What do you think about this photograph?

[Parker219]

OP- Why is your "white" background grey? That should have been your first hint that something was off.

 

[Granddad]

I don't think that's a worthy excuse in a studio environment.

Which is one reason I said "...Even though I don't like to see kids dressed as adults..." However, when a subject turns up at your studio you take what you're given clothing wise and try to run with it. That could include whipping the kids trousers off and pressing them but I don't think that's the problem so much as the bad fit.

Having said that I don't see the trousers as being a horrendous issue. If it was a publicity shot for Men's Warehouse it would be but refer back to the OPs original statement.

 

[Buckster]

The photo itself has issues, as already mentioned; Too dark, saturation issues especially in the face, the shadows including some sort of shadow halo around the kid...

But I LOVE the wrinkled suit and the pose and expression on the kid, and wouldn't change a thing about that aspect of it!

 

[cgipson1]

Tim... if you are going to be doing "sessions", you really need to calibrate your monitor ! Recommended tool (Amazon.com: Xrite CMUNDIS ColorMunki Display: Camera & Photo.

I worked a little bit on your image... my edit is on the right. See any differences? I couldn't make it look as good as I would like as I don't want to spend that much time on it. I had to:

massively correct exposure (Need better lighting on the background, and the kid)
knock down bright highlights on the face (needs better lighting)
correct color (WB?)
smooth (poor kid look like he had major skin problems! Whatever post you did had major artifacts in his face)

Original as posted .................................................................................................. Edit


Great kid.. great suit.. but you capture is subpar!

 

[The_Traveler]

and he's going to fall over backwards

 

[TimothyJinx]

Wow, thanks for all the input! Too many comments to address individually.

Exposure:
Yes, I agree. But I think that was due to the contrast effect I applied. But yes, I agree. I don't know what I was going for - I was just bored with the basic edit and I was playing around a little.

The wrinkled suit.
I like the wrinkles - adds to the character of the shot. Probably hard to find a perfect fit for a 4 year old!

I like the edits from Granddad and cgipson1. Much better than my original. I appreciate the time and consideration to help me out.

Here is the original shot only cropped a bit. I was just bored with it - that was the whole point of the original post.


Here is my latest edit using all the advice found in this thread. I smoothed the skin, removed some of the redness from his cheeks, applied the contrast effect and then readjusted the exposure and gamma.

 

[DarkShadow]

Tim... if you are going to be doing "sessions", you really need to calibrate your monitor ! Recommended tool (Amazon.com: Xrite CMUNDIS ColorMunki Display: Camera & Photo.

I worked a little bit on your image... my edit is on the right. See any differences? I couldn't make it look as good as I would like as I don't want to spend that much time on it. I had to:

massively correct exposure (Need better lighting on the background, and the kid)
knock down bright highlights on the face (needs better lighting)
correct color (WB?)
smooth (poor kid look like he had major skin problems! Whatever post you did had major artifacts in his face)

Original as posted .................................................................................................. Edit
View attachment 40530

Great kid.. great suit.. but you capture is subpar!

Wow what a difference that made with my bad eye site I actually can see the entire picture so much better now.

 

[cgipson1]

Wow, thanks for all the input! Too many comments to address individually.

Exposure:
Yes, I agree. But I think that was due to the contrast effect I applied. But yes, I agree. I don't know what I was going for - I was just bored with the basic edit and I was playing around a little.

The wrinkled suit.
I like the wrinkles - adds to the character of the shot. Probably hard to find a perfect fit for a 4 year old!

I like the edits from Granddad and cgipson1. Much better than my original. I appreciate the time and consideration to help me out.

Here is the original shot only cropped a bit. I was just bored with it - that was the whole point of the original post.
View attachment 40541

Here is my latest edit using all the advice found in this thread. I smoothed the skin, removed some of the redness from his cheeks, applied the contrast effect and then readjusted the exposure and gamma.
View attachment 40542

Tim.. that edit leaves a lot to be desired. Face is still heavily artifacted... and the background is not white, in either the edit or the original. Do you have the original RAW? Would you make it available? Even the original lacks pop, and and the lighting is pretty flat....

 

[amolitor]

What people do to skin makes me despair, sometimes. I wonder 'have they never seen a person, or are they not looking at the results of their edits?'

 

[cgipson1]

Tim.. I uploaded my edit of your raw to your dropbox... posting smaller version here..

Original Raw converted to Jpg and sized for web. Edit

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

Tim.. I uploaded my edit of your raw to your dropbox... posting smaller version here..

Original Raw converted to Jpg and sized for web.
View attachment 40559
my edit on that jpg and resized for web
View attachment 40560

Second one nailed it. Traveler might have a good point about him leaning a bit backwards.

 

[cgipson1]

Tim.. I uploaded my edit of your raw to your dropbox... posting smaller version here..

Original Raw converted to Jpg and sized for web.
View attachment 40559
my edit on that jpg and resized for web
View attachment 40560

Second one nailed it. Traveler might have a good point about him leaning a bit backwards.

Thanks, Majeed! I did not correct the slight tilt / leanback...lol!

 

[cgipson1]

Tim.. I uploaded my edit of your raw to your dropbox... posting smaller version here..

Original Raw converted to Jpg and sized for web. Edit

Excellent editing job on the photo.

Thank you! I need all the practice I can get with Photoshop... lots to learn!

 

[TimothyJinx]

cgipson1, I appreciate the input and the edit. On my monitor your edit looks significantly overexposed so I will certainly benefit from the calibration tool. I also have an untrained eye - photography is a fairly new hobby for me.

 

[Tony S]

I liked the gray background, so I selected the kid and did a simple +1.4 exposure on him.