C&C please! :)

[dyliebug2]

I havent posted in forever- been really busy with my kids. But I took this last night, and justed wanted some thoughts on what I could have done different, or if there was anything good about this picture. Thanks!

 

[artoledo]

The flash looks a bit harsh. There is a shadow on the lower left hand corner of the frame. Are you using an On Camera Flash? Post settings, it would help out a lot.

 

[dyliebug2]

It was an on-camera flash. I use a Nikon D5000 with a 18-55 mm lens. Took it in Auto, 1/60 F5 ISO 800. It was a spur at the moment picture, so I didnt adjust properly to it and still learning my camer and its a new house so learning that as well as far as shadows go.

 

[Raizels]

I hate to point out the obvious, but... The tip of his head and fingers are cropped out.Plus, the angle is strange- looks like the wall is about to fall on him and like he has no feet.

 

[dyliebug2]

I hate to point out the obvious, but... The tip of his head and fingers are cropped out.Plus, the angle is strange- looks like the wall is about to fall on him and like he has no feet.

It wasnt cropped out, it was the focus of the lens. The didnt crop anything out besides a hanger that was on the floor by him to the right, and I changed the color to black and white with a little bit of saturation in it.

 

[UUilliam]

dylie, Croped out doesn't mean in Post production, it means anything left out the image.
but what raizel said is 100% on and it is underexposed slightly.

cute kid (Y)
better luck next time
better to use the "p" setting instead of Auto, you still have a little control over it but it does the same as auto.

 

[dyliebug2]

I didnt realize it wasnt in P until after I looked at it. Usually I try to shoot in P. Thanks much, I will try again.

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

I hate to point out the obvious, but... The tip of his head and fingers are cropped out.Plus, the angle is strange- .

+1
Cute kid.

 

[mcopan]

good shot.

 

[dyliebug2]

LOL he is a cute kid, but i am biased a little.

 

[Boomn4x4]

justed wanted some thoughts on what I could have done different, or if there was anything good about this picture.

After reading some replies / counter-replies, I'm a little confused on what kind of critiquing you are exactly looking for. The only comment you have been receptive of was "cute kid". If that is the cirtiquing you are looking for, then +1.

If you are looking for critiquing on the shot itself... then I agree with both raizels and artoledo.... It really just a boring shot, and compositionally, not very good. The head is cutoff, the fingers are cut off, there are some nasty shadows, the baby's hair is sticking up, nice new flooring contradicts the old and word door/trim in the background, for a B&W there is very little contrasting.

If you are going to do a reshoot, I'd first of all get your lighting worked out, not only will that solve the shadowing problems, but it'll also help you get better contrasting for the B&W exposure. Secondly, I'd find a new background, what you have there is bland, and I don't like how the worn doors and walls mix with the nice hardwood flooring. Thirdly, get the framing down, don't cut off body parts... Finally, and not so important, get that tuft of hair combed down.

 

[robertwsimpson]

1. Get a more interesting (or less interesting) background. This one is exactly the wrong level of interesting.
2. Shoot in manual. You might as well learn how, and portraits are the easiest circumstances to shoot manual.
3. Get the flash off the camera. You can do this with another flash, or you can try to bounce the on camera one.
4. Always focus on the subject's eyes! It looks like the focus is rearward of his eyes.
5. Get the subject away from the background. This will accomplish 2 things. At f/5, you can probably get a nice background blur going. Also, the shadow from the flash will not be projected on the background. (that's mostly if you have your flash off of the camera, which I mentioned)