Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Please be brutally honest, I am trying to improve.

(Download)

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

I like it. At first I thought it was a composite, with the same dad farther out, but I see that that dad has different trunks, so it was sheer serendipity that you had two dads with two kids each. I think it's a very affecting picture of fatherhood! I like that the little girl has looked to her left so you can see some of her profile. The only criticism I have is purely technical: I can see some haloing or fringing, particularly around the near dad's head against the sky. That's nitpicky. :mrgreen: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

No it's not at all, that's the feedback I want. Thanks Chuck.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Lovely idea and with candid shots you take what you can. To reach the next level could do with just one of the participants with some sort of eye contact. Its almost too anonymous as it is. Not easy to care or have any feeling without that in this type of scene. Eye contact with each other or the snapper would both work.
Really like the effect you get with the process its becoming a trademark almost. Not sure what program your using but you do get some artifacts by pushing it so hard.
If you have not tried Silver Efex I think you should be able to get this "look" and leave the areas like the skies clean.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

This is what I think: (remember that I could well be wrong)
1. This is a moment in time. I would not have included the second Dad out in the water. I keep going between the two and it is important that your viewer singles in on the subject that you consider most important in the composition. In this case, they carry equal weight and I keep looking from one to the other.
2. I would have cloned out the child that is bent over. This is just a personal preference.

3. Watch your horizons. The horizon is bisecting the man's head and that is never a good thing. You could, with very careful cloning, add the water so that it comes above his head; but that would be a lot of work and might not work very well.

4. It is a good image and it gives a very warm nice feeling to the viewer. Changing just a few details would transform this image from good to really good.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Thanks very much Mr. Spad and ebrunner for your comments, I understand what each of you are suggesting, and will take it into consideration.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Frank, there is something visually interesting with this image. It's got nice composition, definitely good contrast, and seemingly good exposure. There is also something visually odd about it, as well.

For some reason, it appears sharply in focus, but at the same time there seems to be an out of focus quality, as well. I can't quite put it into words. I'm not sure if it is a technique you are trying, or if you missed what you were trying to accomplish.

Except for that odd visual thing, it's quite nicely done.
--Bob

Edit: after writing what I did, I went back and looked at the other comments. Chuck seemed to hit it. It looks like an attempt at compositing by "putting" the man and children closest to the camera into the image.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

No composite Bob.... go back and look at another post " Holding Hands". I believe you'll find it's the treatment.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

The image looks over processed to me. There is a dark halo over the near man's head, and white halos on his right arm, the right side of his left leg and both sides of his right leg.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

It is I'm a rookie mcveed but working on it.