My Simple Suggestion: When posting multiple images, number the individual images to make it easier for others to address their comments to specific images.
I'm not an expert, but have also been trying to capture good family photos for a while. I'll give my 2 cents worth and hope it helps :-) There are some nice colors, nice color coordination of clothing, and a neat looking family!
#1 has some good smiles and they look fairly relaxed in front of your camera (just mom looks a little stiff). The background is very pretty. I would have liked to see more posing with that BG. I think you used a flash to light them up, necessary when the light is failing. I've found it helps to warm up the whole photo to kind of even out the flash WB with the BG.
#2 The colors and BG is nice, but they all look a bit stiff or uncertain. Dad looks uncomfortable and like he's trying to find a position. The others are either not smiling or like they are trying to figure out what you want. You might have tried them in that similar position for a few more shots once they got comfortable. (maybe you did?)
#3 I see some nice interaction. In the upper left one the big sister doesn't look happy. It is also a bit cool (like #1). Maybe there is a story to Dad's hand up in the main picture? The B&W looks a little gray to me, but I'm not sure how you'd make it more contrasty and not get too much attention drawn to the white shirts. I'd brighten up the lower left one. The lower right one has big sister looking a bit awkward, but they do all look happier. Dad's position could be with his face looking forward a bit more.
I'd love to see more of your work. I'm always trying to get better at posing people - especially families.
Emily Mulder wrote:
I'm not an expert, but have also been trying to capture good family photos for a while. I'll give my 2 cents worth and hope it helps :-) There are some nice colors, nice color coordination of clothing, and a neat looking family!
#1 has some good smiles and they look fairly relaxed in front of your camera (just mom looks a little stiff). The background is very pretty. I would have liked to see more posing with that BG. I think you used a flash to light them up, necessary when the light is failing. I've found it helps to warm up the whole photo to kind of even out the flash WB with the BG.
#2 The colors and BG is nice, but they all look a bit stiff or uncertain. Dad looks uncomfortable and like he's trying to find a position. The others are either not smiling or like they are trying to figure out what you want. You might have tried them in that similar position for a few more shots once they got comfortable. (maybe you did?)
#3 I see some nice interaction. In the upper left one the big sister doesn't look happy. It is also a bit cool (like #1). Maybe there is a story to Dad's hand up in the main picture? The B&W looks a little gray to me, but I'm not sure how you'd make it more contrasty and not get too much attention drawn to the white shirts. I'd brighten up the lower left one. The lower right one has big sister looking a bit awkward, but they do all look happier. Dad's position could be with his face looking forward a bit more.
I'd love to see more of your work. I'm always trying to get better at posing people - especially families.
enginyr wrote:
Comments to improve my skill would be nice. Thank you tony
Your photos are great as is. What skill in particular do you really think you need? Someone said need better posing. Baloney. You were having fun and you took some great shots!
wow this is some great feedback. I've always just bought my gear here.
pilles, thank you for your generous comments. What I think I need is "nothing"...yet I am constantly surprised just how detailed people are that put me to shame.
1) I think the bodies should be in the center more. Having it off center doesn't make sense to me in this shot. The dead space on the right does nothing for me or the image. Beautiful scene though.
2) Why is everyone smiling and the girl on the left look pissed? The "model" look isn't cutting it in a family portrait unless everyone is doing it. Dad looks really uncomfortable. I think laying down in a position like his should be reserved for a lady, but that's just my opinion. The color and light are great!
3) Image on the right is the winner in my book. Top left, the older girl needs to smile! Bottom left is probably the nicest family moment and the large image is a nice moment for mom and dad.
I updated the cropping thanks to tanner_j and I have brightened up (maybe a tad bit too much) thanks to Emily. Many average goes seem to like it when the picture is a tad over exposed since P&S camera's seem to under expose rather than over expose or maybe the magazine covers that smooth the skin.
pilles wrote:
Your photos are great as is. What skill in particular do you really think you need? Someone said need better posing. Baloney. You were having fun and you took some great shots!
i'm assuming this wasn't just a "for fun" shot. I'm sure you think you it was baloney because you specialize in snapshots.
1st image: mom and dad are separated..family portraits you want the core of the family at least together. then there is a hand coming out of the fathers neck
2nd image: the father takes up all the attention and the youngest daughter grew out of his right shoulder.
if you are wanting to sell LARGE canvas prints...then posing is definitely NEEDED. if you want nice snap shots to show in FM....these are great.
Tony Brown wrote:
i'm assuming this wasn't just a "for fun" shot. I'm sure you think you it was baloney because you specialize in snapshots.
1st image: mom and dad are separated..family portraits you want the core of the family at least together. then there is a hand coming out of the fathers neck
2nd image: the father takes up all the attention and the youngest daughter grew out of his right shoulder.
if you are wanting to sell LARGE canvas prints...then posing is definitely NEEDED. if you want nice snap shots to show in FM....these are great.
Actually it was more for fun since I it was for free I really wasn't worried they would want their money back and they are very nice people.
As for your other comments I will bite my toungue since I like a family tighter even if it may look like a growth forming :-P.
Your pictures are amazing by the way. Not the last family because of that dreadfully gloomy sky ( i would have done a blue gradient in ps). But the wedding stuff is amazing. Perfectly exposed, saturated, framed. The only thing you need to kill is the no follow tags in html. It puts big pink box in front of each image.
1: If your end goal is to sell larger prints then shoot horizontal. You can sell a much larger print that way. I would watch the eyes. Dad has his almost closed. The mom is almost seperated as if they don't want her in the photo. Think all could use some fill light in the eyes to brighten them up. Good colors and background.
People keep talking about selling larger prints. I don't quite understand why that is a recurring issue. When I do shoots, I charge for my time and what comes out....comes out.
So if you guys charge per print, technically the customer could say...Nice prints, but no thanks and just take your sample pics?
enginyr wrote:
People keep talking about selling larger prints. I don't quite understand why that is a recurring issue. When I do shoots, I charge for my time and what comes out....comes out.
So if you guys charge per print, technically the customer could say...Nice prints, but no thanks and just take your sample pics?
People sign a contract that includes your minimum in whatever sizes you agree on.
I would love to do that but it seems like all they want is a disc of all images. It seems as if the Los Angeles market is flooded with photographers. I guess I need to work hard to jump into the upper end of the market or be gone!
My comment has nothing to do with your pictures, per se, but more to do with the family's choice of style and clothing. The older daughter (?) seems to be significantly more "made up" and dresses a little fancier than the rest of the family. If they are going for a cohesive look (which it appears to me that they are), than that breaks it up a little bit.
