So I just picked up some accessories for my Speedlite the other day and tested them out.



1/125 - f/4 - ISO125 - 6x8" Softbox on the Speedlite and CTF Gel for the room lighting.

I realize I cut off a bit of the Misses' hair but other than that... how's this look to you?

(I'm normally almost 100% Aviation Shooter so this isn't my comfort zone.)

With on/near camera flash, portions of the scene near the camera receive more exposure. Sometimes selective exposure/gamma changes can balance the light in PP, although care when making the image is perhaps easier. Also, consider a closer crop and perhaps some vignette and other minor changes to direct the eye and polish it.

I see! I added what I considered "heavy" vignette in LR but you example is great! Thank you!

That crop is nice too. It's weird with people instead of aircraft. lol

What jumps out at me is Mom's hand which is bigger than baby's face and her bare arm. In any people shot any brightly lit skin competes for attention with the faces. In a candid situation like that grab the snapshot then look for distractions like those and refine it if possible by coaching the subject to move the hand, look at camera or down at baby, etc.

okay... so I took another crack at it at in LR.

Size of the Misses' hand notwithstanding, is this better?



(i just noticed that the forum seems to have squashed it. argh.)

Using what I call "Inside-Out" cropping I identified what was most important (faces), cropped in tight on it, then expanded the frame outwards until I found distractions entering the frame. To make the striped shirt less distracting I desaturated it and edit the lighting on the faces a bit. Not perhaps the best crop to tell the complete story but one I think that better delivers it's "punchline" more effectively.