Family and Girl C&C please

Lyncca · Dec 4, 2008

I shot these awhile back of a family. I'm looking for constructive critisism to improve them. This family has 3 little boys and 1 little girl. The oldest boy has cerebral palsy (sp?), so this was my first time to work with a handicapped child. Trust me, it didn't slow him down a bit! I felt like I was herding cats for 2 hours.

These are the Ft Worth Water Gardens. The family shot is taken in a 360 inverted pyramid waterfall. You can't hear anything down there so it was a lot of sign language. I'm mostly wanting to know how I did on composition and posing. Oh, and no comments on the clothing. This is what I got when I said, "Solid, matching colors with covered arms and legs."

1.

2. This is on what is called "The Mountain". It is a huge cement pyramid thing going up about 50 ft or so?

3. No real PP done here, they didn't select this picture. I'm wondering about how I did on posing and composition:

Lyncca · Dec 4, 2008

Here are a couple to show the main "active pool". Its a really cool place to visit, and the kids had a ball. I shot them for nearly 2 hours with no complaints:

2.

DeadEye · Dec 4, 2008

Great set The posing is spot on.

LaFoto · Dec 5, 2008

I'm no professional, so I had best not even be in here but ... I came to look at your photos, anyway.

And I don't know why they didn't choose the last (well, I might know if I knew ALL the photos you took...), but I quite like it, I like how they form a pyramid in that inverted pyramid water fall, I like where they are placed within the frame, I like how everything leads to them, all the water flows in their direction. And hey, I think I even like their clothes, at least they followed your "advice".

The girl is a "natural talent", I should say, she poses easily and nicely and I particularly like the second photo.

Big Mike · Dec 5, 2008

#1. The composition looks pretty good. I like it but I also feel that there is too much dead space around her. The pose is OK but I think it could be a bit more feminine, if you know what I mean.

#2. I'm not really fond of the pose or the composition of this one. At first, the composition looks interesting but when I start to notice the details, I just don't like it (sorry). Her head looks huge and the way it's perfectly straight is sort of creepy. The perspective makes her legs/feet look really small and they appear to be sticking out at weird angles.

#3. The posing of the family group is great, well done. The composition is interesting because of the unique surroundings but I don't think that it deserves to take up 90% of the image. Also, this one seams to have a cold color cast.

Lyncca · Dec 5, 2008

Gosh Mike, are you trying to get me back from your last post? :lol:

#1 - I agree with you. I knew the parents wanted 8x10s of all the kids, so I did leave quite a bit of room to allow for cropping. I also agree it isn't the most feminine of poses, but I have a ton of her doing girlie type stuff. I kinda like this one being a little more serious.

#2 - Ouch. I did love this shot, but I have to agree with you on most points now that you point them out (except I don't think her head looks creepy, big or not :greenpbl

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#3 - I love this shot, but that is indeed why they didn't select it was because they wanted to take up more of the frame. I was using a prime lens and short of being in the middle of the pool, that wasn't gonna happen :lol:

But, I do have a vertical shot of them all that is a close up that looks nice and a few other variations. I also know the coloring is off. I processed it at work and the monitor is awful. Since it wasn't a final selection, I didn't bother to correct it.

Thanks for the detailed critique

All are good points.

Big Mike · Dec 5, 2008

except I don't think her head looks creepy, big or not

I guess creepy isn't the right word...it just looks like you could switch her head onto a shot where she's standing up straight, and it would look more 'right'. You know what I mean?

Regardless of what I (or even you) think...it's should really be up to them. They know their personalities and if the photos portray that, then it trumps the technical issues.

Christie Photo · Dec 5, 2008

Big Mike said:
I guess creepy isn't the right word...it just looks like you could switch her head onto a shot where she's standing up straight, and it would look more 'right'. You know what I mean?

I know what you mean. I had the same reaction. The word "contorted" came to me... a "+" with a head. This is a good example of when a longer lens would have made all the difference.

The posing of the group is mostly good. A few "tweaks" are in order. The head of the boy seated at the bottom is aligned directly below his brother's head. Perhaps more important, he (his face) is a bit too far away from the others. Mom's missing a leg. And the girl is turned a bit too much into her dad. Maybe a bit more attention to hand placement. And, as said, there needs to be more "family" in a family portrait. But, all-in-all, VERY close... very nice.

BTW... I don't mind the clothing so much. Dad's shirt is a bit busier than I'd like, but not so far off.

ATXshots · Dec 5, 2008

LaFoto said:
And I don't know why they didn't choose the last...

Well...I am FAR from a professional. But if it were my family, I would not have chosen this photo because the people are too hard to see; too far off. Maybe a closer crop would help. Also two of the boys have weird faces (one squinting one looking up).

I also don't really like number 2...I think if you could see more of the pyramid it would be cool. Maybe shooting at an upward angle or something to get the 'pyramid' effect...I don't know.

I think #1 is so pretty! I bet they loved it. Also your pool shots are amazing! Can you do the silky water effect with people in the shot?

Lyncca · Dec 5, 2008

ATXshots said:
Well...I am FAR from a professional. But if it were my family, I would not have chosen this photo because the people are too hard to see; too far off. Maybe a closer crop would help. Also two of the boys have weird faces (one squinting one looking up).

I also don't really like number 2...I think if you could see more of the pyramid it would be cool. Maybe shooting at an upward angle or something to get the 'pyramid' effect...I don't know.

I think #1 is so pretty! I bet they loved it. Also your pool shots are amazing! Can you do the silky water effect with people in the shot?

That is indeed why the didn't choose #3

(they were too far off) One of the boys has cerebral palsy, so he was kinda awkward in most of the shots just cause he couldn't hold himself into a real pose.

And yes, they loved #1

Thank you.

Lyncca · Dec 5, 2008

Christie Photo said:
I know what you mean. I had the same reaction. The word "contorted" came to me... a "+" with a head. This is a good example of when a longer lens would have made all the difference.

The posing of the group is mostly good. A few "tweaks" are in order. The head of the boy seated at the bottom is aligned directly below his brother's head. Perhaps more important, he (his face) is a bit too far away from the others. Mom's missing a leg. And the girl is turned a bit too much into her dad. Maybe a bit more attention to hand placement. And, as said, there needs to be more "family" in a family portrait. But, all-in-all, VERY close... very nice.

BTW... I don't mind the clothing so much. Dad's shirt is a bit busier than I'd like, but not so far off.

Thanks for the additional tips

noescape · Dec 7, 2008

What an amazing location! Great pics..

Moonb007 · Dec 8, 2008

I think they look great. I loved the water gardens when I lived in DFW

Craddie · Dec 11, 2008

I agree with most of the comments so far.

Additionally, #1 looks a bit like she's levitating - not sure if it's because of your sig......

#2 might have worked better if her head was tilted a bit to her right and that leg weren't sticking up.

#3 is a nice casual family shot, just needs WB adjustment and tighter crop