Two people in a portrait - where is the subject?

[Mr Jon]

Portrait of a woman and child, taken outside Siem Reap in Cambodia:



Exposure: 1/250
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 70 mm
Post-production: a few tweaks when converting the Raw file (the original was a little washed out) and a slight crop. I don't normally make cosmetic changes in Photoshop, but in this case, I brushed out a speck of food from the boy's mouth (hope you can't spot this).


I'm quite pleased with the shot, but I keep asking myself, who is the subject of the photograph, the woman or the child? Would the composition have been improved if they were closer together? Is the buffalo in the background a distraction?

Do any readers have any tips for portraits with more than one subject?

Thanks,

Jon

[Aleix]

I'm learning portrait photography, and something I've read in one of Scott Kelby's books is that when photographing couples, putting both subjects really close to each other enhances the photo. I imagine this could apply here too; if both subjects in the picture would be closer to each other, they would concentrate the attention of the observer to a smaller area than otherwise, creating one spot of interest instead of two.

Nice picture by the way

[MamaSadieBell]

I think if you were to take out the bull it wouldn't be so hard to find that they are both the subject. I find that my eye is distracted by the bull. In most cases I think it would be good to put two people closer together. But being that this is a cultural picture I think it would look unnatural for them to be closer. I love the shot!

[amberskies]

I didn't even notice the bull until you mentioned it, so I guess it wasn't distracting to me. Love the colour and the faces... slightly closer might be an improvement, but it's great anyway!

[Elhombrem]

I didn't notice the bull at all either. But now that it's been pointed out I can't help but look at it. Interesting how these things work. Having the subjects close together would prevent the eye from darting from one side of the photo to the next (it would also block the bull in the back ground). Maybe if the shot wasn't cropped that close it would give the appearance of the subjects being closer. Either way great shot!

-Greg

[daddyoproductions]

I didn't notice the bull either, and when I read that comment I thought he was referring to a different kind of 'bull'..had to look at the photo again! I agree with having them get closer, but if you're unable to ask or direct them, then pulling back for a larger frame might be a better option next time, to take in more of the scene and position of the rest of their bodies. Since she seems to have him slung on her hip as she goes about daily life, it seems that might have been the better story telling aspect than showing their affection or relationship, which is not really expressed by their position here. Or try to get both closeup and pullback shots next time if you can. Still a good capture!
~C

[Mr Jon]

Thanks for the feedback everybody, it's much appreciated.

I don't have any wider shots, but I do have this one where there is more interaction between the two of them.




Is this the sort of thing you meant, Carrie?