What the secret?

[SquarePeg]

Kids are rarely still - increase your shutter speed if you're having trouble with focus using single point AF. Your ss on these seem low to me for candid type portraits of little ones. Also, make sure your camera holding technique is solid to avoid camera shake. I mention both of these because I was having similar issues on those rare occasions when I take people pics. I was getting a lot of missed focus. Concentrating on my holding technique and upping the ss really made a difference. You can bump up the ISO a bit if you're worried about underexposing. I'd rather have a slightly noisy shot than a missed focus.

 

[table1349]

The secret is really no secret. The secret is simple, the solution not so simple. It is a 4 step process.

1. Learn photography. Not just the "settings" to take kid shots, or dog shots or landscapes, but PHOTOGRAPHY. Every dirty little bit of it. You will never learn it all but I have yet to see someone with too much knowledge and have seen far too many with too little.

2. Learn post processing. With film that means learning everything there is about using and working in a darkroom. With digital learn to use any program. Lightroom, Photoshop etc all have the same basic functions. Color temp is color temp, saturation is saturation, levels are levels. Some programs are better than others with their tools but the tools themselves really are all the same. Learn what each and every function does and then learn how they interact together. Kind of like learning the exposure triangle with photography.

3. Learn how to "see" a good photograph in the making. For some it comes naturally, for others it is a struggle. Everyone can learn if they try hard enough.

4. Learn to put all that knowledge into each and every photo you take. Will they all be winners? No. Will you have the tools to make them better than the average button pusher of today? Yes.

 

[DScience]

hahah I said " the best " ! I find it funny you guys both put yourself in that category.

I don't think either of us said that we were the best, or even anything to indicate that we thought we were especially good. I will state however that I believe, both Trever and I are more knowledgeable and experienced in the field of portraiture than are you.

Trever for sure, but if you are basing this statement off the examples you have on your website, I disagree.

 

[tirediron]

hahah I said " the best " ! I find it funny you guys both put yourself in that category.

I don't think either of us said that we were the best, or even anything to indicate that we thought we were especially good. I will state however that I believe, both Trever and I are more knowledgeable and experienced in the field of portraiture than are you.

Trever for sure, but if you are basing this statement off the examples you have on your website, I disagree.

That's the great thing about a free country and free speech; you're free to do so.