Family Session C&C

Kyna · May 2, 2011

Morning

I had a busy weekend, 2 prom sessions and 2 family sessions. Here are a few from one of my family sessions.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Shot with all ambient light, no reflectors(because I don't have any yet LOL). C&C PLEASE.

Kyna · May 2, 2011

31 views and nothing?

Rancor · May 2, 2011

Sorry, I'm running late. one sec.

1) I like and don't like the pose. I think it puts her face in the foreground drawing even more attention to her blue eyes, which is great, but it also messes with the shape of her body, and leaves her looking almost deformed, distorted, whats the word I'm going for.

2) I like this one a lot. Cute pose, and good contrast between the two.

3) This one is really close to adorable, it just seems a little staged. (well that's probably because it is dummy) If they were a bit more giggly I think it would be perfect. The one on the left looks a bid down.

4) I love the suitcase in this once, very cute use of props. Gives it a 1970's vintage feel.

gsgary · May 2, 2011

You need to keep an eye on your settings all are soft due to shutter speed

Kyna · May 2, 2011

gsgary said:
You need to keep an eye on your settings all are soft due to shutter speed

Thank you for the constructive c&c. I wanted to have a higher shutter speed because kids are wiggly. What about that causes a soft photo? How do I combat that? Thank you!

gsgary · May 2, 2011

Kyna said:
gsgary said:

You need to keep an eye on your settings all are soft due to shutter speed

Click to expand...

Thank you for the constructive c&c. I wanted to have a higher shutter speed because kids are wiggly. What about that causes a soft photo? How do I combat that? Thank you!

You need more light as in studio lighting, using natural light indoors you will either struggle with shutter speed or DOF from using a smaller aperture, for these i would be using 2 lights and shooting at F8

Rancor · May 2, 2011

Now you say too soft. Wouldn't soft be good for children's portraits? I mean, you wouldn't want harsh shadows and edges on a kid, it would look creepy. I'm just asking for future reference.

I mean shooting some rugged cowboy from Wyoming, ya, crank up that sharpness. Get every bit of grit on his hat and face, the texture of his wind worn skin. But not for kids.

gsgary · May 2, 2011

Rancor said:
Now you say too soft. Wouldn't soft be good for children's portraits? I mean, you wouldn't want harsh shadows and edges on a kid, it would look creepy. I'm just asking for future reference.

I mean shooting some rugged cowboy from Wyoming, ya, crank up that sharpness. Get every bit of grit on his hat and face, the texture of his wind worn skin. But not for kids.

There is a difference between a nice soft image and camera shake

Rancor · May 2, 2011

Gotcha. So soft is good, but not too soft. These have camera shake!?! You guys have good eyes. These looks crystal clear to me.

Okay, having reviewed them, I can see it a little in the faces on 3, and on the upper leg on 4. But the first 2 still look sharp as day to me.

gsgary · May 2, 2011

Rancor said:
Gotcha. So soft is good, but not too soft. These have camera shake!?! You guys have good eyes. These looks crystal clear to me.

Okay, having reviewed them, I can see it a little in the faces on 3, and on the upper leg on 4. But the first 2 still look sharp as day to me.

Is this sharp ?

Nice and soft, natural light from 2 windows

Rancor · May 2, 2011

I think the top one is sharp because you can make out each hair as it comes off the edge of the dog. The second looks soft because the hair on the back of her head looks blurred and each hair cannot be made out.

gsgary · May 2, 2011

Rancor said:
I think the top one is sharp because you can make out each hair as it comes off the edge of the dog. The second looks soft because the hair on the back of her head looks blurred and each hair cannot be made out.

And it has much softer lighting, first shot is straight from the camera shot at a dog show where i was printing on site with no time for editing, camera to print was about 2 minutes

Rancor · May 2, 2011

Right. The dog has a brighter light coming in from the left centered on it, where as the woman has almost a glowing, warming light (ambient as you said) coming in at a 2/3rds angle.

Kyna · May 2, 2011

1 doesn't look soft to me at all and I love the pose

I don't like the super stiff rigid poses. I want the kids to display their personality and this DEFINITELY shows her personality

2 is slightly soft

3 is the worst

4 isn't soft it just has motion blur

That is what I see from my barely trained eye.........

Now if I don't want to use studio lighting which I don't at this point...........what can I use for settings if I need a fast shutter speed? Will reflectors help? I am using the crappy kit lens 18-55 mm..........I am intending to buy the 50mm 2.8......will that give me a lot more room to work with?