Outdoor Family shoot

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Archive 2008 · Outdoor Family shoot

raul_T
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p.1 #1 · Outdoor Family shoot

I shot this family today. They were a lot of fun and they actually like each other

All were taken on a cloudy day with some sun poking thru. I threw in an off-camera flash on each of these. The flash was placed anywhere from 45 to 90 degrees, camera left, depending on how the light was coming thru the clouds.
I am very interested in your opinions as y'all have helped me tremendously to this point!

1) Cropped, maybe a slight levels adjust.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

2) Cropped, slight levels adjustment, skin softening, vignetting.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

3) Cropped, slight levels adjustment

This image is copyrighted by the owner

4) Cropped, slight levels adjustment, skin softening, vignetting.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

5) Cropped, slight levels adjustment, vignetting, no flash on this one.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

6) Cropped, slight levels adjustment.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

7) Any idea on what to do with all the hair in the face of the girl in the left center

Thanks in advance!

-raul

Dec 01, 2008 at 02:45 AM

Steady Hand
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p.1 #2 · Outdoor Family shoot

Hello.
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. As I always say: "Follow your own muse."

My Quick Observations:

1. Check the white balance on all images and try for consistency of skin tones. On at least one image the skin seems too "yellow" (orangish) and does not look good. Compare the mother's skin in 2 and 3.

2. The heads/faces/eyes are very small in several images due to the relative size of the heads in the image (due to distance from camera).

My Simple Suggestions:

1. Work closer to get more detail in the expressions and faces.

2. Avoid too much "empty space."

3. Avoid the Vignette look. (a matter of taste....but I might as well suggest it

)

4. Focus attention on one or two people. Not TWO groups as shown in image #4 which is a "common" "wedding album filler" style image. IF the parents are important, pull them up front with the kids. IF they are not important, leave them out of the picture. "Focus."

5. Instead of "posed" action such as the "wedding album filler" "jump shot" try to find novel/new or natural ways to show "real" "natural" interactions among the group/family. And...get closer...much closer.

I hope these suggestions and observations help you (and others).

Dec 01, 2008 at 03:31 AM

raul_T
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p.1 #3 · Outdoor Family shoot

Thanks Steady,

I always look forward to your detailed critiques. I definitely see what you mean w/ the WB issues.

Dec 01, 2008 at 06:37 PM

jscoby05
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p.1 #4 · Outdoor Family shoot

Just a bit of advice on #3, never ever use a gold reflector. Unless you are doing a stylized glamour shots, it will always end up looking bad, especially with fair skinned people...and I am speaking from experience.

Dec 01, 2008 at 07:01 PM

jefferies1
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p.1 #5 · Outdoor Family shoot

#1: Nice overall look but I would Custom WB to set the skin color for the lighting.
Crop a lot closer. Taken as is I would crop at the base of the leg, not cutting off the fingers. Don't worry about standard 8x10 sizes. Square or long and narrow look good also. I would also remove about 60% of the headroom. You may be able to crop even closer between elbow and shoulder but never at the elbow as the look is not good.
Too small to tell but it looks like everyone was squinting. You want full open eyes so have them closed until you say to open if sun is an issue.
#2: Same squinting as before.
3: Again I would WB and crop just under the hands. It would be a lot more of a emotional connection is tighter. I would even crop into his hair a inch but leave hair showing, bringing the focal point higher in the frame. I know no one likes that but it sells to clients really well after the see it in print. This one does have better eye contact.
All the others are fun but again I like a tighter crop.

Dec 01, 2008 at 07:18 PM

timhpark
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p.1 #6 · Outdoor Family shoot

Overall, you did a nice job. I won't repeat some of the issues that have been stated already, but I'd like to comment on the posing on #1. I find that the dad is too far above his family. He's much bigger than they are to begin with, so placing him that much more above the others makes him look like he's really towering over them, and there's too much space between his head and the others'.

Tim

Dec 01, 2008 at 10:36 PM

jfinite
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p.1 #7 · Outdoor Family shoot

Nice job, I even like the different colored jackets.

Dec 02, 2008 at 02:50 AM

raul_T
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p.1 #8 · Outdoor Family shoot

jscoby05 wrote:
Just a bit of advice on #3, never ever use a gold reflector. Unless you are doing a stylized glamour shots, it will always end up looking bad, especially with fair skinned people...and I am speaking from experience.

Thanks js. I guess I really managed to mess up the WB on that image. I didn't use a gold reflector.

I was however, fighting an ever changing light source as it went from thick gray ominus clouds to cloudy with sun light washing thru the clouds to partly sunny with the sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds. I did not want to go auto on my WB so I tried to stay a step ahead. It was definitely a good lesson session for me, which is what I need!
I will however, slow my pace on getting a gold reflector as I actually went out earlier that morning to get one, and the store was out of them.....so thanks for the tip on the gold one.

-raul

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:26 AM

raul_T
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p.1 #9 · Outdoor Family shoot

jefferies1 wrote:
#1: Nice overall look but I would Custom WB to set the skin color for the lighting.
Crop a lot closer. Taken as is I would crop at the base of the leg, not cutting off the fingers. Don't worry about standard 8x10 sizes. Square or long and narrow look good also. I would also remove about 60% of the headroom. You may be able to crop even closer between elbow and shoulder but never at the elbow as the look is not good.
Too small to tell but it looks like everyone was squinting. You want full open eyes so have them closed until you say to open if sun is an issue.
#2: Same squinting as before.
3: Again I would WB and crop just under the hands. It would be a lot more of a emotional connection is tighter. I would even crop into his hair a inch but leave hair showing, bringing the focal point higher in the frame. I know no one likes that but it sells to clients really well after the see it in print. This one does have better eye contact.
All the others are fun but again I like a tighter crop.

Thanks Jefferies, I will have to play with the WB. I had an ever changing light source which was a good challenge for me.......and a good lesson.

It's funny that I'm even getting the well deserved crop comments as I normally shoot sports and my crops are verrryyyy tight. I guess because I'm in portrait mode I changed my crop habits

Your right, the father and the 2 daughters had a "squinty" (is that a word) smile.

I very much appreciate your detailed critiques!! Thanks for taking the time.

-raul

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:42 AM

raul_T
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p.1 #10 · Outdoor Family shoot

timhpark wrote:
Overall, you did a nice job. I won't repeat some of the issues that have been stated already, but I'd like to comment on the posing on #1. I find that the dad is too far above his family. He's much bigger than they are to begin with, so placing him that much more above the others makes him look like he's really towering over them, and there's too much space between his head and the others'.

Tim

Thanks Tim. I do see what your saying......he does look like he is nearly a half-person taller

Thanks for taking the time to commnent!

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:45 AM

raul_T
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p.1 #11 · Outdoor Family shoot

jfinite wrote:
Nice job, I even like the different colored jackets.

Thanks J. Mom said the older daughter had the most fashion sense and kinda told them what to wear. Initially when they showed up I thought there was too broad of a spectrum on the colors but once we started to shoot, I thought the colors did blend well.

Thanks for taking time to comment!

-raul

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:51 AM


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