Archive 2013 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

miguellara
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

Hi guys,

Still trying to get the hang of people photography, this time a few family portraits, the baby was really really serious the whole time, he didn't relax and smiled until almost the end of the session.
I had a few error here and there, but the family was happy with the following shots, and I got to practice some more :-)

#2
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9768539254_1f0a173436_b.jpg

#3
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3749/9768613473_d38eefa6fc_b.jpg

#4
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/9768530545_574cee19c1_b.jpg

#5
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2845/9768331182_3c15ec41c6_b.jpg

#7
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2878/9768540416_a84f93fcfd_b.jpg

#8
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/9768540576_a9a96bf727_b.jpg

Edited on Sep 16, 2013 at 10:18 AM · View previous versions

Sep 15, 2013 at 11:46 PM

friscoron
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

Same pattern of catchlights on these shots. Looks like it was a horizontal stripbox, but was it natural lighting? If natural, curious what was creating that horizontal look.

Looks like you were shooting wide open. Typically with groups, you may want to stop down to increase your DOF. Look at No. 3, for example, where the dad is out of focus. At 5.6, he'd probably be in focus. Same with No. 7. While you were intending them to be OOF, at f/2.8, they become a blob of blurriness. At 5.6 or 6.3, they're still nicely out of focus, but still distinctive.

Really nice shot of the boy in No. 2! I really like 4 and 5, too!

Did you have a strobe to the camera left and down low? Typically, you want it higher to throw a shadow below the chin. On 6, the boy's head has a shadow on the lower part of the Mom's face. You can see problems with the light placement on 8 as well.

Overall, great job! I can see why they were happy with these. I hope my comments are helpful.

Edited on Sep 16, 2013 at 10:48 AM · View previous versions

Sep 16, 2013 at 09:19 AM

exposedme
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

friscoron wrote:
Same pattern of catchlights on these shots. Looks like it was a horizontal stripbox, but was it natural lighting? If natural, curious what was creating that horizontal look.

Looks like you were shooting wide open. Typically with groups, you may want to stop down to increase your DOF. Look at No. 3, for example, where the day is out of focus. At 5.6, he'd probably be in focus. Same with No. 7. While you were intending them to be OOF, at f/2.8, they become a blob of blurriness. At 5.6 or 6.3, they're still nicely out of focus, but still distinctive.

Really...Show more →

Yep, Yep.

Sep 16, 2013 at 09:31 AM

miguellara
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

Same pattern of catchlights on these shots. Looks like it was a horizontal stripbox, but was it natural lighting? If natural, curious what was creating that horizontal look..
there was an umbrella sometimes on the right, some times on the left, but you are right? I guess the horizontal strip catch light is coming from the ambient light, I was under the shadow of a huge tree, the sun was up and above in the sky at around 2 PM, not ideal hours but that is the time they could make it.

Looks like you were shooting wide open. Typically with groups, you may want to stop down to increase your DOF. Look at No. 3, for example, where the day is out of focus. At 5.6, he'd probably be in focus. Same with No. 7. While you were intending them to be OOF, at f/2.8, they become a blob of blurriness. At 5.6 or 6.3, they're still nicely out of focus, but still distinctive.
I absolutely went shallow DOF happy :-P .... I will have to keep that on check, I totally forgot to increase my f stop for the group shots... :-/

Really nice shot of the boy in No. 2! I really like 4 and 5, too!.
Tks, my favorites as well....

Did you have a strobe to the camera left and down low? Typically, you want it higher to throw a shadow below the chin. On 6, the boy's head has a shadow on the lower part of the Mom's face. You can see problems with the light placement on 8 as well.!
Absolutely my fault :-(

Overall, great job! I can see why they were happy with these. I hope my comments are helpful.

Of course, very helpful indeed... :-)

Sep 16, 2013 at 10:26 AM

24Peter
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

miguellara wrote:
Hi guys,

Still trying to get the hang of people photography, this time a few family portraits, the baby was really really serious the whole time, he didn't relax and smiled until almost the end of the session.
I had a few error here and there, but the family was happy with the following shots, and I got to practice some more :-)

Well Miguel, if you really are new to people photography (and I don't doubt it), you're off to a great start. These are all good photos and I'm sure your clients will love them. Yes, a little more DOF helps on group shots, but these also work. And you (intuitively?) recognize the value of shooting in open shade (your catchlights are fine). Not everyone gets that. Also it looks like you were supplementing your natural light with a strobe and you did that quite well. A very natural fill quality to your strobe here (so much so I would have guessed you were only using ambient light.)

Point is, you're well on your way. Hope you have a bunch of business cards ready for all your new clients

Sep 16, 2013 at 10:40 AM

miguellara
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

Well Miguel, if you really are new to people photography (and I don't doubt it), you're off to a great start. These are all good photos and I'm sure your clients will love them. Yes, a little more DOF helps on group shots, but these also work. And you (intuitively?) recognize the value of shooting in open shade (your catchlights are fine). Not everyone gets that. Also it looks like you were supplementing your natural light with a strobe and you did that quite well. A very natural fill quality to your strobe here (so much so I would have guessed...Show more →

Thank you Peter,
This is actually my second actual shot of people besides my GF, who was tired of me getting in front of her face with my camera every time I wanted to practice something new I learnt

.
I was more of a Macrophotography kind of guy, but I am loving people photography more and more and I even sold my macro lens so I could concentrate in my People and landscaping photography more.

It is funny that you mention the business cards, I posted a few of these and my one previous session and my GF and I have already a few requests from friends and their friends for some sessions ranging from babies, family and even a lady that wants to build a Model Portfolio. :-O

Now I will have to start reading and practicing a lot more, I don't even know if I should and how much should I charge them......
I do photography more for love for the art than for money, but my GF disagrees :-P

Sep 16, 2013 at 03:53 PM

GeorgieGirl
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

I think the #5 and #8 are the best shots since they focus on the little guy and the Mom and Dad support the image without being a conflicting central part of it.

Sep 16, 2013 at 07:03 PM

miguellara
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Still practicing.... Family Portraits

GeorgieGirl wrote:
I think the #5 and #8 are the best shots since they focus on the little guy and the Mom and Dad support the image without being a conflicting central part of it.
Hi GeorgieGirl, mhhh that is a good way to look at it, I didn't think about it that way but that is a good point of view to keep in mind for the future sessions.

Tks for the feedback.

Sep 19, 2013 at 10:59 AM


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