C&C please. First shot at Family pictures!

amy_Tee

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As I said this is my first attempt at family photos. Feel free to criticize away, I need the help!!

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2)



3)
 
The first is a nice moment and the best of the lot. The others are out of focus and very under exposed. 2 looks like the focus locked on your railing. Are you using all of the focus points of your camera? that's usually the first mistake. You want to use ONE focus point and lock it exactly where you want focus. If you use all of them the camera gets to pick the best contrast that it wants to lock on.
The last one the focus is on the tree and your subjects are very blue.
Your poses are pretty good, basic poses. The last one you have cropped off their hands and that is one of the first things you will learn in composition-don't chop off limbs, hands, fingers, etc.
 
Perhaps you need to adjust something... they all look they were taken with an iPhone.
 
Perhaps you need to adjust something... they all look they were taken with an iPhone.

Wow.... super helpful advice there.

WB seems a bit cool in the last one, try warming it up in post.






p!nK
 
Perhaps you need to adjust something... they all look they were taken with an iPhone.

This is useless.

OP, do you have the Exif data for the images? That would help us during the critique.
 
Thanks for the critique so far guys. That's what was wrong, something was off with my focus!! I must have had it set on center weight... And no, they weren't taken with an iPhone... Canon 400D. I used a 50mm lens on some and then a 55-250mm lens.

Shot one: f/1.8, ISO 100, shutter 1/125, Tungsten for the WB, Manual mode
Shot two f 1/8 ISO 100 shutter 1/30 Tungsten WB, Manual mode
Shot three f/1.8 ISO 100 Shutter 1/50 Tungsten WB manual mode

...and looks like for all i had the focus on auto for center weight average metering. What settings would you all suggest I should have used instead?
 
Shots two and 3 are way to slow shutters to be hand held camera. Center weighted average has nothing to do with your focus. It's your metering.
 
I used a tripod for the group shots tho... The lighting was really low in areas of the building and I didn't want to use flash. Metering sounds to be my problem area then.
 
did the building have tungsten lighting? some of this looks more fit for daylight setting. also, bump up that ISO. you don't need to be shooting in low lit areas at 100. that should also give you some play in your shutter speed.
 
Good point. It was 50/50 in there with lighting. Some areas were lit by sunshine coming thru the windows (first shot) and others were lit by a lamp and christmas lights with some light filtering in through the windows. (Shot 2 and 3). For some reason, I had it in my head not to go too high on the ISO because i'd just read somewhere online as a tip to never raise the ISO unless you absolutely have to... is that not true?
 
For some reason, I had it in my head not to go too high on the ISO because i'd just read somewhere online as a tip to never raise the ISO unless you absolutely have to... is that not true?

it is for this case, in which you would have to raise the ISO. like what was mentioned, your shutter speeds are too low, and regardless if you had the tripod, that doesn't compensate for that increased time of catching shake from your models slight movements while taking the picture. low ISOs are good for strobist photography if you want my opinion. whereas if you don't use and off camera flash, then you would either have to be outside or have a lot of light inside available to shoot that ISO.
 
Light, you need more light. That is the primary thing amongst all three photos. They tend to be dark, and very flat. A little flash, and you will not only light up your subjects, but bring them out of the background.

Second, as previously mentioned, focus is off, that or you have really soft glass.

White balance, I have found over the years that just leaving it on auto will serve you more good than trying to figure out what kind of bulbs are in light fixtures. And if the camera gets it wrong, well just tweak it in post.

Composition, if you have to cut off a limb, the general rule is do it at a joint. That way it doesn't draw your eyes away trying to find the finger or foot.

That's all I've got for the moment.

YMMV
 
Yes, you want to use the lowest ISO you can use, however you have to get good exposure, focus and depth of field. It doesn't mean never raise your ISO, it means just use the lowest proper ISO you can to get proper exposure.
 
Thanks so much everyone! Very helpful feedback. I'll definitely keep these in mind for future reference.
 
I like #3 the best. #1 isn't showing what he is looking at, #2 has the gentleman's head partially cut off.
 

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