Baby Gabby

[Tamster]

I took this picture the other day and was wondering why it looks so gloomy? Any help would would be great!
Just started playing around at taking closeup shots Thanks!

Aug 26, 2010
1600×1067 pixels – 76KB
Filename: me 002.jpg
Camera: Canon
Model: Canon EOS REBEL T1i
ISO: 400
Exposure: 1/60 sec
Aperture: 5.6
Focal Length: 47mm
Flash Used: Yes
Latitude: n/a
Longitude: n/a

From gabby

[Life in Motion]

it is very flat....you could bump the contrast and up the exposure a bit in post to help then select the eyes and make them pop more. did you already do some processing?

[Tamster]

No I don't think I did anything to it. I'm fairly new at that part also. lol I have just basic photo editing exp I will try that though. Other then the eye part i don;t think i have anything to do that? Thanks!

Originally Posted by Life in Motion

it is very flat....you could bump the contrast and up the exposure a bit in post to help then select the eyes and make them pop more. did you already do some processing?

[SusanH1970]

Agreed. Using the onboard flash tends to give very flat lighting (as well as pinlights in the eyes, a little pet peeve of mine, lol). Try using natural window light and a reflector, you'll get lovely results.

Bumping the exposure and doing a curves contrast layer will help considerably (as well as cloning out the pinlights...lol there I go again).

I'd also crop it so she wasn't so centered - shooting in portrait orientation rather than landscape would have given a much stronger composition.

Hope this helps. Very cute baby!

[Tamster]

Thanks I will try ypur suggestions! This one was more along the natural lighting you mentioned right?

From gabby

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Agreed. Using the onboard flash tends to give very flat lighting (as well as pinlights in the eyes, a little pet peeve of mine, lol). Try using natural window light and a reflector, you'll get lovely results.

Bumping the exposure and doing a curves contrast layer will help considerably (as well as cloning out the pinlights...lol there I go again).

I'd also crop it so she wasn't so centered - shooting in portrait orientation rather than landscape would have given a much stronger composition.

Hope this helps. Very cute baby!

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by Tamster

Thanks I will try ypur suggestions! This one was more along the natural lighting you mentioned right?

It's closer, but it's still a bit on the flat side. Next time get her closer to the window, at an angle. Look for nice catchlights in the eyes and some subtle shadowing before you press the shutter button.

[Tamster]

I will note all of this! Thank you! I actually had a speedlite attached but.....hehe forgot to turn it on It was new and I just assumed it wasn't going off because it was bright in the house. Silly me

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

It's closer, but it's still a bit on the flat side. Next time get her closer to the window, at an angle. Look for nice catchlights in the eyes and some subtle shadowing before you press the shutter button.