Where do I go from here?

[terri33inne]

Did some test shots with my daughter yesterday, and my new K-5 I'm also learning PSE after using Picnik for awhile... I like this shot, but I'm not sure where to go from here... this is SOOC w/ a slight adjustment to her eyes. Whenever I play with it in post I'm unhappy with the results. I'm also thinking a reflector would have helped brighten up her face.

I'm not looking for critique on her expression/pose (she HATES the camera... I bribed her promising jelly beans)...

I ALWAYS have trouble with he skin tone... usually it comes out with a yellowish tint, seems this camera is picking up more purple-ish tones. Also I'm noticing her hair has a blueish tint.



This is one edit I did... Any feedback? Seems to be a bit too much glow on her face...





Camera Pentax K-5
Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

[graciousness]

Hi there! She's super cute!!!!

First thing I noticed is that this is underexposed. Yes, a reflector would normally in this scenario, however, having to position a reflector (and usually requiring someone else to hold it if you don't have anywhere to prop it) is a bit difficult when working with children.

As her skin is dark, it would really have helped if you used fill flash. If you have an external flash, this would be really ideal in doing fill flash work. However, you can get away with using built in flash if you dont' have anything else, or better yet, position her face so that light is hitting it. With better exposure, you'll find that it will help the toning issues you are having on her face and hair.

This shot would have been better if you had her head tilted upwards to get more light and avoid the greens that may cast on her face from the grass that is so close to her.

Do you shoot in RAW? You can adjust White Balance if you are editing raw files. This will really help you tremendously.

That edit that you did is fine, however, in adding exposure or brightness to the overall image, you have lost that lovely colours on your background that makes the image pop more. You need to use an adjustment brush so that you can lighten only the area on her face you want lighter without having to touch anything else that doesn't need it.

Work with fill flash, work with raw. Then you'll find your photographs improve immensely from just using those 2 tools alone.

Cheers and hope this helped.

Grace

[terri33inne]

Thank you so much for that feedback! I appreciate it. This was my first time out with a new camera, and I had a setting so it was exposure bracketing, and I didn't want it to... uurrggh... that's why I practiced w/ her before going out on a shoot.

I do shoot in raw... I'll try some exposure adjustments in my raw editor. An external flash is another new product I have but haven't played with yet... it didn't even occur to me grab it yesterday (or to grab my reflector) when we ran outside to catch the end of day sun.

[graciousness]

Is that Starlit Photography Site yours? If it is, you have some good photos there! I take it then, that you have only worked with natural light?

Time to take that external flash out and have a play. Learn bounce techniques and fill flash. Once you start on that path, there is no going back......

[terri33inne]

Thank you so much! Yes that is my site! I was laid off in March, and am trying to build a photog business which has been my passion since high school... always something to learn... may have to get some more jelly beans to bribe my daughter for another session practicing w/ the flash

How do you bounce the flash if you're outside?

[graciousness]

Originally Posted by terri33inne

Thank you so much! Yes that is my site! I was laid off in March, and am trying to build a photog business which has been my passion since high school... always something to learn... may have to get some more jelly beans to bribe my daughter for another session practicing w/ the flash

How do you bounce the flash if you're outside?

Well, in this shoot with your daughter, you do fill flash. You can bounce outdoors but you have to look for walls or bring white foam board to bounce your flash off. But this case needed fill flash.

This site is fabulous for learning on and off camera flash techniques:

http://neilvn.com/tangents/index/flash-photography/

You can also look at heaps of tutorials on photography in youtube! If you're like me, you need visual aid if I need anyting technical to sink in my head But youtube is great for tutorials.