is the background too busy?
Jul 1, 2012 12:23:22 #
I took a couple of family yesterday.
On the first one, my dad and my niece, I think I should have gotten more of her shoulder, perhaps?
On the second with the group...it seems that I should have move to my left a little so that I didn't have the house in the background.
Any and ALL tips and suggestions are certainly welcome.
Both are ISO 400 and F 5.6
First is 1/400.
Second of group is 1/320
Thank you!
On the first one, my dad and my niece, I think I should have gotten more of her shoulder, perhaps?
On the second with the group...it seems that I should have move to my left a little so that I didn't have the house in the background.
Any and ALL tips and suggestions are certainly welcome.
Both are ISO 400 and F 5.6
First is 1/400.
Second of group is 1/320
Thank you!
Jul 1, 2012 13:16:04 #
Bring the people out from the background as much as possible, drop your ISO, use a wider f/stop, and a bit more telephoto. Make sure the focus is on the faces.
This should cause some improvement.
If it is the ONLY location choice, then you could wait to late afternoon twilight to lower the overall contrast. Of course, family pictures don't often work to such schedules.
This should cause some improvement.
If it is the ONLY location choice, then you could wait to late afternoon twilight to lower the overall contrast. Of course, family pictures don't often work to such schedules.
Jul 1, 2012 13:21:12 #
PhotoArtsLA wrote:
Bring the people out from the background as much as possible, drop your ISO, use a wider f/stop, and a bit more telephoto. Make sure the focus is on the faces.
This should cause some improvement.
If it is the ONLY location choice, then you could wait to late afternoon twilight to lower the overall contrast. Of course, family pictures don't often work to such schedules.
This should cause some improvement.
If it is the ONLY location choice, then you could wait to late afternoon twilight to lower the overall contrast. Of course, family pictures don't often work to such schedules.
Unfortunately, this lens was wide open.
Thanks for the advice....I see that I needed to think it through a little more.
I wanted a little of the sun/backlight on my sister, but I see now that it might be a little distracting?
I'll keep practicing.
Thanks, again!
Jul 1, 2012 14:21:46 #
Both shots are underexposed. You could have composed the first one a bit better by moving back a bit and shifting a bit to the left, as you suggested. A fill flash would have helped. In the second photo, you definitely should have shifted to the left. The women are crowded together and almost out of the picture. A fill flash would have helped again. Also, the fill flash would have made the sunlight less of a distraction.
Jul 1, 2012 15:52:49 #
RMM wrote:
Both shots are underexposed. You could have composed the first one a bit better by moving back a bit and shifting a bit to the left, as you suggested. A fill flash would have helped. In the second photo, you definitely should have shifted to the left. The women are crowded together and almost out of the picture. A fill flash would have helped again. Also, the fill flash would have made the sunlight less of a distraction.
Thanks, RMM.
I am finding that to get a Photo and not a family snapshot, I have to think a bit more before shooting.
This really helps.
Jul 1, 2012 17:40:03 #
I would be inclined to compose the shot with some extra space around the subjects with the intention of cropping. There are those here who will differ, saying you should get everything right before taking the shot. I don't like to spend a lot of time setting up people shots because the people get itchy and self-conscious, and you end up with an obviously posed shot. I'd rather shoot several shots and throw out the ones with the eyes closed and the goofy expressions. My daughter accuses me of always catching her with a goofy expression. All too often, she's right, but that's what blackmail is all about.
In a formal portrait type of shot, it's a different story, and you have to evolve your own techniques for getting people to express themselves, whether you're looking for a smile, or a reflection of someone's personality.
One other suggestion that gets made is to take several photos, and to switch between landscape and portrait orientation. Sometimes, when you look at your shots, you'll see that what you thought would work best initially wasn't actually the most effective way to compose.
In a formal portrait type of shot, it's a different story, and you have to evolve your own techniques for getting people to express themselves, whether you're looking for a smile, or a reflection of someone's personality.
One other suggestion that gets made is to take several photos, and to switch between landscape and portrait orientation. Sometimes, when you look at your shots, you'll see that what you thought would work best initially wasn't actually the most effective way to compose.
Jul 1, 2012 17:51:01 #
Can you see in the first shot where the trees start to blur?
All you had to do was get them to come a few feet towards the camera and away from the background and you'd have gotten more blur.
same with the second shot.
All you had to do was get them to come a few feet towards the camera and away from the background and you'd have gotten more blur.
same with the second shot.
Jul 2, 2012 00:42:43 #
I agree with PhotoArtsLA and rpavich: the one, easiest, thing you could have done to effect the biggest improvement, would be move your subject farther away from the background foliage.
BTW: this is usually a good idea in any portrait situation.
BTW: this is usually a good idea in any portrait situation.
Jul 2, 2012 07:10:30 #
A little PP could make both photos significantly better. If they were mine, I would lighten the faces just a little, and blur the background a bit. The techniques described above are all good advice for next time, but see if you can find someone to PP these nice shots now.
Jul 2, 2012 07:16:02 #
Bring the subjects forward away from the background. Watch out for disembodied hands. On the shoulder in the first photo and on the waist in the second.
In the group photo there is a disconnect between the man and the group of three. Perhaps it would be improved with the young girl alongside the old man and the two others behind. Just a thought.
Keep practising and criticise your work brutally. This is how you continue to improve.
In the group photo there is a disconnect between the man and the group of three. Perhaps it would be improved with the young girl alongside the old man and the two others behind. Just a thought.
Keep practising and criticise your work brutally. This is how you continue to improve.
Jul 2, 2012 09:39:52 #
Jul 2, 2012 12:32:15 #
slecht
Loc: texas
You're critiques were very informative and educating for this beginner. Thanks to the photographer for putting your photo out there so we can all learn.
Jul 2, 2012 13:50:04 #
RMM wrote:
Both shots are underexposed. You could have composed the first one a bit better by moving back a bit and shifting a bit to the left, as you suggested. A fill flash would have helped. In the second photo, you definitely should have shifted to the left. The women are crowded together and almost out of the picture. A fill flash would have helped again. Also, the fill flash would have made the sunlight less of a distraction.
Agree about the fill flash, good advice. Have learned living at the Jersey Shore and taking lots of pics on the beach and near any water fill flash is a must to combat the shadows on faces. The dslr's seem to do a great job with just the right amount of light for distance.
Jul 2, 2012 15:05:17 #
On pic 2., ypou really have two pictures; the ladies and the gentleman. If you HAD to have all four in one shot, get some interaction with the dog or looking at each other---anything besides those pasted-on smiles. ALYN
Jul 3, 2012 00:26:00 #
For their photo albums, just print them out for them. They look at themselves and decide whether they like their own poses and features or not. Their memories of that family moment overide the quality of the picture.
For your personal developement, do what the other posters have suggested.
For your personal developement, do what the other posters have suggested.
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