Family Portraits

[Tiller]

Just some shots from today with my fiance and her sister, brother-in-law, and newborn niece. Please let me know what you think! C/C always welcome.


#1

IMG_5848 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


#2

IMG_5838 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


#3

IMG_5856 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


Tyler

 

[tirediron]

Not bad; good focus. The lighting is a little flat, but they're evenly lit. Not sure that the crisply focused brick wall is the ideal background, but it's definitely not the worst. I would like to see them leveled; one of the dangers of using a background like a brick wall is that it's immediately apparent when you've not leveled it.

 

[Tee]

You have nice subjects to photograph. My suggestion for next time is to put some distance between them and the wall. The white balance feels a little warm to me. Nice job, though.

 

[Tiller]

Thank you both. How could I make the lighting less flat? We were all on the porch. It was an overcast day, so there was the ambient light coming from camera left, and then I had an umbrella up high and to the right behind me.

 

[Tiller]

Any suggestions?

 

[ronlane]

How far away was the umbrella from them? This could have been the difference, I may have been too far away from them. Just speculating.

 

[Tiller]

How far away was the umbrella from them? This could have been the difference, I may have been too far away from them. Just speculating.

It was probably 5-8 feet away.

 

[ronlane]

That may have been it. When Charlie was working with me, I had me moving them in to about 2-3 feet for individual portraits.

 

[HughGuessWho101 16]

That may have been it. When Charlie was working with me, I had me moving them in to about 2-3 feet for individual portraits.

Closer=Softer

 

[ronlane]

That may have been it. When Charlie was working with me, I had me moving them in to about 2-3 feet for individual portraits.

Closer=Softer

Right Hugh, and in this case, that would help with the flat lighting, correct?

 

[HughGuessWho101 16]

Right Hugh, and in this case, that would help with the flat lighting, correct?

Sure would. You can't get too close IMO, unless your light / stand gets in the frame.
Although, placement can also effect flatness.

 

[Tiller]

Ok, thanks fellas. I thought about putting it in closer, but I figured it would put an uneven light from the right (on the group shot) since I was trying to get even light on the group.

I don't know why I didn't think about it for the individual ones though. I did the group shot first, and I suppose I just forgot to move it :/

 

[ronlane]

Ok, thanks fellas. I thought about putting it in closer, but I figured it would put an uneven light from the right (on the group shot) since I was trying to get even light on the group.

I don't know why I didn't think about it for the individual ones though. I did the group shot first, and I suppose I just forgot to move it :/

Tiller, I may get corrected here but you WANT uneven lighting on a portrait. You need some of the shadows to give the depth, hence "flat lighting".

 

[HughGuessWho101 16]

Ok, thanks fellas. I thought about putting it in closer, but I figured it would put an uneven light from the right (on the group shot) since I was trying to get even light on the group.

I don't know why I didn't think about it for the individual ones though. I did the group shot first, and I suppose I just forgot to move it :/

Tiller, I may get corrected here but you WANT uneven lighting on a portrait. You need some of the shadows to give the depth, hence "flat lighting".

Yes, but SLIGHT and correctly place shadows (uneven light). For example, you dont want shadows in the eye sockets, or shadows on the cheeks from the nose. ... not very flattering.

 

[Tiller]

Ok, I'll keep that in mind next time guys. Thanks!