think "kid - squat!" (or "kitten - on the floor") and the whole world will change. Once more it didn't.
Mike.

Mike, your comment is particularly relevant is the context of the manner in which that picture was taken. If I ever tried to get down on the floor to take a picture of my grandchildren (the young ones, not the teenagers who are three inches over my mere six-two height), by the time I got down and the bones quit creaking, the kids would be in another part of the house; then I would have to find some way to get up! For CajonPhotog to even grab that shot as Journie flashed by was a miracle of camera handling.

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Mogul,
You are making excuses for deficiencies.
This is not a "pat on the back" feel good forum.
That is the gallery.
This is the critique forum.
This forum has to have more honesty than just gladhanding.
It doesn't matter how hard, or how easy any shot is.
If it is ordinary compared to others that can and are taken it is still ordinary.
An ordinary snapshot is NOT a "miracle of camera handling" in anyones language.
Making excuses is the path to mediocrity.

Don't try to tell me that this was a hard shot to take, when people hang off the side of mountains, to take photos of goats,sheep,tahr,mouflon, snow leopards, nesting birds etc.
People walk hours,days,weeks for one shot.
Murray Fredericks camps for 5 weeks 15 miles out in a saltpan for about 20 shots.
That is hard work and effort required.

This is not even in the same category.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

lighthouse wrote:

This is not even in the same category.

That's right, lighthouse. And if you're going to provide people with a useful critique, you take the setting, experience and conditions into consideration. If this was a new member's first picture and it was lousy, you don't compare the newcomer to George Lepp. You need to assess the work in the context of the photographer's ability. If I critique my granddaughter's learning to ride a bike, I'll watch for her hands on the handlebars and her situational awareness, not how absolutely straight her first ride was or even if she fell. I will adjust my comments to to context of the attempt she makes, not how well Chris Froome did in the final stage of the Tour de France - "Look Kara, you've got to start controlling your bike like Nairo Quintana in the mountain stages of the 100th Tour de France; you can't be crashing into hedges like that."