What’s Your Preference?

tknapp84 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 12:26 AM

I took this pic of my girls in my grandma's garden. It's a few shots I took in a series there. The whole feel I'm trying to create is a bit of a magical feel? Did I get it? What do you think about the overall feel and focus of the picture?

Info about the shot
Flash Used: Yes (manual)

Focal Length: 6.3mm (35mm equivalent: 36mm)

Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400)

Aperture: f/3.1

ISO Equiv.: 64

Whitebalance: Auto

Metering Mode: matrix

Exposure: program (auto)

Photologyst · #2 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 12:58 AM

Beautiful! You did it.

I would even consider some more “magical” blurring.

sk66 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 01:00 AM

I think you did well.
In general when I think of magical (happy) I think of light and airy.."sparkly". To that extent I think the central image could use brightening.

swilliams61 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 01:16 AM

Yep...you got it! Awesome...

carlyfan · #5 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 02:13 AM

This is beautiful! It made me go "Awww!" Such a sweet picture!

RichardTaylor · #6 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 02:31 AM

Beautifully captured & PP'd.

szuzu1969 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sk66

I think you did well.
In general when I think of magical (happy) I think of light and airy.."sparkly". To that extent I think the central image could use brightening.

I agree. I like the composition but it seems very dark to me throughout. Did you try to make it lighter and this is the way you liked it more? It is a great pic and I like the colors and the models and the idea. But maybe mess with the brightness a bit maybe.

Rpulliam · #8 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 04:06 PM

I would lighten their faces to give more of a contrast to the darkness. Just my opinion, I am in no way an expert though! Love the photograph though!

Niresangwa · #9 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rpulliam

I would lighten their faces to give more of a contrast to the darkness. Just my opinion, I am in no way an expert though! Love the photograph though!

...and this is the crux of it. It feels like a dark image, so while the soft focus blur lends itself well to what you wanted to do, and it works as a sweet candid, the darkness and lack of faces detracts as a portrait.

Don't get me wrong, you nailed the action (such as it is) of what I assume to be sisters picking a flower, so you told the story, but as an image, as bright as the colours are, the overall dark feel negates a 'magical' feel for me, if indeed it was an ethereal look you were aiming for.

With some diligent post work to save the hot spots of exposure on the arm and hair you could bring up the overall brightness of the shot, but again you would have to be careful to preserve the highlights while improving the shadows..