Kids Park Critique

[Obijuan]

First picture on top. Under exposed? Should I get fancier than that with the setting?
I shot both with an older lens. I love this old heavy lens. 80-200 mm f4.5 Nikkor

Apr 9, 2010
1024×680 pixels – 105KB
Filename: 80-200 038.JPG
Camera: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D90
ISO: 800
Exposure: 1/1000 sec

From Grandparents

Second picture. Does it matter for the portraits photographers out there if the kids are looking at the camera? Also, I like to crop close. Is this bad crop by taking part of the head off?

From Grandparents

[Benji]

Yup, underexposed. I never rely on the in camera meter in any of my cameras because it is wrong about 98% of the time. Another couple of problems with these images is raccoon eyes, and the white balance is off. Shooting under trees with green leaves and in green grass usually makes caucasion skin take on a slight green cast.

Benji

[Obijuan]

Originally Posted by Benji

Yup, underexposed. I never rely on the in camera meter in any of my cameras because it is wrong about 98% of the time. Another couple of problems with these images is raccoon eyes, and the white balance is off. Shooting under trees with green leaves and in green grass usually makes caucasion skin take on a slight green cast.

Benji

Thanks Benji. I checked the camera settings and the white balance was switched. Thanks for that. How do you get rid of the raccoon eyes?

[~AJ~]

I personally think some shots can be nicer if the subjects aren't looking at the camera - like in your 2nd one... it shows a nice moment between the 2 kids. The first shot is great - I love that she's looking at the camera.... just need to try & cat more light in the eyes that's all.

As for cropping.... I don't mind if a head is cropped a bit, but not at the point where you have - if it were a bit lower, then it would be better. I don't like cropped limbs though, unless you crop above the knee or elbow.

When taking photos of kids, I find it's always easier to pull back a bit to make sure you get their whol body in the frame, coz they move so fast that if you're too close, they don't have to move much to get an arm out of the photo.... You can always crop it later in post production....

Lovely composition for both shots though!