Family portraits. CC always welcome

[Blake.Oney]

1.

2.

3.

4. The picture above their fire place glared really bad from the ceiling light so I had to mask in another shot from the session.

 

[eccs19]

I like the idea of the first one (done something similar myself), but for some reason, something just isn't sitting right with me. I think my favorite out of the bunch would be the last one.

 

[Blake.Oney]

Thanks. I totally understand. I live in a really small town and people here are still amazed with selective color. I'm not that into it, but when people request it, I do it, but always try to put my own spin on it.

 

[Darkhunter139]

I'd try making her jeans and the bottom of her shirt B&W as well possibly in the first one.

And for the last one id try and replace the frame with a less distracting picture. That one really catches my eye.

 

[tirediron]

I agree that there's something a little 'off' (selective colour discussions aside) about #1 - I think it's the fact that the child is all coloured, even though she's outside of the frame. #4 would be much nicer were it not for the busy mantle.

 

[Blake.Oney]

My original plan was to make the parts of her out of the frame black and white also, but the best shots were of her hanging out of the frame. I think it would look alright with the bottom of her shirt and her pants black and white, but the parts of her in front of the frame would be kind of cut off mid color so to say. Do you guys things it would look good with what's behind and out of the frame black and white, and what's in front, and out of frame color?

 

[Derrel]

I kind of like the way shot #1 turned out, but as to the something being , "a little 'off' " in that shot, as tirediron mentioned--yeah...what is a little bit off is the way the mother has ruined the shot by looking at the child. I used to work full-time as a portrait shooter...moms ruin MORE family portrait shots by looking at their misbehaving littlest kid(s), or "the twins" or "the boys", or "Jeffrey Alan Williamson!" than almost anything else. Before a session with a small child, or two, or especially when there are three or more kids, it's best to instruct the parents on what your role as the photographer is, and what their role as the subject actually is. Middle-name kids can be a huge problem, if you get my drift...


It can be very frustrating to get an entire group posed and looking at the camera properly, with good expression, and then a mother decides to play 'Mom', and make sure that her child is smiling "good enough", to put it in the vernacular. This might sound terrible, but this is based on long experience with thousands of families in front of the camera. It's best to explain to the parents that smaller kids like that little girl have a narrow "window" when they are at their best for the camera, and that they need to always keep their attention focused on the camera, and to understand that YOU are the one who will be making sure the kids are looking good before you press the shutter release. And, you often need to remind parents during the shooting to keep their eyes forward, on the camera, or on you, and to let YOU worry about the kid(s) expression(s). Notice how both the Dad and the kid are doing great, but the mother is screwing up the shot?

 

[Blake.Oney]

I kind of like the way shot #1 turned out, but as to the something being , "a little 'off' " in that shot, as tirediron mentioned--yeah...what is a little bit off is the way the mother has ruined the shot by looking at the child. I used to work full-time as a portrait shooter...moms ruin MORE family portrait shots by looking at their misbehaving littlest kid(s), or "the twins" or "the boys", or "Jeffrey Alan Williamson!" than almost anything else. Before a session with a small child, or two, or especially when there are three or more kids, it's best to instruct the parents on what your role as the photographer is, and what their role as the subject actually is. Middle-name kids can be a huge problem, if you get my drift...


It can be very frustrating to get an entire group posed and looking at the camera properly, with good expression, and then a mother decides to play 'Mom', and make sure that her child is smiling "good enough", to put it in the vernacular. This might sound terrible, but this is based on long experience with thousands of families in front of the camera. It's best to explain to the parents that smaller kids like that little girl have a narrow "window" when they are at their best for the camera, and that they need to always keep their attention focused on the camera, and to understand that YOU are the one who will be making sure the kids are looking good before you press the shutter release. And, you often need to remind parents during the shooting to keep their eyes forward, on the camera, or on you, and to let YOU worry about the kid(s) expression(s). Notice how both the Dad and the kid are doing great, but the mother is screwing up the shot?

Agreed. I wasn't even going to use it, but I thought it went good with the full set (around 22 pictures). The original idea was to have them all looking at the camera, but to add to what you explained, between the children suddenly moving a hand and blurring a great shot, or what happened with that one, or a number of other things, sometime the shots I have to choose from one certain pose are of small number. I do shoot a lot, but there are always at least 1 or 2 shots/poses where I just don't have that many to choose from with kids. I think it accents the whole set fine, but if the shot I was aiming for would have worked out it, I believe it would have been one of the main shots of the set.

