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Archive 2014 · A Family That Eats Together...

  
 
beavens
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · A Family That Eats Together...


While making our way back for the day we encountered a sizable troop of baboons, I saw this group (of what I'm going to assume is the father, mother [or older sibling?] and young one) sitting in a circle eating together.

If I could go back, I'd probably want sharper focus on the baby (appears from the image that dad got the best of it) and a lower perspective (difficult when you're in a car, and baboons are not a creature you want to piss off).

I'm looking for feedback of all kinds, so don't hold back.

Should I selectively sharpen the baby? Am I cropped too tightly on the left?

Thoughts on the BW conversion?

Thanks!

Jeff







Sep 05, 2014 at 08:31 AM
Wildcats_Fans
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · A Family That Eats Together...


Great back story and shot. Yes, baboons don't take posing suggestions well.

I like the baby looking at the camera. I like the texture contrast of the fine hairs against the foreground and background OOF blur. It is almost a full blur vignette. That is why I like the good details and focus on the larger baboon. IMO it may be better if you could sharpen the mother and baby both so they stand out from the background more. Like you said, you are limited on what you can get and did a good job.

I like the crop. I played around with even tighter crops, but liked your crop better.

How does the color version look?





Sep 05, 2014 at 09:49 AM
beavens
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · A Family That Eats Together...


Seriously - those guys have some KILLER teeth!

Agree about sharpening the mom, but she might be too far off the focal plane. Sometimes I get caught up in getting the click instead thinking about the best presentation, especially dealing with the unpredictability of nature.

Ha, I don't even recall! Some pictures instantly jump out to me for BW conversion so it's like I don't even *see* the color version. I'll post that when I get back home.

Thanks for the input!

Jeff



Sep 05, 2014 at 10:03 AM
FarmerJohn
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · A Family That Eats Together...


Jeff, I don't think you should sharpen the mom. With the eyes, the focal point is clearly on the baby. Maybe darken the others so they don't distract as much? Maybe do a pano-crop, a little off the top and bottom?


Sep 05, 2014 at 10:23 AM
beavens
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · A Family That Eats Together...


Ha, John ya pretty nailed my execution spot-on. I had intended on a family shot, but was definitely drawn to the baby while shooting. I took about 6-7 shots and the one you see is where he/she finally looked up.

Food for thought, and thanks! I really should stop posting when I'm going to be stuck at work all day and can't immediately try out the new ideas.



Sep 05, 2014 at 10:27 AM
andrewsk
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · A Family That Eats Together...


Ok here is what I would do. Rough edit. We need to take the focus off of the Father and Mother as they are not sharp and cannot see the eyes. The baby is the focus of this shot.

We do not want to lose the family message though as that is cool.

What I have done is instead of worrying about making one sharper than the other is to Dodge and Burn some new light into the image.

Focus it directly on the baby coming from the left. IT isolates him but keeps the message

Thoughts?







Sep 05, 2014 at 10:33 AM
andrewsk
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · A Family That Eats Together...


One other thing to notice that works here is the Dynamic Contrast.

Notice how the black shapes of the Baboons contrasts well with the lighter background.

What really helps here as well is the baby's head is dark over his mothers light side and then his arms go white in front of his own darker shadow.

This Is very important in B&W photography and works great here. Always hunt for that Dynamic Contrast.






Edited on Sep 05, 2014 at 10:38 AM · View previous versions



Sep 05, 2014 at 10:38 AM
beavens
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · A Family That Eats Together...


Keith, I like where you're going with it. Allows the baby to be the star while not totally excluding the rest of the family.

Thanks everyone for the input - I definitely have a better feeling of where this will end up. If anyone else has thoughts please don't hesitate!

I'll throw up an update when I can get to the [home] computer.

Cheers!

Jeff



Sep 05, 2014 at 10:38 AM
beavens
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · A Family That Eats Together...


andrewsk wrote:
One other thing to notice that works here is the Dynamic Contrast.

