Christmas Photos for CC... pls :)

[El2]

I finally got around to taking some Xmas pictures. Please CC. I learn so much on this board with people's input. Thanks. I've included my settings.


f1.8, ISO 800, SS 1/30, 50mm and I did a vignette

This is the closest I can get him to take a picture with Santa aka my husband lol...

f1.8, ISO 800, SS 1/40, 50mm

f1.8, ISO800, SS1/15, 50mm

 

[AduNeButt]

Don't like the lighting in #1..#2 is pretty good and the reflection kinda kills #3.

 

[gob144]

haha everyone has to take the picture of there reflection in a christmas ball once.

 

[tirediron]

Agree, the lighting in #1 doesn't really work. To be honest, it looks like a flash-light pointed straight at the child's face. I like the vignette here, and I think it works, but I think a second light source was needed to produce a more pleasing effect.

I have to admit I'm a little puzzled by #2; I would have expected at f1.8 the background to be much softer than it is. Overall, I like the image, and the lighting is much nicer in this one, but the background is a little too distracting for my taste. One possible option would have been to shoot this with longer glass putting yourself farther away from the subjects.
#3 - yep, we've all done that.
One general comment is that you need to get your shutter speeds up. You've got the ISO at 800, but your shutter speeds are still down in the 1/15 - 1/30 range. This is really too slow for hand-held or portrait work (even the slightest movement by your or the subject is going to make the image appear soft). You may want to consider some additional lighting, even if it's only turning on extra lamps or something...

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John