Love across generation

[kuul13]

I am trying to improve my photography skills and want the gurus out here to help me to learn this art of photography. I took this shot in a park when grandpa was busy with his grand child. I didn't have much time to compose it as I wanted like the tree in middle but I got the child and grandpa as I thought.

I have couple of questions:
-what do you think about the composition?
-does that tree really is a distraction?
-will this look better in b/w?
-in these kind of pictures should i still go for rule of thirds?
i will add the b/w later. If you want to see, it is the next/prev item in flickr.

EXIF:
Camera Nikon D80
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/350)
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 135 mm
ISO 800 (forgot to change it from previous night's photography )

[graciousness]

Ok, a couple of issues with this photo and they are:

1) Underexposure on their skin tones. You could barely see grandpa's face because it's so dark. I think this photo actually needs more brightness to the whole image as there is this lovely light that would be more dynamic with an increase in exposure, then there's more contrast with the image. This can be easily fixed in post processing. If you know how to use photoshop, I think you can dodge grandpa's face to lighten it. But make sure you don't do it so that it would look unnatural.

2) Cropping a little bit more of the left side would put the tree to the extreme left of the photo. Then it wouldn't bother you as much. Grandpa would also be in a better position, I think, in the photo. I'd crop more to the top, too so that the blown out sky is not included. It doesn't need to be there.

The B&W conversion didn't work at all. Until you fix the exposure issues on this photo, the B&W will just look all grey. Also, why forsake colours when you doesn't need to?

I don't know about applying the rules of third here. I do think that what you needed to do for this shot is to have taken them where you are not shooting against the light, therefore, they were underexposed. You should have taken the photo in front of them where light would have been better for this shot.

Anyhoo, cheers and I hope this had helped. Keep shooting! Look for the light in the images and see where it's hitting on your subjects. If you keep this simple tip in mind, then you'll see some dramatic improvement in your photos.

Cheers,

Grace

[kuul13]

Grace

Your critique is awesome.. loved the way you mentioned each point and the solution. I learned quite a few things today - best was the dodge tool.

As you mentioned that I should have taken the picture from the other side to avoid underexposure, I agree that the pictures are brighter and better taken when the subject is facing the sun but here I didn't have time to go around and click from front.. moreover I somehow wanted to click them unnoticed (facing away from the camera).

As per your suggestions, I have edited the picture. Also, I have increased the Exposure a little bit in Photoshop "Image>Adjustment>Exposure". Please let me know how does it look. It looks wonderful to me atleast


PS: I hope people don't mind I put pictures for critique often (just want to make sure I am learning well).