zzzzz snap shot - how to make more exciting

[NicolaB]

I have been practicing my focus and therefore I have been doing head shots. Head shots can be nice, but I have been accused that mine are just snap shots. How could I make this one more interesting other than shooting down on her or getting her to look back at me over her shoulder (if only I had thought of that at the time - doh)?

Any ideas? (a willing victim would have helped granted ;-) All critique welcome

sooc

Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 110 mm
ISO Speed 800

yours stuck in a rut

[SusanH1970]

Try a tighter crop, eliminating the stuff in the background and bringing her eyes up into the ROT. This also may work well as a BW conversion because of her serious expression.

It looks a little underexposed so you may want to bring up the exposure in post, too (easily done if you shot in RAW).

[NicolaB]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Try a tighter crop, eliminating the stuff in the background and bringing her eyes up into the ROT. This also may work well as a BW conversion because of her serious expression.

It looks a little underexposed so you may want to bring up the exposure in post, too (easily done if you shot in RAW).

Thanks Susan :-)

My head is whirring tonight with so many questions, I didn't explain myself properly. It is sooc as I don't think I can really rescue it? It can't be a really lovely head shot can it? (You can lay it on I won't cry - lol)

It is just another zzzzzz head shot. I am trying to get ideas for when I next try to pep it up a bit and not end up with a zzzzz shot, but a wooo hooo head shot. Is that as clear as mud?

I like head shots, they can be great - but this one is boring and I don't know what I need to start doing differently? What else do I need to start thinking when composing in front of a backdrop like this?




I have upped the exposure but can't get it to re-import to flickr from LR with alterations :-(

[SusanH1970]

Nicola, can you post a link to a larger version so I can have a play with it?

[NicolaB]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Nicola, can you post a link to a larger version so I can have a play with it?

Sure - sooc larger :-)



Thanks Susan :-)

[kristenh]

i'm sure susan will have a lot more to say (and show us, i hope, with her edit), but, in my view, some of what made the original ho hum was that it was hard to see the (very cute) little girl's face. i already like it a lot better with the b/w conversion and the tighter crop, but maybe even tighter? the other two things i can think of: if her head was tilted up a bit more, you might have gotten some catchlights- that always spices up a portrait, and second, just looks like she's posing for a camera. maybe you could get her to be a little more uncooperative? maybe if she was holding s/t or doing s/t? just an idea.

[sheila3]

Yeah I agree with Kristen. She is a bit too posed. I know it is so hard to get kids to be natural once they see the camera. My 5 year old refuses to do anything but this one cheesy grin. Anyways perhaps if she was sitting, sometimes i say silly things to my girls to get them to giggle, and also just adding things like hats or umbrellas or anything to get them more in character. Anyways can't wait to see what Susan shows us. Keep shooting!

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by kristenh

i'm sure susan will have a lot more to say (and show us, i hope, with her edit), but, in my view, some of what made the original ho hum was that it was hard to see the (very cute) little girl's face. i already like it a lot better with the b/w conversion and the tighter crop, but maybe even tighter? the other two things i can think of: if her head was tilted up a bit more, you might have gotten some catchlights- that always spices up a portrait, and second, just looks like she's posing for a camera. maybe you could get her to be a little more uncooperative? maybe if she was holding s/t or doing s/t? just an idea.

ETA: LOL, Sheila and I were posting at the same time.

It figures, at the moment my CS2 is having a hissy fit and I'm having trouble with working with layers, so I can't post an edit.

However, I totally agree with Kristen on a few things:

The BW conversion is lovely; perhaps needs a bump in the midtones? Agreed that a tighter crop might work; put much less space on either side of her and crop tighter from the top as well. For headshots, try shooting with your camera in portrait orientation rather than landscape. Also agreed that she's just "standing there" with a blank expression...either more serious or more of a smile, a tilt of the head, something...not quite sure. I take photos quite similar to this a lot but I try to get more "connection", if that makes sense, lol.

This photo actually does have nice catchlights; it's just hard to see them in the small size posted and her eyes need to be brightened up. When I was playing in CS2 I was trying to bring them out a bit more.

You know, it's funny...this reminded me of a picture I took of my daughter. I have no idea if you'll agree with me of if this will help at all, but here's a very similar photo I took of my her. The differences are, she's further from the background so there's more bokeh and she stands out more, she's got a more intense gaze and has a much more serious look, and the conversion has a lot more contrast. She's also standing at a slight angle to the camera and has a slight head tilt.

I love me a moody black and white, but I won't be offended if you disagree.





By the way, I did have to add that your little one has got the MOST PERFECT little cupid's bow lips!

[edbayani]

yes i think the pose is the problem aside from the a bit busy bg and cropping.
i love the bw conversion but a bit more contrast would make it better.
all these can be done on camera, but i played a bit with the photo and tilted the head a bit

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by NicolaB

how to make more exciting

As in fun?