My first attempt at photography

[1shotmess]

Hi all, this is sooooo new to me. Only having my new camera (Sony SLT-a55) a week now, and reading all I can from this site, about setting, lighting, shutter speeds, etc., I decided it was time to try taking some pictures.........as the try at fireworks where a blast........wahhhha!...get it a blast. lol...... well anyways, after giving my daughter Kelly a shower tonight, I thought I would try and get some shots of her. I really love what I did get of her but would like some pointers. I can see, I still need to do a lot more reading.

I would like to tell you a little about her, so you can understand what I was going for in the shot. Kelly is a 20 year old, with Cornelia DeLange Syndrome. She is Non Verbal, no words at all, and she has the mind of a 2 year old. Every day is a challenge in her life. So I thought I would try the weekly challenge, on Independence, and use her doing something a 20 year old would normally do, like putting on make up. Even getting her to participate, is a great challenge, but she went straight for it. This is one of the many shots, that I liked, but for sure the lighting is off, and I sure wished I had her whole face in the mirror. I didn't use the flash, I thought it might be too much with the mirrors, but I wish I had tried. Please fill free to say what ever............I am so eager to learn........so here goes.



camera Sony SLt-a55
lens DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM
lens focal 30mm
ISO 800
Aperture f4.5
shutter speed 1/50 sec
no flash
7-7-11


Thank you for looking.

[fais54]

It has a bit of a yellow cast over it, but overall a nice photo for your first time. I think it was a smart idea not using the flash, because a softer look really works for this type of picture. Although I feel it could be a bit brighter. I really love the story behind the image, and it makes it all the more great. Good job!

[tyasa81]

hi 1shotmess... it's tough to critique a photo after a story like that... i think in this situation you should be happy with what you have... sometimes not all photos need to be perfect, if it brings back fond memories, then that's should be perfect for you...

i know one of the pros from another forum refused to give critique to family snapshots, just because she doesn't want you to stop taking these moments... after awhile, some of us (i included) dont really take that many snaps as before, and always waiting for a perfect moment before we take out our cameras... but i missed some months of my own daughter progress in the process since we dont usually have time for a planned shoot... well... my favourite style for family shots has been restarted... so here's a website for you to see and be inspired... now i'm trying to document more of my family even in an unperfect lighting/background conditions...

thefamilyphotojournalist

i really wish you and your daughter all the best...

[ajax_andy]

Good pic, and it tells a story which is wonderful.

I think you have already critiqued it yourself tbh, and I would agree the face reflected in the mirror would have added a lot to the pic.

Its a good shot and I think your attitude and eagerness to learn will see you developing in to a very good photographer

[Mark Engelhart]

I think you are on the right track with two things. First, from your critique you have an eye for the composition, you just need to see it before the shot. Look at what is in front of you take your time and visualize the finished image before you start firing off the camera. Look through the veiw finder and see if it matches your visualization if not make the necessary changes then try a shot or two. Use your on camera monitor to assess the shot before you take the next. It will make you more thoughtful of each shot you take.

Secondly, you are willing to put your work out in front of others with more experience and let them teach you from there experiences.

One last thing that I would suggest is each week on your weekly challenge set time aside not only to do the next shot on your list but also do the previous weeks set up again with the new found knowledge you will gain here. It will show you how much improvement progress you are making from week to week.

Keep at it! You will be amazed at what even a few weeks of focus on this will do for your camera skills, etc. and the end result will be lot's of good images of your lovely daughter.

[1shotmess]

Thank You, so much for taking the time to look at my photo. I loved all the comments, and suggestions that where given to me. I loaded the rest of our shoot on flickr, and gonna see if I can figure out how to link




http://www.flickr.com/photos/laura_hawkins/



I hope this is right

[1shotmess]

Thank you Tyasa81, for taking you time to suggesting that blog to me. After reading it, I do have a good understanding of what it was teaching me. I do have more pictures on my flickr link, that may reflect what the blog is about.
Thanks again for you help.

[Niresangwa]

Firstly, I can only agree that while sharing the story may place the context, it also is going to discourage posters from being completely honest with their advice. That's not to say that the compassion is misplaced, simply to be aware that some filtration may be a side effect.

That said, without reading the story, I would have assumed this was someone's daughter playing, and wouldn't have bothered to reply... so maybe it works both ways

As far as the shot goes, the white balance is off - household light, most commonly tungsten, is always going to give a warm tint to it. Not always a bad thing. People have a habit of adjusting mentally for it, and in most cases can be kind of pleasing. If you'd adjusted your WB, it would have felt cool, and maybe even too clinical to lend itself well to the shot.

Composition, it is interesting, but it misses the "money shot". There's no face in here. The eyes don't have to connect wit the camera, and in most cases it works better not to in a setting such as this. However, not being able to see her face at all kind of deflates the shot, and in my mind relegates it a lower level. It would work in a series of shots as context, but as a stand alone shot, even a candid, it falls down.

The use of the mirror is always a trick I love, and something I incorporate in very shoot I do whether its a mirror, a puddle, glass, sunglasses, anything... reflection allows the view to see the subject in an extraordinary way, which is powerful.. you did well to pick up a point and try to use it...always be on the look out for chances like this.

I'm not a fan of the square crop, but then again, that's a taste thing. Simply, I"ve never found a shot that suited a square crop that didnt suit a portrait or landscape better. In this case, the proximity of the back of her head kind of fills the frame - it's literally taking up 1/3 of the frame..and without a face in that mirror, it's just too much back-of-head...

...was there a larger mirror directly in ront of her? If so, including 2 reflections, different angles in a landscape orientation would have been my choice.. idk, just be aware of what you're placing where, and why... composition isn't as simple as applying the rule of thirds, and isn't as easy to master as the technical aspects such as exposure... it takes just as much thought, a lot of looking at other pictures, and also a touch of innate feel...

hopefully something in there helps.

[1shotmess]

Thank you for taking the time, to point out the good and the bad. I myself could see my mistakes right away, and I do have other shot on my flickr. you are welcome to look and comment there as well. I appreciate all the help I can get. Also I did do the double reflection of her in the other mirror, BUT the my bad, in those shots are the tooth past on the counter......I was so into what she was doing, and what I might miss, I didn't even notice it on the counter until I look at the pictures. As far as her reflection in the mirror being off, I noticed it right away and was so disappointed when I seen it. I downloaded gimp tonight and started working on a few of the picture to see what I could make better. I tell ya, my brain hurts from all the info I have taken in this past week. Thanks again for all your help........please feel free to look at the rest.....................Laura