Ok, I need some help/ideas/critiques/etc.
How can I improve this photo?
I took this photo this past weekend at the request of the lady in the middle. She wants to send it to distant relatives in her holiday card (the photo was just the family members, casual dress, didn't need to be holiday themed.).
Here is what I did to the original:
Used Group Shot software to fix the baby girl and her mother, who weren't looking at the camera.
Tried to use Group Shot to fix the baby boy, but his dad moved him too much and it wouldn't work.
Used Elements 5.0 to remove a thermostat control, light switch, and door frame line from the hall wall and an air vent and light fixture from hall ceiling.
The photo seems okay to me for the purpose it was needed for.
But, they want a Christmas picture taken with the same people in a couple of weeks.
How can I improve the photo for the future shot? It will be all the same people. The tallest is 6'9" and the shortest is 4'10".
Here are my thoughts on how I composed this photo:
Grouped immediate family members (husbands/wives) next to each other with parents holding respective child.
Three rows of people to allow everyone's face to be seen.
Tried to make it symmetrical (tallest in back middle, then sloped down on the sides)
They don't have a wall big enough that everyone could fit on, so I shifted them to the right to get the hallway rather than then entry to the kitchen with all of its distractions.
Here are some questions I am trying to think about
:
To make it Christmas themed, what could I add? Their Christmas tree is in a corner with large windows on each side
Would the tree even be seen?
I could use an upholstered chair for the oldest lady to sit in (instead of using the sofa), but then how could I position everyone else?
To me, I can't see how to group the family differently, yet still keep smaller families together.
ALL help, suggestions, ANYTHING!!! is welcome!
Equipment used: Canon 300D on tripod with hot-shoe mounted flash bounced off the ceiling (EV set at 0). 2 studio flood lights with white umbrella reflectors, one on the right, one on the left of the group (light pointed away from group, into umbrella)