Steady Hand
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 p.1 #7 · New at Portraits C&C Please | |
Howdy,
First...my standard intro to anyone "new" to me on this forum...
My comments or suggestions below are not a criticism of you, your model, your talent or skill. I offer them in a friendly tone of voice and with the sole intent to help you with a second POV and set of eyes. If you read sincere questions and simple suggestions as "criticism" of you, then you will miss how I am trying to help you.
Of course this may be your own "style" or your own "vision" and I suppose we can assume that the images look just like they do because that is exactly how you like them. That is OK too. It just shows that there are differences of "opinion" on what looks good. IF these are exactly what you want and like, then by all means continue making your images look like that and have fun doing it. I can only speak for myself and what I do or do not find appealing in the posted photos. As I always say: "Follow your own muse."
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friscoron wrote:
You're shooting at 1/80 at f/7.1. Why do we care about that house in the background? Why do we care about that streetlight in front of the house in the background? Why do we care about those trees behind her? We don't, on all three counts.
You want to be shooting wide open so you can throw in some delicious bokeh in the background, and then all the attention goes to your subject instead of all that stuff in the background competing for attention.
I disagree. 
Why?
Here are a few of my reasons. I don't expect friscoron or others to agree, but I would like the Original Poster (OP) to see that others may feel differently and appreciate his photo as shown.
The deeper Depth of Field (DOF) gives this image some DEPTH. Something that is sorely missing in a lot of "shot wide open" photos I see here.
I AM interested in the scene. Makes me think "New England in the Fall." I don't know where it is, but including the scene gives me something of a clue and also an appreciation for a place.
The family may live in that house. It may be the family home. It may be hometown. Who knows? To include it in the picture is a valid choice and possibly a very good choice for reasons we on this forum don't know.
I like trees in a scene, when they fit the theme or are more than something to lean against (as is shown in so many poorly composed photos of a girl and nothing but a tree trunk). Including those other trees in the distance gives me a feeling of "wooded area" like a park, rather than "part of a tree trunk" if they were not shown.
I get so tired of seeing "nothing but bokeh" portraits that are so common on a forum like this. THOSE look dull and common to me.
This photo is a good example of including a natural outside background scene that fits the theme (fall family photos).
I hope these comments help and encourage you.
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Now take a look at the photo of the child on her mother's leg.
My Simple Suggestion: Avoid that pose in the future.
Why?
Because at a glance it appears the mother only has one leg ( what I call Amputee Illusion).
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