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Archive 2014 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)

  
 
SonomaMike
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


Hey all- I love photography as a hobby, but I'm not too versed in portraits. I want to surprise my wife with a huge metal print for the Holidays, and I've narrowed it down to a few pics of the kids. Any thoughts or ways I can improve the these? Do you have a favorite? I like the first one the best.

Thanks for the help!

Mike








Nov 15, 2014 at 06:56 PM
prairietom
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


I don't know what a metal print is, but I am wondering why you are going to cheat her out of two of these pictures! Have you considered a triptych? I would think that you could do that in a metal print, also.


Nov 15, 2014 at 07:11 PM
friscoron
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)



These pictures look great as they are, but metallic prints accentuate any blown highlights, and you have some here in each pic. Just want to be sure you're aware of that. I like the first one the best as well. Smiles seem really natural, and I like your processing on that one better than the next two. (Maybe you didn't work as hard on the next two since you liked the first one so much?) :-) Whatever you do, print 'em BIG! These ones deserve to be printed big!



Nov 15, 2014 at 07:41 PM
friscoron
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)



By the way, having said what I saw about blown highlights and metallic prints, No. 1 would work well in metallic. No blown highlights on the kids. For what it's worth, by the way, I'm not bothered by blown highlights, and certainly not by any I see in 2 and 3.



Nov 15, 2014 at 07:42 PM
rolandogomez
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


Not sure why metallic prints, I'd prefer archival inkjet prints. They all three look great! If you have to go with only one, the first one looks the best in my opinion. Job well done! rg


Nov 15, 2014 at 07:50 PM
film_4ever
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


My vote is for number two. Yeah, it got some hot spots in your daughter's hair, but you can tone that down a bit in ACR, (I presume Lightroom can do it too). I like two better because I like your son's pose better than 1. 1 seems great for a candid shot, but not an enlarged print hanging on the wall. I like three also, but don't like your off-center composition. In order to frame it, IMHO you would need to crop a significant amount from the LHS, and then the photo's aspect ratio would be all wonky.

I think you did very well for someone who claims they are not well-versed in portrait photography.



Nov 16, 2014 at 04:44 AM
BOB WOOD
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


I vote for number 1. My only suggestion is that next time you place the younger child in front.


Nov 16, 2014 at 07:35 AM
SonomaMike
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


Thank you! This is why I love this place. Every time I read something here, I learn something new about photography.

I've done some vineyard shots on metal in the recent past and I really like the look. I order through SmugMug and they've come out spectacular. I thought for a b&w of my kids, the metal print would just be different.

FriscoRon, I actually spent the least amount of pp time on #1. The reason being is I just got a better exposure out of the camera. I spent a lot of time on 2/3 trying to fix the blown highlights (I cant!) and trying improve the lighting. i also think I nailed the focus on both faces on #1, but my daughter in 2/3 seems slightly out of focus. Maybe I'm just seeing things at this point because I've been staring at them for so long! :-)

Film4ver- I agree on 3. I completely missed the composition and not sure how to crop further without messing up the ratio.



Nov 16, 2014 at 09:02 AM
jefferies1
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


I vote for number 1. It should look nice on metal.


Nov 16, 2014 at 07:21 PM
MGPeters
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


I like the first one. Seems the most all around balanced to my eye.
Good job!



Nov 16, 2014 at 10:29 PM
Squirrely Eyed
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


Without knowing the kids or the family, I like #1 the most. Their smiles look more natural and it overall has a warmer feel to it (mood, not colors). I would suggest to tone down the highlights behind the boy a little and agree with Ron -- print it big!


Nov 17, 2014 at 10:15 AM
SonomaMike
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


Thanks again for all the input! I really appreciate it. I'll stop staring at these and order #1.




Nov 17, 2014 at 08:01 PM
dmacmillan
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Portrait Advice (Christmas gift)


I like #2 best, but #1 would be fine. Do you have Photoshop? If so, I'd be tempted to create a layer and clone out the tree trunk growing out of his head the the branch camera right from it.

On #2, I'd clone out most of the flyaways.

Cute kids! Your wife will love whatever you choose.

BTW, I love your neck of the woods. I was there on business this summer. I think I mentioned that in another of your threads.



Nov 17, 2014 at 08:10 PM





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