Friends family. C&C loved and appreciated:)

[rachelrach11]

Is your monitor calibrated? All three of these images look very off as far as color goes.

I notice the color difference now when I view it from my phone. It's not as "standoutish" on my monitor. Looks like I'm getting my monitor calibrated!!
Thanks for pointing it out!!!

 

[Sweetneers]

No, I'm actually in Trussville. I think everyone in a 30 minutes radius of the city says they live in Birmingham.

I also got bored so I tweaked it a bit. Here's what I would personally do:

-Removed the side vignette thing
-slightly added exposure in the inside of the frame
-added warmth
-added contrast in faces
-dropped overall exposure 1/2 stop

 

[Tee]

I like where you're going with these and I like following your progress. I'm on a super crappy work computer so I can't comment on color but I wanted to say #2 is your strongest. I like the emotion shown. I think #1 would've been the best if you came down to their level just a pinch. With regards to #3, the concept is really hot right now. I think a very, very subtle vignette would work as opposed to the bright center (but I totally get why you did it). I have found doing vignette's by hand to be the best using the burn tool set to 5-10%. It's so subtle and doesn't have the circular/ square look since you "freehand" it. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Underdeveloped]

on #3, why not kill the brightness idea, but instead do B+W on outside and color on the inside? I'm new, so if that has been done to death then just disregard.
cool hair on #1. the boy's posture looks uncomfortable though...
Colors seem to be off, getting your monitor calibrated would be a start.

 

[Sweetneers]

on #3, why not kill the brightness idea, but instead do B+W on outside and color on the inside?

Selective colorization/desaturation will get you metaphorically killed on this forum.

 

[jowensphoto]

on #3, why not kill the brightness idea, but instead do B+W on outside and color on the inside?

Selective colorization/desaturation will get you metaphorically killed on this forum.

lol typically it will. I was thinking about this shot for some reAson after I posted... Perhaps a slight desaturation of the surrounding area, but not completely to B&W. That would give "pop" without really pushing the cheese factor (the frame itself is cliche, but I kind of like the idea).

 

[jowensphoto]

Care to post the original of the last? I've got a few minutes to play around with it

 

[kathyt]

Is your monitor calibrated? All three of these images look very off as far as color goes.

I notice the color difference now when I view it from my phone. It's not as "standoutish" on my monitor. Looks like I'm getting my monitor calibrated!!
Thanks for pointing it out!!!

The reason I ask is because we can go back and forth and have you tweak this and that but if your monitor isn't calibrated you may not be seeing what we are seeing. Having a calibrated monitor is a MUST in portrait photography.

 

[rachelrach11]

Care to post the original of the last? I've got a few minutes to play around with it

I will be more than happy to! I have the original file on my computer and I will post it just as soon as I get home. I understand if it takes me a while to get back and you get tied up but I appreciate the offer

 

[rachelrach11]

The reason I ask is because we can go back and forth and have you tweak this and that but if your monitor isn't calibrated you may not be seeing what we are seeing. Having a calibrated monitor is a MUST in portrait photography.

Thanks again! I traded my Acer ( dinosaur ) computer in last week for a iMac. I've occupied myself with becoming familiar with it and haven't thought a thing about calibrating the monitor.

 

[jowensphoto]

LOL, "a few minutes" was a joke (but that's hard to understand through typed words). I've always got time

 

[PhillipM]

Just random thoughts.

If using Flash, move off camera
Shoot with a grey card for color management
Take your time to get the shot. Smiles are forced
Proper metering techniques
Get it right in the camera and forego all the PS work.

 

[jowensphoto]

Just random thoughts.

If using Flash, move off camera
Shoot with a grey card for color management
Take your time to get the shot. Smiles are forced
Proper metering techniques
Get it right in the camera and forego all the PS work.

Not always possible, especially when the desired effect cannot be achieved in camera... such as what the OP is trying to do here.

 

[PhillipM]

Just random thoughts.

If using Flash, move off camera
Shoot with a grey card for color management
Take your time to get the shot. Smiles are forced
Proper metering techniques
Get it right in the camera and forego all the PS work.

Not always possible, especially when the desired effect cannot be achieved in camera... such as what the OP is trying to do here.

If you say so.

Sure. If you goal is to have washed out colors and flat images, then one could opt to shoot with an iPhone or Tablet, and just pop off an Instagram.

Each to their own style.

 

[jowensphoto]

Just random thoughts.

If using Flash, move off camera
Shoot with a grey card for color management
Take your time to get the shot. Smiles are forced
Proper metering techniques
Get it right in the camera and forego all the PS work.

Not always possible, especially when the desired effect cannot be achieved in camera... such as what the OP is trying to do here.

If you say so.

Well, how would you recommend achieving a photo with practically two different exposures (such as the image with the frame)? Even with film, you'd need at least to shots to stack/layer. Photoshop does the same thing, only on a computer monitor rather than dark room.