Notice how the black shapes of the Baboons contrasts well with the lighter background.

What really helps here as well is the baby's head is dark over his mothers light side and then his arms go white in front of his own darker shadow.

This Is very important in B&W photography and works great here. Always hunt for that Dynamic Contrast.


Definitely! It's going to be something that stick in my head going forward after the gull from the seal pic and this as well. Good looking out, Keith.



Sep 05, 2014 at 10:40 AM
dmacmillan
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · A Family That Eats Together...


I like the photo. You've gotten some good ideas about how to still tell the story, but strengthen the center of interest.


Sep 05, 2014 at 11:56 AM
Shasoc
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · A Family That Eats Together...


I'm offering a second POV a different interpretation of your image. As a viewer I clearly feel different emotions from yours when you took the picture that may be can help you in evaluating your image.
Looking at the image I don't get that sense of a family eating together that you saw being there. To me the subject is the little baby discovering the world. The Baboon on the right is showing its back and to me is not contributing to the image and the other baboon is oof even though has a visual supporting role in the overall balance of the image. As such I find the baboon on the right being a distraction that takes away from the cute little baby. More so as on my monitor looks the sharpest part of the photo.
Having said so this is how I see your image. A way to get a bit more emotionally involved with the little guy, the focus point of your image IMHO.
Socrate






Edited on Sep 05, 2014 at 12:01 PM · View previous versions



Sep 05, 2014 at 11:59 AM
beavens
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · A Family That Eats Together...


Thanks!

This forum rarely fails to point me in the right direction.



Sep 05, 2014 at 12:01 PM
beavens
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · A Family That Eats Together...


Socrate,

Interesting! I had never thought to nix the old man from the shot.

I may have to try out a couple totally different interpretations of this one.

Would this photo garner interest if all three were looking down and preoccupied by the food?

Is a solid capture of face required to connect?

Cheers!

Jeff



Sep 05, 2014 at 12:04 PM
Shasoc
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · A Family That Eats Together...


beavens wrote:
Socrate,

Interesting! I had never thought to nix the old man from the shot.

I may have to try out a couple totally different interpretations of this one.

Would this photo garner interest if all three were looking down and preoccupied by the food?

Is a solid capture of face required to connect?

Cheers!

Jeff



I believe the whole mood of the image would change if all the baboons where facing the camera. That would give more a sense of "family" being together doing something.
One baboon putting food in its mouth would make clear they were eating. The little baboon looking into the lens of the camera to create a better connection with the viewer.
Having the other two baboons looking at each other would depict the relationship between them.
However I'm sure if you had ask the baboons to pose for you they would probably get really upset with you
Socrate




Sep 05, 2014 at 01:07 PM
beavens
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · A Family That Eats Together...


Good points all-around.

Hell, I'm not sure who would get me first - the baboons or my wife! She was already not happy that I was hanging out of the window to begin with.

Thanks Socrate!

Jeff



Sep 05, 2014 at 01:12 PM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · A Family That Eats Together...


Doug got it. In the original, dad was the 600 pound gorilla in the room, so to speak. Cropping him simplifies and clarifies the message of the image.


Sep 05, 2014 at 08:37 PM
Oregon Gal
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · A Family That Eats Together...


The crop of Socrate focuses attention on the baby, the focal point of the image. Having dad's back to the viewer pulls the eye away from the subject. The re-work from andrewsk using toning and dynamic contrast draws my eye immediately to the baby. Look forward to seeing a new image posted based on the suggestions in this thread.


Sep 06, 2014 at 12:49 PM
andrewsk
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · A Family That Eats Together...


I agree on the crop. Crop it and tone it like I had earlier and you may have something here


Sep 06, 2014 at 02:43 PM
beavens
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · A Family That Eats Together...


Quick update! Hopefully can take another look tonight.

.edit I don't care for my burning job here - seems too sloppy.







Sep 06, 2014 at 02:53 PM





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