Please Critique

[AngeloDefensor]

Picture of my son, I would like to improve my portrait skills. Please critique my composition, sharpness, lighting, exposure, etc.

Exif data:
Manual Settings
Camera Canon EOS 500D
Exposure/Shutter Speed 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

[nmajmani]

I like the mood this shot evokes. It has a nice sort of muted/ Serious look. However, that being said, I think one thing that detracts from the focus of the image is the bright red hat. My eyes are drawn to the hat and not to the boy's face. In addition, I'm usure if this severe an angle off center works well for this image. Perhaps rotating it clockwise just about five degrees would help. Right now it feels like it was an unintentional angle.

I do like the catchlights used in his eyes.

[Killjoy]

I love the picture. Not really a critique but he reminds me of this kid...

[AngeloDefensor]

@Mani, that angle was intentional, m experimenting tones and different angles in my shoot . I should have taken the cap but this picture is for his school project to be submitted in his class profile that was the reason he was wearing the hat with the emblem of his school. Thank you for appreciating my image by the way. How is the exposure on his face by the way?

@KillJoy, Indiana Jones movie? hehe I love that movie too and that kid!

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by Killjoy

I love the picture. Not really a critique but he reminds me of this kid...

No time for love, Dr Jones!

[graciousness]

I actually don't agree that the cap distracts away from his face. The hat is on HIS head, it is part of him and actually adds the colour to make the photo pop. If the red is away from the subject, then this would be a different case.

In regards to the angle, I like it, although some people would not be a fan of this dutch angle.

To me, he is well exposed and great use of DOF on the well, blurred background. I also like the tones used, more reason that the red cap works well in this close up portrait. His eyes are sharp enough and that's what matters most. I love the expression on his face - it shows a personality aside from the usual "I am a happy child" that we usually see.


Great job with this portrait!

[nmajmani]

In regards to his face, I think you've exposed the picture perfectly. Actually, In regards to exposure, you've done that perfectly. The hat might distract me, but that's purely subjective, and I do agree with graciousness that the fact it is on his head does help make it work. I admit that the longer I look at the photo, the less that bothers me.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by graciousness

I love the expression on his face - it shows a personality aside from the usual "I am a happy child" that we usually see.

Amen to that. Smiles are overrated.

As far as the cap goes, I think the issue is that the image as a whole has a desaturated, almost grunge feel to it. Then you have this almost hyper-saturated cap.. it looks like the luminance or something else related has been pushed waaay too much... to the point you get that patchy pixelation.

it just feels incongruent with the other processing, which suits the subject well.

I'm not crazy about the rotation, but that's just a matter of taste. I'm just glad you didn't use selective colour on the cap.

[graciousness]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

Amen to that. Smiles are overrated.

As far as the cap goes, I think the issue is that the image as a whole has a desaturated, almost grunge feel to it. Then you have this almost hyper-saturated cap.. it looks like the luminance or something else related has been pushed waaay too much... to the point you get that patchy pixelation.

it just feels incongruent with the other processing, which suits the subject well.

I'm not crazy about the rotation, but that's just a matter of taste. I'm just glad you didn't use selective colour on the cap.

That's funny, the cap doesn't look too over saturated in mine. I think it doesn't help that this monitor I am using right now is facing a bloody window (!!) and it's daytime. I'm gonna check this out in my desktop now and have a look!

If that's the case, then, at least that's an easy fix of just taking out saturation and luminance/vibrance out of the cap. Like a lot of people, I'm not a big fan of selective colouring on photos. If you have to highlight an object just to give it notice, then the composition has not done the job in what the photographer is trying to capture.

In this case, it's not necessary to make the cap anymore vibrant than the rest of the photo. It's there, we can clearly see the emblem, and the picture as a whole, works in my taste. It's the child that's the subject, and really, it shouldn't be the school emblem or the cap. Unless that's a school assignment??

Ok, enough from me. Off to look at this properly in a dark room

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by graciousness

That's funny, the cap doesn't look too over saturated in mine. I think it doesn't help that this monitor I am using right now is facing a bloody window (!!) and it's daytime. I'm gonna check this out in my desktop now and have a look!

If that's the case, then, at least that's an easy fix of just taking out saturation and luminance/vibrance out of the cap. Like a lot of people, I'm not a big fan of selective colouring on photos. If you have to highlight an object just to give it notice, then the composition has not done the job in what the photographer is trying to capture.

Yeah, the part I"m stuck on the seam on the cap.. the shadowed area looks patchy and the detail in the highlights is gone by comparison.

I"m going to guess that an action or preset was run on the image, and as is often the case it can adversely affect a certain colour or area when it pushes the contrast and changes the hue/saturation.. it certainly would be an easy fix.

Either way I still feel the bright scarlet doesn't fit the rest of the grunged-down image. To me it's a minor whinge, as otherwise it's a really nice shot.