Wifey's Birthday Gift Shot - C&C Requested...

BirdyIsMe · Mar 10, 2010

I'm working on some ideas for my wife's birthday. I'd like to take a photo of her her with our daughter, and have it gallery wrapped. I'm trying to do something a little more different/natural than a typical studio shot.

Anyway, thoughts on this shot? C&C on the shot itself is appreciated, as well as your thoughts on how well it'd work as a 24x36" wrap. Thanks!

bazooka · Mar 10, 2010

I'm usually a big fan of empty space to one side or the other, but this feels strange to me. I think it's usually best to use the larger person as a bookend and have the smaller person on the inside as well. I'm not too excited about the books and papers on the lap either. I do like the colors and exposure.

matfoster · Mar 10, 2010

i think you got this pretty good. it's got a nice vibe about it.

TJ K · Mar 10, 2010

I'd say a tad less space on the left and you'd be set. The shot is very nice itself. Wonderful gift too.
TJ

BirdyIsMe · Mar 10, 2010

bazooka said:
I'm usually a big fan of empty space to one side or the other, but this feels strange to me. I think it's usually best to use the larger person as a bookend and have the smaller person on the inside as well. I'm not too excited about the books and papers on the lap either. I do like the colors and exposure.

I'm not sure what I think about the empty space. I think I like it, but I agree that my daughter being towards the center and my wife being on the far right would be more visually pleasing.

I actually have some shots that don't include the books, but I've chosen to incorporate them, possibly as a way to document this portion of our lives (my wife just left the corporate world and started nursing school).

matfoster said:
i think you got this pretty good. it's got a nice vibe about it.

Thank you!

TJ K said:
I'd say a tad less space on the left and you'd be set. The shot is very nice itself. Wonderful gift too.
TJ

I'm going to try some different crops. I'm going to have to rework the image to make the 1.5" cutoff on the edges (for the wrap) less intrusive.

SNAPaPHOTO · Mar 10, 2010

I think it's usually best to use the larger person as a bookend and have the smaller person on the inside as well.

Also I would line mom up with the rule of third line on the right visually. That way you know how much empty space to have on left.

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 10, 2010

srinaldo86 · Mar 10, 2010

I took a stab at it too, however I didn't crop quite as tight as Bitter did.

Looks like his contrast is a bit higher too.

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 10, 2010

Sometimes we need to think about when not to use the RoT. :thumbup:

Overread · Mar 10, 2010

Hmm have you considered inverting the original image so that the subjects are on the left rather than the right?

My feel is that you really want the bench on the right - then the mother then the child then the empty space - at least if you get a crack at reshooting. That or reverse mother and child in the original aspect with the negative space on the left.

burstintoflame81 · Mar 10, 2010

I like the empty space on the left, but typically you would want the space to be in the direction the subject is looking ( atleast thats my understanding ) Although they are facing each other, I think the mother is more imposing as well as her facial features are more apparent. So maybe the space would work well if they were facing the other direction. Just my opinion.

iBats · Mar 10, 2010

The empty space really draws your attention away from the subject, and its rather annoying although it is a cute photo

PerfectlyFlawed · Mar 10, 2010

Bitter Jeweler said:

Loving the cropped version... i didnt like that there was so much empty space on the left.. and the bench was cut off.. made it seem incomplete. i I cant decide if i like the B&W or color version better.... theyre both awesome mod's.

BirdyIsMe · Mar 11, 2010

Bitter Jeweler said:

Thanks, Bitter! I love this version, I'm just not sure it's right for a big huge gallery wrap. I might just have it framed with this version, though.

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 11, 2010

Ooops, I just saw you don't like your photos edited. Sorry.

I like the original image. My biggest problems with it are your wife facing right, and the lines of the bench leading off to the right. I see it as two big things leading you off the right. If the right bench end were there, I think that would help.

My logic for my crop is all the horizontal lines, on both sides. Just seems more balanced to me. There is a lot of good stuff in the original though. Just those two things are problematic to my eyes.