Nine of a couch!!!!

Anelle · Nov 23, 2009

A photo of our family.... DIY style with the camera on a tri-pod!

Feedback appreciated.... in the coloured version I did a headswap of the baby because he was sooooo miserable! Didn't get to doing it yet on the desaturated one....

It is the first time I did the desat and I'm not sure how much I like it...

IgsEMT · Nov 23, 2009

cute snapshot.
G-d bless your family!!! :thumbup:

AnotherNewGuy · Nov 23, 2009

I'm not sure I like the "desat" either. I think either B&W or full color. Just my opinion tho.

Jeni · Nov 23, 2009

I agree with AnotherNewGuy. The colored one is nice and if you went full b&w it'd probably look really nice, But in the desaturated one it just seems like something's missing.

The colored one looks nice though, it's got that rustic feel, because the pictures even in that one are not that saturated, which works really well with the background.

Nice photo of your family as well! =)

Anelle · Nov 23, 2009

Thank you! The more I look the more I agree that the desaturated one is just blah! It looks off....

IgsEMT, I'm interested in hearing why you consider it a snapshot and what you would have done differently to have achieved a more "professional" look..... (other than post processing which needs a bit of pop, I think).... anything in terms of posing, lighting (I know it is flat due to the overcast sky, but next week the snow is coming, so we take what we can get), exposure etc. etc. etc.

IgsEMT · Nov 23, 2009

Lighting. I'm a light fanatic. outdoors, indoors, I use strobes & speedlights.
Current lighting in your outdoor shot is even = there's no difference b/n you guys, your foreground, or background.
What would make it more professional is lighting. for example your settings were 1/100, ƒ/5 ISO200. Shooting the same with flash at 1/160 or 1/200 of a second - you'll underexpose the background by 2/3 to a full stop, you will be lit up by the flash (two would be better, but one will do) thus you'll stand out. If the flash is on camera - to give it more of an equal spread and not concentrated beam in the middle You might have to move the camera further back and zoom in tighter.

Don't want to take my word for it - fine

Look at any television show/movies where they show photographers or videographers shooting ANYTHING - they all use softboxes, umbrellas, other light modifiers to create lighting and to isolate the subject from the background and foreground using both lights and DoF. Next time you'll watch a movie, look into person's eyes and you'll see catch lights. this is something you and I don't have at our homes if were to sit over a cup of tea

but it is done to PUNCTUATE a subject.

Now, you got 6 munchkins over there and getting them all to sit while you set things up isn't easy or practical (when at work, and bride is one of 10kids, my umbrellas are up already, thus it is a different scenario). So in PP you can through a graduated filter just to darken the background a drop and have you guys stand out

Anelle · Nov 23, 2009

Thank you very much for a very helpful response! This makes total sense.... I usually use a shallow DOF to help isolate the subject, but shooting at f5, I've already lost that advantage, so I can totally see how it would have worked better with a speedlight - which I own and have a serious love/relationship with as I'm not exactly sure how to use it effectively.

Strangely enough I did use my speedlight the previous weekend when I was going to shoot (it was nice and clear skies when we started setting up, only for it to start raining as soon as I had everyone ready) ARGH! I used it on the test shots of my son.

Okay, in terms of the speedlight.... If I used the speedlight and then upped the shutterspeed, is there a specific formula for the relationship between the added light and the faster shutterspeed? What can I expect my in camera exposure meter to read like before I add the speedlight light? At what strength do I use the speedlight (my goes in 1/3rds up to 3 full stops). Is the relationship between the speedlight and the shutterspeed relative to each other, like the relationship between Ap, SS and ISO? Where do I go to learn more about this?

Thank you once again!

Anelle

kundalini · Nov 23, 2009

Anelle said:
Where do I go to learn more about this?

A good starting place is Strobist.com. Look up Lighting 101 & 102.

I posted this response recently about a question for the need of an external flash. Mind you, the flash was on-hot shoe, but the example is valid, I think, for controlling light.

IgsEMT · Nov 23, 2009

Where do I go to learn more about this?

Strobist, Digital ProTalk just to name the few.

If I used the speedlight and then upped the shutterspeed, is there a specific formula for the relationship between the added light and the faster shutterspeed?

not sure about the formula. But there is a relationship b/n LIGHT (ambient & flash/strobe) and Exposure (iso, shutter speed, aperture). In case here, I said that I'd want to have the background darker, to do that I'd shoot at higher shutter speeds - it would darken the whole image. Then I'd add the flash to subjects. Generally, if you aren't familiar with Manual controls, set the flash to TTL and see what you get - if like the results then great, if not - add/subtract amount of juice flash is putting out. IF you familiar with manual, set it at something like 1/4 power and go up/down as needed.

What can I expect my in camera exposure meter to read like before I add the speedlight light?

First, I don't know what camera you're using. BUT SLRs have 3 general means of metering - spot, center, matrix (in different brands they are called different). Most cameras by default are set to matrix b/c manufacturers claim that it is more reliable. HOWEVER, they don't say reliable for what situation, thus you have to play and choose. If were to take a pic of my kid who is 2mn old, swinging in the swing by the WHITE wall in auto (camera and flash), camera will see huge white wall, little blob (my kid) thus it'll give me settings to have my exposure less then what I need it to be. Opposite, is when I'm shooting my kid sitting on the dark brown/coffe couch and she's wearing her teddy bear pajamas, though not as dark camera will see darkness and in auto will compensate for that. Now both are true in matrix metering but if it meters on center or spot, the output will vary. To make my life easier, I shoot in manual. my ISO, shutter are set to what I like and aperture start with 8 and adjusted accordingly for reasons described here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/The-Photographic-Eye.jsp.

If you got other Qs, PM me, we'll talk

LarissaPhotography · Nov 23, 2009

I like the color version too. Great shot for being a DIY shot. As far as flash - it may or may not improve the shot. It would definitely make it look different, but I'm a big fan of shallow depth of field myself. To each his own.