Patience

[BexJarratt]

Exposure 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture f/7.1
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 200

I would like some comments/critique on exposure and composition based on this not being a posed shot. Also I have done some exposure blending, has it killed the photo or improved it by removing some shadow from their faces?

I've had my camera for almost a year now, but I've taken very few people photos in that time. I think that's because inanimate objects and pets don't ask to see the finished article. This September I took the plunge and took some photos of my family on a little holiday to Weymouth. This is one of the shots from a day trip to Swanage. My sister was being taught to skim stones by her boyfriend.

Any other comments or critique gratefully received, as always. And feel free to edit if it helps.

[nmajmani]

I like the exposure and colour balance on this image. Everything looks realistic and lifelike. The only problem I have is that the subjects are centred vertically in the frame. They are spot on horizontally, but I suggest maybe a tighter crop closer to them and less of the outside frame. Otherwise a good shot.

[BexJarratt]

Thank you very much for your comments. I can see what you mean about them being centred vertically. I think I was too busy worrying about them being on the thirds line horizontally, and making sure the line of the stone breaker was not going through the centre. I struggle with how to place things in the vertical axis when they take up a lot of the frame height, any guidance on this would be greatly appreciated

How is this for an attempt to re-crop it? I wish I had more room at the bottom, unfortunately the originally was my in-camera crop.

[terri33inne]

I like the exposure, and colors as well, and think it's a cute capture. My only suggestion was going to be the tighter crop which I think you've done a nice job on... I would play with it too, and see if a crop higher above their heads is better.

[graciousness]

That stone of wall is leading my eyes away from the couple. I don't think the crop, really, was much better. They do need more headroom and less sand/stone foreground. But regardless, that wall is still an issue. One way to have helped this background is by blurring it with use of wide aperture (less than f/4 seems ideal in this scenario). Everything is almost in focus in this photo that yes, to me, it is busy.

A different angle on this shot would have been better, like if you had shot them standing behind them facing the beach with two different focusses (two different shots) - one is a focus on the stone they are holding and use of a very wide aperture so that the DOF is quite narrow; the second one with focus on their face with a narrow f/stop (aperture) to get their faces in focus, hands slightly in focus but as foreground. They would be left side of the shot giving some 'throwing' room to the right side. The background, then, becomes the blurry sea. Whether the wall comes into play as part of the background, it wouldn't be as distracting as the line of the wall would be perpendicular with them.

My suggestion you standing behind them and focussing on the stone they are holding makes more sense especially that you mentioned you are more practiced with taking inanimate objects. You could have used them as props.

The second suggestion of taking a second shot with the focus on their faces is your practice on people photography.

I would have then, exposed for the background first by underexposing it using Manual mode to avoid over brightness, and then play around with fill flash on the couple.

+10 if the shot was closely taken during golden hours for more dramatic effect.

I hope what I wrote made sense....it's past midnight here and my brain is starting to fade.

Anyhoo, I hope you understood what I wrote. Just keep in mind that if you do want to improve on people shots: (1) blur the background if it's busy or distracting from your subjects; (2) learn fill flash to lighten your subjects under extreme ambient conditions or lack of it. Just using those two techniques will extremely help you improve your photography.

Cheers,

Grace

[BexJarratt]

Thanks for all your wise words and gentle encouragement, so much food for thought next time I'm shooting people. It really is so helpful for me having people critique my shots. I shall be dragging family members out on more adventures so I can get more practice soon.

There's always so much to think about, but I guess like with driving, eventually you have so many lessons and so much practice and it starts to become more natural.

[BexJarratt]

Originally Posted by terri33inne

I would play with it too, and see if a crop higher above their heads is better.

Thanks Terri33inne, I think you're right, they look a bit hunched up, like they're trying to keep within my frame.