Goodbye Reflection...Critique it up, like make me cry.. :)

[cprkhrst]

Alrighty...here is a photo that I would like to LOVE, however I am apprehensive on the fine focus, as well as the vibrance of color...help a sister out?


And photo number two...I like it alot! So, point out the errors and what I can do to make it better. THANKS!

 

[amolitor]

First one feels a little soft, I think there's motion blur in his hair, and the light feels a pretty flat. I might punch the highlights up a tad, to give it a little more visual pop without making it look weird. It's very cute, well framed, the reflection in the glass is very nice as well. I'm suspect that the motion blur in the hair is a deal breaker, though. If I were trying to save it, I would see if I could photoshop in MORE motion blur, to see what happened. It might become a more convincing image.

The second one is also cute, but I feel like the light's too harsh and the vertical elements (he's on one of those swing things, isn't he?) are a little to enigmatic to let this one really work.

They're both quite close to excellent, but they both have potentially deal-breaking aspects to them that are not obviously fixable, unfortunately.

 

[Derrel]

Both are cute moments...little snippets of time...the boy waving to the reflection with one hand, while the other hand holds a cracker?? Simply ADORABLE. It could be punched up a bit, as amolitor mentioned, yes, but it's not going to be elevated much more than it is because this shot is about a MOMENT in time. A brief, fleeting moment. Which you captured. So, cropped-off feet aside, the shot's okay. Maybe trim off some of the left side shed. But, keep it, and appreciate it for what it *is*, and do not lament it for what it is *not*. In terms of technique, it is lacking. In terms of a family photo, it is good. Very cute.

Looking at it once more, I would say crop it off right at the mid-line level of his shorts and level with the bottom-right hand side of the shed's siding....tighten it up...crop off some of the left side of the red shed too...eliminating the bad foot-chop and going in,tighter, will emphasize the strength of the shot, which is the window reflection interaction.

The second shot is just bad lighting. So bad it made him squint. and the squinting is kind of what it is all about!!! It's too bad it was shot wide....a tall frame would have included more of him, and eliminated all that empty background. Again...it's a "moment"...an expression..fleeting...not great, but still, it is what it is.

 

[ronlane]

What they said, I would add that I think the first one may could use a little more exposure.

 

[Derrel]

Here is a quick adjustment and crop of the first picture. I added a bit more contrast and a bit more vibrance, but not so much as to excessively "juice" the color. I also applied an edge vignette, and a very tiny amount of dodging of his face in the reflection. I saw that an old-time, kind of fade look might also look appropriate with this subject.



To me, this looks like a good composition, balancing the window with the right amounts of red siding on either side, and putting the boy where he has maximum impact. I hope you like this.

 

[cprkhrst]

Amolitor, Thanks for the response, critique and compliments on framing. I did not notice the motion blur. (amateur)

Derrel, I took your suggestions and wow do they make a difference. I hardly noticed my own photo after I applied the contrast, cropping, and vignetting. I do not know what "dodging" is....I shall google Your edited photo looks great, thanks! I'm stoked I have been able to capture the "moments" but I will be much happier when I can completely ace the combination of technique and "moment" into one off the chart photo.
In the second photo the little man was actually winking at me ( flirting a bit...haha), but, abstractly it does look like he is squinting because of the light. I also agree with the tall frame suggestion. It definitely would have captured more of the story since he was on one of those see-saw swings..(Nice eye amolitor )