All smiles

[ang1995]

I need some help with this one. I really like the moment that was captured but I don't know what to do with it. I really feel like it needs something else.


What do I need to change with the lighting? And if you have any ideas please share!





EXIF:

Camera: Cannon Rebel XTI
Lens: Cannon EF 50 mm 1:1.8
Exposure: 1/640
Aperture: f 4.5
Focal Length: 50.0 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Flash: Off, Did not fire

[Tito87]

Lovely picture. I think you need to focus on the eyes and move around before you start shooting, so that you can see what the light is doing to your subject from different angles. I love this shot.

[ang1995]

I did do that but it is a little hard to get a good picture of someone swinging (at least for me it is).
I also got a UV Filter when I got the new lens and I do not have one for my other lens so I'm trying to get the hang of that to. I know there is not much difference but when I don't know a lot about photography it seems to take me a little while to get the hang of things.

[Tito87]

Originally Posted by ang1995

I did do that but it is a little hard to get a good picture of someone swinging (at least for me it is).
I also got a UV Filter when I got the new lens and I do not have one for my other lens so I'm trying to get the hang of that to. I know there is not much difference but when I don't know a lot about photography it seems to take me a little while to get the hang of things.

You don't really need a UV filter for digital cameras. That was common practice with film cameras. DSLR have UV filtration built into the sensor. I think your camera has a focus mode where you can focus on something, then lock that focus, and even if your subject moves, you don't lose your point of focus. Check out your manual.

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by ang1995

What do I need to change with the lighting? And if you have any ideas please share!

The eyes are going dead. You need to find an exposure that will give you good skin tone while lighting the eyes. When you're dealing with direct sun, that generally means putting the sun behind your subject and exposing for the face. When the sun is behind your subject you should have even light on the face instead of the blotchies you see on the little girl here. This often means your background will blow out to white unless you're shooting against a darker background.

[John Hendry]

Yes these points are all relavent, but you realy need to look at the light, is it getting into the eyes? direct sunlight is tough to take portraits in softer directional light that comes from the side into the eyes makes a much better portrait.

all the best

PS :- Really like the shot the light is not always the most important thing great moment captured.

[ang1995]

Originally Posted by Rentham

The eyes are going dead. You need to find an exposure that will give you good skin tone while lighting the eyes. When you're dealing with direct sun, that generally means putting the sun behind your subject and exposing for the face. When the sun is behind your subject you should have even light on the face instead of the blotchies you see on the little girl here. This often means your background will blow out to white unless you're shooting against a darker background.

The eyes are the main thing that I did not like in this pic. I know that in this picture I did not have her in the right place for the lighting but I can't really pickup the swings and move them so I was just trying to deal with what I had. This was just a random pic that I was able to get while I was babysitting her so its not like it is for a client or anything (not that I have any clients).

Thanks for the advise on the lighting and the sun. That is kinda what I have always figured when I was taking pics although I had never heard it and I usually try to do that.

Do you know of any ways that I could get the eyes to come alive more?

[ang1995]

Originally Posted by John Hendry

Yes these points are all relavent, but you realy need to look at the light, is it getting into the eyes? direct sunlight is tough to take portraits in softer directional light that comes from the side into the eyes makes a much better portrait.

all the best

PS :- Really like the shot the light is not always the most important thing great moment captured.

Thanks for the advise!!
I normally try to keep that in mind with the lighting and its not that I wasn't when I took this pic but I was not that worried about it since she was just my niece and I was just doing it for the extra practice. I knew that the lighting wasn't really good when I took this but I thought I might be able to do something with it on the editing side. She was also swinging so it was hard for me to get the settings right and get her in the frame at the right time. (I know it would be easy for you )


Anyways I'm not trying to make excuse at all and thanks again for the input!!

[ang1995]

Originally Posted by Tito87

You don't really need a UV filter for digital cameras. That was common practice with film cameras. DSLR have UV filtration built into the sensor. I think your camera has a focus mode where you can focus on something, then lock that focus, and even if your subject moves, you don't lose your point of focus. Check out your manual.

Yes, my camera does have that option were you can focus and move the camera and it is still in focus.
I did not know that about the UV filter. I also thought that it would be good to have for protection as well

[Doug Sundseth]

The simple way to add light to the shadowed part of your subject's face here would probably be a reflector. This could be something like a 5-in-1 intended for photography or a sheet of white foamcore or the like. Anything to push more light into the eyes.

If you have a flash, setting it up to give you some fill where the shadows fall (here probably low camera right) works quite well.