New here!

[slewi]

Hi all! I am new here and wanted to say hello and jump into the fray!

Any thoughts of this shot of my daughter I did this week? I am eager to learn!

 

[EhJsNe]

The background is too distracting, even tho it is out of focus. Either crop that out, or use a faster and/or longer focal length lens to fix that.

It looks like you used a flash, because I see no shadows, and the subject is brighter than the background...again, a larger aperture would eliminate the need for a flash. To diffuing the flash with something.

The composition could have been on the right, so the little dude would have hid the messy background....

 

[Big Mike]

I actually don't mind the 'messy background'...it gives her context. It's could be considered and environmental portrait....and in that sense, it's a good one because the background does show us where she is and what she's doing...but it's darker and out of focus so it's not too distracting. If there was supposed to be a 'standard' portrait, then yes, the background is rather distracting.

As mentioned, the light on the little girl appears to be on-camera flash...which makes for flat, boring and unattractive lighting. One of the biggest things you can do to improve your photography is to use a light source that does not come from the same angle as the camera.

 

[slewi]

Thanks Big Mike. I wanted to show her environment a bit. I will try opening up my aperture more in similar shots. And you're right about the flat lighting.

 

[Omitinibu]

welcome