stanlittle Loc: Oakland, Arkansas

While visiting our Granddaughters in Huntsville, Alabama recently I took several pictures.

Here are two of them. I used my Nikon D3200 with the 55-200 mm kit lens.

I'm very new at this, so your thoughts are appreciated.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Fun images!
For me, the first one is the best!!
Pat

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

stan little,

I like both photos but I like the first one best as well. The second picture has good lighting and composition but I think you cropped the photo either too high or too low. What I mean is the photo looks like your granddaughters are cut off at the waist. Had you shown them full body or from maybe the chest up similar to the first picture I think it would be a better photo. Possibly if you had shot vertical rather than horizontal. Just my .02. It does look though like you have great granddaughters.

Dennis

stanlittle Loc: Oakland, Arkansas

Think you. I will remember all suggestions. This is a learning curve for me.

John Lawrence

You captured the love they share very well. Nice job.

John

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

OK...I'll see if I can offer anything by way of constructive advice.

first...not bad.

Not the best you'll ever do but certainly not a train-wreck.

Here is what I see that could be improved.

1.) Dappled light.
dappled sunlight is a bad thing...avoid it. The way to avoid it is to get them in shade...get something blocking the sun itself.


2.) In both images the background could be markedly improved.
One good rule to follow for "impromptu portraits" like this is to have no more than 3 related colors in the background.

You can check this by turning your focus ring to blur the background and then counting the blobs...if you can count more than 3 and those three are much different than each other in color...you should change your background. Like in the first you have green from the bush, light green from the grass, blue from the building, brown from the ground, yellow from the dead grass, a very dark brown from the shadows, orange from the tree leaves, and almost white from the trunks.

All that is distracting.


3.) they seem slightly underexposed on both. Most likely because your camera saw a big expanse of brighter background in both pictures and compensated by lowering the exposure settings.

When you shoot subjects in shade or mostly shade with a bright background you have to spot meter off of them so that they are correctly exposed.


4.) This is on the "good to have" list: a reflector. One thing that is very good to have is "fill light" on your subjects and "catch lights" in their eyes. Eyes look much more alive if they have catchlights in them.

I know that most people feel it's a hassle but that's the difference between a really nice shot and an average shot.


5.) Cropping. The first shot isn't so bad...I'd have moved in even farther...fill the frame.
The second one is cropped weird...too much of their surroundings and cropped at the waist. Either go tighter or go looser.


I'd recommend Roberto Valenzuela's "Location, Posing, Execution!" videos from Creative live. They are well worth the cash (about $100.00 us) and you will be blown away by his insights on how to elevate these kinds of portraits to a very high level without buying equipment.

Hope this helped.

stanlittle Loc: Oakland, Arkansas

Thank you.

You have introduced me to some terminology I am unfamiliar with. This is good.

I very much appreciate you taking time to address this issues.