Early morning slobber

[Shauna156z]

~ DEEP BREATH ~ SO nervous to post here for some reason... at the same time I'm just dying for some honest critique! I've only had my DSLR (D90) for a month, but already find that I can no longer put it down... it accompanies me everywhere.. including, on occasion, trips to the bathroom. ahem. I'm in love.



Shot with Nikkor 50mm 1.8 set to aperture mode

I was trying to play with the early morning sun in our back yard... I just LOVE this pic, but fear that I may be a little biased as the subject is my son, Felix. Honest critique and pointers.. please!!

Oh, I should mention; I used Lightroom to up the exposure a little and add some vignetting; otherwise, it remains as shot.

Thanks again!

[Lightwriter]

Could you post your exif for us?

[Shauna156z]

Okay, after a quick google of what "exif" is... I think this is what you're looking for...?

Exposure: 1/1600 sec at f / 1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO: 200
Flash: Did not fire

Lens: Nikon D90 50.0 mm f/1,8

Is this what you were asking for? If there is another format I should be posting this info in, please let me know!

[pjflan7]

unfortunately most of here are addicted! Looking at your exif, I can leave you with a couple of recommendations. First off your aperture of 1.8 should almost never be used on portraits. You will never get the whole face in focus as the depth of field will in centimeters from the distance you are shooting. There are "critical" stops which are f8-f11. These stops generally turn out the sharpest highest quality shots. So I would start there and dial down that shutter speed. Unless you are trying to stop a race car, you shouldn't need 1600 shutter speed. The focus on the eyes looks ok but you will noticed his nose is a bit blurry.....due to 1.8 stop.....save your 1.8 for low light situations or creative depth of field for artistic photography...This is a starting point and I am sure others will offer other suggestions too.....Keep on shooting....nothing like alot of practice

[Shauna156z]

Thanks for the advice!! I guess what I have to do is start shooting in manual mode and play around more with aperture. I was shooting in aperture mode, so the fast shutter speed was chosen by the camera. Another reason to bite the bullet and start using manual!

As to using f / 1.8.. I have to admit that I'm totally guilty of trying to create more artsy, out of focus backgrounds.. and even the odd forground. eek! I guess I didn't really convey that with this image. I saw some amazing images on Flikr.. amazing bokeh with the picture taken almost directly into the sun and wanted to try this myself --this is what I was playing with here. I let the sun -just- peek into the top of the lens.. hoping to get an interesting flare and maybe a little bokeh... I guess my attempts fell a little short?

[Lightwriter]

You can get bokeh without f/1.8. Having all the face in focus would give this shot a lot more impact. Also, I think the drool detracts rather than adds to the shot. Lastly, I think you've give him way too much "eye pop". Babies have beautiful eyes and a little pop is nice but too much just makes the eyes scary. Moderation is key with any photo edit. I hope this helps you and keep on shooting!

[pjflan7]

You can still use aperture priority, just put it at the critical stops where you need deeper depth of field and let the camera assign the shutter speed..... try a learning exercise.....set up some items on the table or outside and take 6 or seven shots and change the aperture for each one and see how it affects your pictures. Once you have that mental image down, then you can start getting creative with your dof.

[private]

you can get the whole face in focus using 1.8, you just cannot be so close to your subject. You can look up the depth of field calculator and based on your settings it'll tell you how far away you should be.

[Niresangwa]

I like it. A lot. Not so much the drool, but thats a personal thing

I don't mind that you used 1.8 *at all*, as it allowed you to make use of the sun, which is the best feature of this portrait. I try and use sun flare whenever I can get it, and you used it well. the rim lighting was especially effective in this case. decent composition, i like the close framing.

is it technically perfect? no, however, a shot like this is something i would work with and present to a paying client - simply bacase the feeling you have over it before you offered it up for sacrifice here in the critique forums is what an image should convey: a feeling and an atmosphere, not just a 'technically sound' image. If you had followed the conventions and avoided the flare and changed the DoF and used flash it would have just been another shot of a slobbering kid that I woudn't have looked at twice.

[Shauna156z]

What? You don't love the drool..? I guess that's something only a mom can love; and even then, not so much. I just love how messy it looks in the photo... this photo is SO Felix. He's a drooly, spit-uppy mess that smiles all day long... he rocks.

Thanks for "getting" my photo. I was beginning to think that maybe I had missed the boat using the sun the way I did. Going by the comments I received, it seemed that everyone was seeing a big mess of mistakes, rather than the art I was trying to create. I'm guilty of being one of those artsy fartsy types that can't STAND typical, uninspired studio shots.. don't get me wrong, they have their place and their market.. it's just not something I can or want to create. I don't want a face and background that are all perfectly exposed.. I want flares, blur... texture... FEELING... and yes, even messy drool if it conveys what I need to say. I was just worried that no one else would see that in my images. Thanks for taking the time to comment! You made my day and have reassured me that I should keep moving in my own direction. If you see what I see... others must too.. right?

Thanks everyone for all your comments! I appreciate them all and will definately be back for more.