I thought it was going to work.. but it doesn't.

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

I worked on this picture for a while.. tweaking and such. I cannot find anything wrong with it, but nothing right with it either. I thought his expression was fun, but the lack of eye contact just bothers me, I think. It doesn't work in b&w, it doesn't work with a vingette.. I keep thinking SOME tweak will all of a sudden make me fall in love with it, but I think there's just something not good about this picture that I should just toss it. Any opinions? I welcome strong & harsh CC

saltface · Jun 3, 2008

The eyes give me the heebie jeebies, especially the left one.
I know it can be tough, but sometimes you just gotta let it go...

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

Ya, I think the eyes being kinda crossed and looking off strange.. that must be it!!

JimmyO · Jun 3, 2008

Well...
I like it!
But i know what you mean, sometimes pics just dont work, even after extensive PP. One thing that bothers me is the angle. Do you have any other similar ones to work with?

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

Thanks , ya it must be the angle that's bothering me too. I like the ones where I laid flat on my stomach and shot him. Next week I'm shooting again and this time, I'll have a bean bag with me, so it'll be better. Here's a different one:

saltface · Jun 3, 2008

Ahh!! Much better.

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

I didn't.. thats the other source of irritation for me. In PS, the mouth has some detail, but is still very dark! I think when I messed with the curves, I adjusted shadows too much.

Oh well.. off with its head LOL

Blackwell · Jun 3, 2008

The lighting makes the photo uninteresting.

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

here's a 3rd one. not happy w/this one too much either. i guess these just feel really boring to me. I will definitly be more creative next time I see him!

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

Blackwell said:
The lighting makes the photo uninteresting.

YES! That too. And that blue cast from the blanket is awful.

Blackwell · Jun 3, 2008

kellylindseyphotography said:
YES! That too. And that blue cast from the blanket is awful.

ok, so the blue cast wasn't just me.

I thought because there was so much blue in the pic that I was imagining the blue cast on the skin.

Blackwell · Jun 3, 2008

kellylindseyphotography said:
Thanks , ya it must be the angle that's bothering me too. I like the ones where I laid flat on my stomach and shot him. Next week I'm shooting again and this time, I'll have a bean bag with me, so it'll be better. Here's a different one:

I like this one the best of the 3 that you have posted, but it's still a bit too gray. More contrast isn't a suggestion because it might blow out the lower part of the blanket. Maybe dodge and burn a bit? Maybe a green filter in post?
Slight nitpik is the blurred hand. He/she probably moved as you clicked. I imagine that babies are not the most cooperative subjects.

kellylindseyphotography · Jun 3, 2008

I agree. I hate that hand blur.

Next time, I'm bringing a reflector to arch the light up at the face for a natural fill flash.

I also shot these at 7pm during a rain storm! It was too late and too dark out, so my ISO was too high, and my shutter was too low.. It was just for fun, so its all good. Next Tuesday I'll be shooting him w/all the time in teh world on my hands so I'll get to control so much more of the lighting and posing.