The re-shoot...

[Photographiend]

Yes there is a hot spot in these photos... it is unfortunate... but let me explain...

In a case of "You have got to effing be kidding me!" I got everything set up to attempt a re-shoot from yesterday:

Back drop set up and steamed to wrinkle free perfection - Check

Kid is ready, hands washed, face washed, teeth brushed, hair combed, out fit coordinated with the backdrop - Check

Camera is ready - check

Now to add just a touch more light - I go to draw the blinds and they come tumbling down...

On the plus side, I did get the extra light I needed... and then some.

Also - Thank you very much Krisztina and Light Guru who took the time to give me some valuable coaching.

Shot these with the Shutter Priority 1/100

Better? I think so. Perfect? I am far too inexperienced for that just yet.

 

[tirediron]

Vastly improved; as you said, not perfect yet, but much, much better than your previous attempt. Unfortunately the first is still very soft; where are you focusing? I can find a single, sharp point. In the second, the face is almost sharp and it appears that the point of focus was the dress. Auto-focus has trouble with high-key shots due to the lack of contrast. I suggest setting your camera to single-point AF and then placing that point over the subject's eye, or in the case of a partially turned head, over the bride of the nose, having first ensured you're using an aperture to ensure sufficient DoF to render the whole face in sharp focus.

 

[Light Guru]

where are you focusing? I can find a single, sharp point.

I don't think her camera lets you choose a focus point

The light is VARY harsh toward the right blowing out portions of the image. Then on the right the lighting lets us clearly see waves on the white background. For an image like this you REALLY need to control the light using flashes, Im betting you are just using the regular room light and a single window.

Also the pose on the second one is EXTREMELY awkward. Why would the hand from the upper arm come down and hold the bottom of the face?

 

[Photographiend]

Focal options are either what ever is in the center of the image or facial recognition focus... however it doesn't always register that there is a face in the shot and when it does this is the focus I get.

I will keep playing around I have ideas but it is clear I am not going to be able to achieve that precision focus. Maybe it's the camera or maybe it is me. I dunno.

Her position was just something she happened in while she was moving around. Her hand was fixing her hair.

When we first tried shooting on the white sheet she kept putting her feet towards the camera. So I started calling her "Big Foot" I have since discovered that if I want to get a smile out of her all I have to do is say "Big Foot".

 

[Photographiend]

Forgot to mention the lighting. It is shot indoors but only with natural light. The big blown out section has to do with the fact that when I went to adjust the blinds before shooting the blinds fell like completely fell. Murphy's Law at its finest.