Joining

[Manjolo]

Hey folks!

I am new to this forum and actually alltogeather new to sharing photos. So here goes
This is a shot i took when my daughter was playing with my compact camera. I love this picture but i have a feeling that i could bring more out of it. What u guys think?



Canon EOS D400
EF 50mm f/1.8 lens

iso 200
f/1,8
1/80s

[SusanH1970]

It is a cute image! The issues I see are:

1. She's underexposed and the background is overexposed.
2. When viewed large, it appears the focus fell on her shoulder rather than her eyes (the detailing in her shirt is very clear whereas her face is very soft.
3. There is no light in her eyes.

If this had been reversed (she was standing facing toward the window, but at an angle) and you were shooting with your back to the window, the exposure and lighting would have been much better. With better light, you also could have closed down the aperture and upped your shutter speed, giving the photo much better focus. Spot metering off the subject is a good idea, too, especially when you have a bright background.

Hope this helps. It's adorable!

Edited to add: Just note about composition - while it does follow the rule of thirds, which is good, it would have been better if there was more room to her right and less to her left, giving her room to face into.

[EOBeav]

Completely agree with Susan's assessment. Also, I wonder how this would look if you were over this girl's left shoulder slightly? You'd lose the window in the background and get a different perspective on her.

[Manjolo]

Thank you very much for the suggestions. It helps alot when u hear from others because when taking photos of close family u cant even notice those little mistakes because of owerwhelimg feelings

I must say that your comments really help to see it in more critique perspective. i can clearly see my mistakes and will improve my future shots. i must say its first time some experienced people are commenting my photos and it makes me better as i see my goals more clearly

thnx a bunch

[srt]

I agree with everything pretty much said in the above posts, including this being an adorable shot! Before I take a photo I do a quick mental check of background, it is now a habit and altho with kids it's not always possible to change the background, a lot of the time it is.....this would be a great place to start if trying to improve.

With this shot, keeping background in mind you just had to set the compact camera up facing the other way! As long as your daughter could still play with it, then positioned yourself with the window behind you (as Susan suggested). Then I would have chucked away any toys or things behind her, or shut any doors that might have been open. Very simple when you get into the habit of doing a quick background scan. Hope that helps a little

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by Manjolo

I love this picture but i have a feeling that i could bring more out of it. What u guys think?

When will she start shooting wedding? Here's my version:

[mandyatm]

It is a cute shot! The first thing I notice (besides the cuteness) is the cluttered background and it's brightness. Turning it all around would have made a big difference in the exposure, and you would have gotten more light to her face and getting it in focus would be easier.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by LoveDSLR

When will she start shooting wedding? Here's my version:

Nice edit. Definitely an improvement.

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Nice edit. Definitely an improvement.

Thank you. Not that often I can play with Orton Effect.

[tasmo2]

Originally Posted by LoveDSLR

When will she start shooting wedding? Here's my version:

Love the edit!! I need to learn the Orton effect! Never even heard of it, but it worked wonders on this shot!! Could you give a little info to us beginners?


I just echo what everyone else said. Being new I still struggle to remember checking the background and have started making a mental note to do so! Great advice from everyone!