I just noticed the Weekly challenge section, and I am excited about starting this contest each week. The purpose of this post is not only to get advice about this photo, but to make sure I am submitting a photo correctly for the challenge. As far as this photo is concerned, I really didn't have time to set anything up. My daughter and grand daughter were playing, and stopped for a quick second to pose. For a situation like this, do you just not worry about what direction they are facing, or background, or lighting or anything else, and just capture the moment? Or is there something else I could have done to improve this shot knowing that they would not stay still very long.
Welcome to FM and Photo Critique. I hope you find the folks hanging out here helpful and likewise I am sure you have thoughts that we can learn from.
Image - I think you did a great job for a spontaneous shot. I tend to shoot first and think about it later, especially with the grandkids - their grandmother is my harshest critic.
That said, and I would probably have not noticed either, but the fence post is distracting and a candidate for removal in post. Otherwise, I love the light, exposure, and you certainly have conveyed their enjoyment of the moment...something they will appreciate time and again as they re-visit the image.
Look forward to your sharing more images and your thoughts with us,
Somehow I think you already know the answer to your question @ capture the moment vs. control the pose ... i.e. it depends. If you can control things without putting the moment at risk, that's one thing, but if you lose the moment trying to make it technically perfect, that's another.
It's kind of a thing you get a "feel" for ... but if you think about it, it's kinda tough to stage impromptu, but if they are "playing along" you can get them to follow your lead a bit sometimes too. Just be sure to get the first one, then it can be "play time" after that, if that makes any sense.
It's important to pay attention to the background. If it was more out of focus it would be better. It would also be better with a tighter crop to place more attention on the subjects.
