First time family shoot - C&C welcome!

[Dillard]

A friend of mine asked me to take some family photos the other day. I don't do very much portrait work, so this was a pretty fun experience for me.

Tear 'em apart. I'm here to learn

1)

2)

3)

4)

 

[Rick58]

Sorry, they just don't seem like Christmas card material to me.

 

[Dillard]

Sorry, they just don't seem like Christmas card material to me.

I agree! To be more specific, they wanted "family photos", as well as a photo of their dog wrapped in lights for the Christmas card.

Thanks for pointing that out! I'll be sure to edit to OP to prevent any more confusion

 

[Derrel]

I mostly like your second shot, of them embracing with the OOF backdrop and the sunlight streaming in and causing a very nice, complex flare signature...if the framing were a bit lower on them, and there was a bit less top space, it would be a simply marvelous shot! I love the OOF background, with the roof peaks, the back-lighted Japanese maple in red and orange coloration, everything in the background is wonderfully rendered! It's just that their heads are too low in the frame, pulling the frame "down".

I like the low camera placement in shot #3, getting some ground in there, to lead the eye with OOF to the couple and their dog. The flag in the background, and the heavy vignette work pretty well in this case. I like the intimacy shown in the last shot,a cute dual-profile shot! I think it might look better in color.

Looking at 3 and 4, it's interesting to see what a movement of a few feet one way or another makes to the final shot. Eliminating the flag from the background moves the focus in shot #4 to the foreground and them, whereas including the flag and that bit of house in #3 makes it sort of an environmental portrait.

The BEST thing about these is it shows some of the most-ideal ways to deal with direct sunlight! Fantastic job on using the sun almost like a studio flash in a pan reflector!

 

[Dillard]

Thanks for the feedback Derrel!

I appreciate you taking the time to type out such a detailed response

 

[Emanuel M]

I like them all.
Love the contrast and sharpness of your gear (that I don't know what it is).
Keep it up - I'm sure your friends liked the photos a lot

Cheers

 

[Dillard]

Thanks! 1, 3, 4 were shot with a D750 and 70-200 VR1, and #2 was with a 50 1.4!

 

[PropilotBW]

Nice shots! I think #3 could use a tighter crop

 

[JanB56]

# 4 is my fav, but I'm a sucker for the B&W.... & # 3 too

 

[Shades of Blue]

If this is your "first", then expect to have a great future at this! I like them all.