 

[Derrel]

Agreed. I wasn't even going to use it, but I thought it went good with the full set (around 22 pictures). The original idea was to have them all looking at the camera, but to add to what you explained, between the children suddenly moving a hand and blurring a great shot, or what happened with that one, or a number of other things, sometime the shots I have to choose from one certain pose are of small number. I do shoot a lot, but there are always at least 1 or 2 shots/poses where I just don't have that many to choose from with kids. I think it accents the whole set fine, but if the shot I was aiming for would have worked out it, I believe it would have been one of the main shots of the set.

Yes, I know what you mean...boy, do I EVER know what you mean Blake. Back in the day, shooting on film, a 100- or 200-frame session was simply, totally out of the question. Film costs and proofing costs, plus shipping and lab work all meant fewer shots, and an effort to not TAKE a bad shot. But, as you are finding out, in family photography, many shots are ruined by the parents trying to do YOUR WORK for YOU, and they can quite easily ruin an otherwise good shot. I see how hard you are working at getting into portrait/commercial work,and so I took the time to pass along a tip specifically for you. part of working with parents of small kids is to explain to them, in a non-offensive way, that there are X or XX number of good shots possible in a session that involves a small kid or multiple kids, and that there is only ONE "camera-eye", and that the biggest way to botch a family group is to look down at the kid(s) to see if he/she/they are looking acceptable. Parents that continually monitor the kid(s)' behavior/expression easily ruin sets, and it gives the kids POWER...it is something you need to learn to discuss with the parents before the session. many times, you must actually say something to the parents during the shoot, like, "look at me, Mom, keep looking here, I'll make sure the kids look good before I trip off the shot." Seriously...many parents need to be told this during the session, once, twice, maybe even three times if they are micro-manager types.

That is YOUR JOB...that is what they are paying YOU to do...to use your skills at entertaining, joke-telling,smile-eliciting, people arranging,lighting,and timing. There are only "so many" really GOOD expressions that a small child can give before the kid burns out,and gets cranky, fussy,pouty, or even sick to his or her stomach, cries, throws a fit or tantrum,etc,etc.

I am trying to pass along something that will help you be able to deliver more successful shots, and to get fewer Mom-riding-herd-on-kid frames.

 

[Blake.Oney]

Thanks. I really appreciate it. My last response was more of a realization. I mean, I knew kids turning their head at the last second or swinging an arm could ruin shots because it's happened before, but I never really thought of the parents like that, so I felt the need to acknowledge what you said with everything I realized in that moment.

What's weird is that it happens so fast. I'll set the shop up, and when I take the shot it look like everything is good. I'll look up and they're looking at the camera smiling. I look at my lcd, and she's look at the kid. It's like magic.

 

[IDLaxStar]

I saw your photos are ok to edit so I changed a little bit to your first one. I cleaned up the mans shirt and made the bottom of the girls shirt and pants black and white

But I don't like how the guys shirt looks. It is kind of hazy you know

 

[Derrel]

Thanks. I really appreciate it. My last response was more of a realization. I mean, I knew kids turning their head at the last second or swinging an arm could ruin shots because it's happened before, but I never really thought of the parents like that, so I felt the need to acknowledge what you said with everything I realized in that moment.

What's weird is that it happens so fast. I'll set the shop up, and when I take the shot it look like everything is good. I'll look up and they're looking at the camera smiling. I look at my lcd, and she's look at the kid. It's like magic.

Spoken like an experienced portrait shooter Blake!!! This behavior can occur just the way you stated. I swear, it is almost instinctive on the part of 'some' parents. I've been watching your progress,and just wanted to take the time to mention something that is,well, perhaps not obvious until you start doing these kinds of sets on a daily, weekly,monthly,yearly basis,and then you kind of start going, "hmmmmm."

The piece of advice I am giving you is the kind of thing that an in-studio trainer and mentor with years of actual experience can give you. This is the kind of way of thinking about clients that a person does not typically learn by learning people photography "from the internet". This typical human behavior is very common. It might sound awful to describe it the way I have described it...but you know, if you shoot 120 rollfilm, Mom-ups like that can get really,really expensive after even a short session.

 

[Blake.Oney]

I saw your photos are ok to edit so I changed a little bit to your first one. I cleaned up the mans shirt and made the bottom of the girls shirt and pants black and white

But I don't like how the guys shirt looks. It is kind of hazy you know

Believe it or not that shirt is actually like the original. It's kind of like a black and gray tie dye shirt. I think it's a quicksilver shirt. It does look weird in the shots, though huh?

 

[8ball]

I ABSOLUTLY LOVE THE FIRST ONE!

 

[mrpink]

Its the dead arm of the mother that bugs me the most. Having colored skin tones and B&W skin tones in the same shot is very odd. It makes the B&W area look dead.

Good idea though, I will be making my own twist on it for sure for an upcoming shoot.

I like #2 the best. Good all around shot, maaaaaybe a little looser on the crop. Give it some space above the frame.

Nice work, good looking fam.





p!nK