My first people shoot in awhile C&C

Kbarredo · Jul 1, 2011

So a friend of mine makes tutus for a business. I was asked to take some pics of some kids modeling their stuff. Tell me what you think. I think some of the shots could have done with a more background blur. Btw I did these for free.
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5

Compaq · Jul 1, 2011

Number them, please

I must say I'm not very fond of the not including the entire people in the shots where that's an issue. (1 and last). And, to me, I find the backgrounds distracting. In #3, my eyes are following a line in the graffiti inwards and away from your subject. Just some immediate thoughts. I won't say much on the SC, but is the those dresses the thing we should focus on?

Kbarredo · Jul 1, 2011

number one has the full person in it

shortpants · Jul 1, 2011

I have not had coffee so I might come back to this. I definitely agree you could have blurred the background more. Also they seem oversaturated. I feel like you missed the mark as far as them modeling tutus. I wouldn't normally suggest lots of smiles, but for kids, I think you want them to look like they're happy and having fun. They look depressed. #1 think you could have gotten something if she was facing the camera and engaged. They lighting is also blah. I don't know, personally I would reshoot for her.

Kbarredo · Jul 1, 2011

shortpants said:
I have not had coffee so I might come back to this. I definitely agree you could have blurred the background more. Also they seem oversaturated. I feel like you missed the mark as far as them modeling tutus. I wouldn't normally suggest lots of smiles, but for kids, I think you want them to look like they're happy and having fun. They look depressed. #1 think you could have gotten something if she was facing the camera and engaged. They lighting is also blah. I don't know, personally I would reshoot for her.

Lol they werent depressed but they were so shy. One girl ran away and cried no matter how playful I was. Lol as you can tell my facial features are not exactly kind looking. As for the lighting how do you mean. Can you please elaborate as in blah? Also I do have pics of them smiling but it all looks so faked and posed. Man I suck at dealing with kids. also I do have number 1 with her looking at the camera. I didnt post it because her hair was in her face.

Bitter Jeweler · Jul 1, 2011

You've been here long enough to know to number your images.

In the one, if you are selling something that should relate to joy, energy, and happiness, the sad girl image won't fly. Int he other one, you really need to pay attention to your backgrounds and at least clone distracting little things out. Holy saturation, Batman! Tone it down. in another two, the surroundings don't work for selling tutu's. The have a lost girl feel to them. The processing is dark, and creates a dark mood as well. I mean, c'mon! You are shooting little girls in tutu's. Think bright, happy, energetic! Not moody and gritty. Poor processing choices were made for your subjects. Ugh, selective coloring. Fine, it does draw attention to the product, BUT, you also selectively colored the feet, which draw away from the product, and you clipped the feet at that!

Just a novel idea, but, how 'bout some pics of the girls DANCING?

Robin Usagani · Jul 1, 2011

No offense, you were criticizing SabrinaO's work and you produced images like this? If today was in April, I would think this was an April fool joke. Her stuff is much better than this.

shortpants · Jul 1, 2011

sorry, I know blah is not a technical term but I can't think of a better word right now :lol:

I guess just the way it's hitting her neck. Was it a semi-overcast day? Not that that's a bad thing, especially if you can find shade. Then the sky ends up being a nice soft angular light source depending how you position your model.

Anyway, kids are hard. Maybe since they were so shy it would have been good to let them play together without you shooting for a while, and then sneak some shots in.

Kbarredo · Jul 1, 2011

shortpants said:
sorry, I know blah is not a technical term but I can't think of a better word right now
I guess just the way it's hitting her neck. Was it a semi-overcast day? Not that that's a bad thing, especially if you can find shade. Then the sky ends up being a nice soft angular light source depending how you position your model.

Anyway, kids are hard. Maybe since they were so shy it would have been good to let them play together without you shooting for a while, and then sneak some shots in.

Yeah it was semi overcast and we only had 30 minutes because their parents had to go to work. The sun was right above us. I have alot of pics with them dancing and running around but their heads were blown out while their faces were underexposed. Well not that dramatic but you know what i mean

Kbarredo · Jul 1, 2011

Schwettylens said:
No offense, you were criticizing SabrinaO's work and you produced images like this? If today was in April, I would think this was an April fool joke. Her stuff is much better than this.

Well to be fair I never said I was better. As I stated Im bad with photographing people specially children. But can you be a little more constructive. As for bitter I tried to clone stamp the brown things and signs out of number one but they just looked like a blurry blob and attracted more attention. I may have been doing it wrong. I think I forgot that I was using these shots as a selling tool. I was just using the mood that I was used to. I guess I gotta work on representing happy stuff.

Bitter Jeweler · Jul 1, 2011

So many excuses.

Geaux · Jul 1, 2011

lol, the girls all look so EMO. Work on your poses and use pose ideas that match the product. As bitter said, have them dancing, laughing, having fun..not sitting in a field all alone with their head down, starting out into an open field, and last but not least ... (LMAO) the little girl under an abandoned bridge (seriously, wtf is up with that).

I'm not a huge selective coloring fan, but I think it's done fairly decently.

Edit: images STILL not numbered.

Kbarredo · Jul 1, 2011

Geaux said:
lol, the girls all look so EMO. Work on your poses and use pose ideas that match the product. As bitter said, have them dancing, laughing, having fun..not sitting in a field all alone with their head down, starting out into an open field, and last but not least ... (LMAO) the little girl under an abandoned bridge (seriously, wtf is up with that).

I'm not a huge selective coloring fan, but I think it's done fairly decently.

Edit: images STILL not numbered.

This is not an excuse this is actually not my fault. the bridge is actually a railroad track and her mother told me to take pics on this exact spot. I did the best I could with my limited knowledge in a spot I have never seen before.

Derrel · Jul 1, 2011

I wonder what this set would have turned out like had there been some type of John Wayne Gacey-like amateur clown, skulking around in the background. I don't mean a mass murderer type of clown, but just, you know, an independent, amateur clown who was skilled at posing with children, and who could really put a scare into them. The whole clown-lurking-in-background theme might be a good theme to keep in mind for the next shoot, or for a re-shoot of this session.