Critique Desired?

Bridgette · Apr 30, 2012

Hello everyone I'm new! I think that I have a good eye for photography but I can't always accomplish what I want to. So I thought I'd show you some pictures I've taken and you can maybe tell me how to improve them?

I'm happy for any and all critique that you have to offer as long as it's constructive in helping me. You can feel free to edit them any way you like if you feel moved to do so. The second one I posted specifically because it just isn't very good. One of my biggest issues is getting enough light. It seems as though if I'm not outside in bright sunlight I can't get enough light. Any tips for that? Or even suggestions for new flashes or accessories that could improve my outcome? Specifically geared towards infants at the moment... I know that flashes hurt there eyes so I'm looking for alternatives.

ipschoser1 · May 1, 2012

The first image is very good. It has nice color contrast. What aperture was it shot at? The only advice would be to stop down for a bit more DOF so that the highlighted feathers are tack sharp.

As for the kid pics, try filling the frame more. They also lack color and shadow. Off camera gelled flash could cure that, but you've already stated reservations to that.

Frequency · May 1, 2012

You have an Eye for an Eye

first one is really excellent

Trever1t · May 1, 2012

OK, the #1 had potential but my feelings are that you cropped in too tightly. I'd love to see more of this majestic animal, ya know?

#2/3 are pretty not too good, honestly. Excessive flash makes harsh light, subject position...it's all about the composition here, again. Keep at it.

Bridgette · May 1, 2012

Thanks for the suggestion guys. Being a beginner I hadn't thought about it but it probably would have helped a lot if I had left them unedited. I think a lot of the harsh light is actually from things I did to the picture. I'll post here again when I take some more pics with those things in mind and I won't edit them this time.

Trever1t · May 1, 2012

It's not the edits on #'s 2 and 3. They are pictures of your little one and nothing more than snapshots. Yes, they are yours to treasure but here we are discussing the art of photography. These cannot be edited or not edited to a higher status. Read up on compositional guidelines. Look at a respected photographer's baby shots. Try again.

Designer · May 1, 2012

The owl is cropped too tightly, but excellent focus and color!
#2 is simply not flattering, also his feet are out of focus, which is a function of the DOF
#3 probably should have been in "portrait" format, but the biggest flaw is the light color.

Shooting in available light is fun and rewarding, but check/adjust the white balance for this type of lighting or use correcting filter in PP.

killbill · May 1, 2012

#1 is fantastic!

Zev Steinhardt · May 1, 2012

FWIW, I happen to like the owl. The only quibble that I have with it (and it's really minor) is the cut-off feather at the top. I think it would have looked better with the entire feather. But, as I said, that's really a minor quibble.

The second shot would have been better if either (a) the entire baby were in focus or (b) the out-of-focus feet were cropped. Having the out-of-focus feet out there like that is somewhat disturbing.

The third one is better, but I think the skin is kind of pale. Perhaps a bit more color might solve that problem.

On the whole, though, it's very good.

Zev Steinhardt

CheezyCheeto · May 2, 2012

#1 is great! the composition in #3 is good but i agree that the baby has pretty pale skin.

Nette · May 2, 2012

#1 is beautiful... And the baby too

sm4him · May 2, 2012

I agree with most of the other comments:
1. LOVE the owl; focus is spot on, color is good, but it's too tight of a crop.
2. Just don't like the perspective here; focus seems to be on the pacifier, foot is cut off, blanket is busy and distracting.
3. Composition is a little better (except the head is cut off); lighting is too flat, and the white balance seems off. Focus also seems off, but maybe that's just because of my vision problems.

As for not using flash on babies--I'm just learning flash myself, I don't do portrait photography, and what little I HAVE done hasn't been on babies, so take this with a grain of salt, but I would think if you got an off-camera flash and bounced it off a reflector, it would give you much better lighting and still not hurt the babies' eyes.