Dan' de Bourgogne

Hmm...I'm not an expert but, I find the subjects/talents appear really too little in the frame: therefore, in order to get them "tightly" framed, You have to "crop" really really big...in fact, way too big.
Look: in the first image, the horizontal dimension of the picture shows on my screen a lenght of 285 mm while the wide of the young boy's face shows only 17 mm.
But, in the second picture, the young boy's face shows a wide of 102 mm: crop= 6x!
This is by far way too much...
If the lenght of an image is cropped by 6x...so its wide has also to be cropped by 6x in order to get the same ratio high/lenght...
This means the whole surface of the image is cropped by 6x6=36...gigantesk!
I made the math: in the original picture, the wide of the young boy's face counts about 325 pixels (5456x17/285=325,xxx)
The original size of this original picture is ca.19,88 Mp (20Mp)...
if You want to crop, try to keep minimum 3 or 4 Mpixels after cropping: so You crop by x5, or up to almost x7, but never up to x36!!!
Look, if You want to print on paper, one recommend a resolution of 300 pixel per inch to get a nice print.
If the file of Your image does have only 325 pixel in its lenght, this image can be nicely printed only 1,08 inch wide=about a big stamp!!! Twice bigger as this and You get an obvious "pixelized" print.
To get "thight framed " images: get closer...Your lens allows to get ca 25 cm (0,8 foot) close to subject! or/and zoom in!
To get sharp images, set aperture f/8...the lens gives quasi always best results at f/8...better than at f/16 or f/22!
Shoot with camera on tripod...release via the "delay/timer" to avoid shake from finger releasing the shutter
Be happy: You did'nt make something wrong by shooting...everything was fine! Just don't crop that big!
Keep shooting nice family souvenirs!

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

So many erroneously believe that they can crop endlessly with modern mirrorless cameras. As your example shows, cropping has its limitations.

As this is an indoor shot, you probably used a higher ISO setting. Cropping highlights noise from the increased ISO setting and accentuates the relative softness of your lens.

So my advice on cropping is simple: don't. Get the shot right when you take it. Crop with your feet and/or your zoom lens. If you want a portrait of the boy, take another picture zooming in on him.

BebuLamar

My camera has 16MP and if I don't crop I would never need more but if I crop the image looks bad quickly.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Re: My comments above, ". . . . . . I would have more than the 102KB and 110KB files to work with . . .
I have attached my Post Process resulting in files of 6.4MB and 6.8MB files after running through Topaz Photo AI (default settings)"

Topaz Photo AI automatically "Up-Sized" the 102KB and 110KB files to 6.4MB and 6.8MB files.
I think that it did an acceptable job using just the default settings.
Best Wishes,
JimmyT Sends

TonyF Loc: Bradenton, FL

Nice job Jimmy!

Celtis87

Another thing to consider is using the lowest possible ISO setting. Might help.

redtooth

Why do you not have any pictures on your walls ? Just wondering .

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Get closer, lower ISO/more light/faster lens, better lens .....

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

I get great results on my 2year old Great-Grandson chasing him with my Z50- 50-250 mm and cropping in PSE23.
Yes..I said "chase "!!!

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Maybe take your camera off “auto,” add a bit of light, walk or zoom in with your lens, closer to the subject are the easiest and cheapest ways to enhance your presented photos.

tgreenhaw

Another reason to take multiple shots of each subject is focus. Ideally portraits are shot with a shallow depth of field and this is not possible when shooting multiple subjects if you want all the eyes in focus.

RKastner Loc: Davenport, FL

I would also suggest a flash and bounce off the ceiling along with using a lens with a bigger aperture.

Artcameraman Loc: Springfield NH

RAW or jpeg? Jpeg will look better out of camere, RAW has the most days to work with. Square format is mine.

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

Step 1 is missing - level the picture. Yes, this is a form of cropping. Caveat - never edit an image in camera (saw reference in other threads). No tripod, all kind of solutions but your camera most likely has on screen or through view finder a leveler.

Suggest using LRC and you up your game with Topaz products.

Steved3604

My opinion. Get closer, fill/level the frame, check focus, shoot in RAW, bigger file size, lots of light, higher number F stop.