Why do people like the 'wrong' pictures?

[momo3boys]

I took my camera to the park today to get some shots of my friends family. I took some half way decent shots and a bunch of just snapshot candid type. I posted them up on Facebook for her to see and everyone likes the one I put NO thought into, while the ones that I worked extra hard on get no accolades from the family! OK, rant off...

This is the one that everyone likes..

This one is my favorite.

What do you think?

 

[willis_927]

People like photos because of the emotion they have. The first one is showing how much fun the child is having. He's laughing and having a great time. While its under exposed and blurry, most people see past that and think its cute. Same goes for the second one, Which is a nice picture actually, just has some exposure issues.

 

[thereyougo!3]

They could do with being shot portrait style like you have the camera in your avatar.A reflector of some kind would have been your friend in the second shot.

 

[momo3boys]

They could do with being shot portrait style like you have the camera in your avatar.A reflector of some kind would have been your friend in the second shot.

I guess I was more taking a picture that focused on the eyes, so that's why I went with landscape. I usually do portraits in portrait style. ;-) Agreed about the reflector, i don't have one, and my children were not cooperating enough to hold one anyway.

 

[cgipson1]

Your favorite is underexposed.... although you might not see that if you don't calibrate your monitor! That could be one of the reasons no one liked it... the other is a better exposure.

Probably closer to where it should be.. I didn't color correct or anything.. just brightness...

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Which way you hold the camera should depend on the shape of your subject, and composition.

That first one, had you turned your camera, could have included the whole child, in context, instead of cutting him off at the waist and clipping his hands.
You would have had the whole child with cute dangling limbs having fun. Instead you have a poorly composed, clipped subject, snapshot that really missed the mark.

The second one looks way over processed in an attempt to salvage. It's flat, the colors are weird, an it lacks contrast.

 

[cgipson1]

Which way you hold the camera should depend on the shape of your subject, and composition.

That first one, had you turned your camera, could have included the whole child, in context, instead of cutting him off at the waist and clipping his hands.
You would have had the whole child with cute dangling limbs having fun. Instead you have a poorly composed, clipped subject, snapshot that really missed the mark.

The second one looks way over processed in an attempt to salvage. It's flat, the colors are weird, an it lacks contrast.

There is that!

 

[momo3boys]

Thanks Bitter. In the first one I was getting both dad and baby together, so the subject required landscape. I just zoomed in for a quick snap of his face, but missed. That is why I don't like the first one. The second one I barely touched the brightness bar and attempted to fix the skin tone. Apparently I failed. But I'm trying!

Here is the original. It has even less contrast.

gipson
I've tried finding a way to calibrate my monitor but nothing seems to work...

 

[cgipson1]

Thanks Bitter. In the first one I was getting both dad and baby together, so the subject required landscape. I just zoomed in for a quick snap of his face, but missed. That is why I don't like the first one. The second one I barely touched the brightness bar and attempted to fix the skin tone. Apparently I failed. But I'm trying!

Here is the original. It has even less contrast.

gipson
I've tried finding a way to calibrate my monitor but nothing seems to work...

WAY underexposed! FLASH would have made it nice!

Amazon.com: Datacolor DC S3P100 Spyder 3 Pro: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: X-Rite i1Display 2 Color Calibrator for LCD, CRT, and Laptop Displays: Camera & Photo

 

[momo3boys]

Thanks gipson, I'll put those on my wish list. I tried making my screen brighter but its already all the way up. It was so bright today that I didn't think I needed a flash, but some fill would have been nice for this one. Oh well. Lesson learned. I'll have lots of chances to try again.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Its reactions from facebook. Dont take to much value in the responses.

 

[mommy-medic]

I'm not sure what you use to post process but there are a ton o free photoshop actions for baby skin. Most reduce or remove the redness and make it peaches and cream and nice and soft without looking plastic. Try "deviant art" or "coffee shop" websites for starters and that will help his skin tones a lot.

 

[Alex_B]

as already mentioned, the second image is badly underexposed, and hard to rescue.

If it was exposed correctly, it would be my favourite of the two ... BUT, on facebook still the first one would probably be the winner. In particular when it comes to photos of children, relatives tend to judge the image purely by how happy the child appears. Highly selective perception .. people then often are unable to judge photographic quality if they do not have a trained eye. The will see the difference when it comes to landscapes, animals, whatever, but not with babies .... such is the world. Do not despair

 

[MReid]

You cannot predict what others will like.
Do not spend a lot of time perfecting shots, people just don't notice all that little crap you are fixing.
Process them all the same....let them go.

 

[Diffuser]

Also to take into consideration that many people just open a picture casually with limited views of a Mobile handheld ... take a quick peek and click 'like' if they can relate to it.
It's not a 'best quality picture contest' on a top notch screen.

Look how popular all the quick snapshots taken and uploaded with smart phones are, doesn't matter how bad in quality.