Finger Licking Summer

[DFphoto]

Hi guys,
I'm new here, hobby photographer that wants to improve and get better. and I want some people to sincerely critique my work.

This is a portrait of my niece after she finished some chips, and was licking her fingers clean.

Nikon D80
AF-S 35MM 1.8 lense
ISO 100

Thanks you
Dave


Summer Meadow | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Rentham]

You'll want to meter for the subject instead of the entire scene in this kind of situation. The girl is very underexposed. Try spot metering.

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by Rentham

You'll want to meter for the subject instead of the entire scene in this kind of situation. The girl is very underexposed. Try spot metering.

Agreed or use some fill flash... the little girl is very under exposed.

[BigFuzzy]

Agreed with Mike (as usual).. the exposure is really off. As noted, learn about the spot metering and exposure lock on the subjects face.. in a photo like this, her face (and especially her eyes) are crucial.

I'm going to be a bit harsh perhaps, but I really hope you take what I'm about to say constructively and use it to push yourself to better photos which I what I think you want.

In the end, this feels like a simple, for-the-record, snapshot. And here's why and what I'd suggest doing differently to make your future images a bit more dynamic. Do remember though, I'm just one dude with one opinion..ignore at will

The background, one of the first things to consider before putting the camera to your eye, is really busy and distracting (to me). Combined with it being brighter (the human eye is typically drawn to brightest part of an image) really make for a distracting background.

You're shooting from a very standard perspective. Most people shoot from this same (or similar) angle which means your photo doesn't stand out from everyone else who took a cute shot of their kid. Get higher, get lower, twist the camera.. do anything to change this from a standard angle. I understand it's a quick capture of a cute moment, but it's still important to think about with all your shots. After a while you'll start to be able to predict things and if you're thinking about perspective, you'll automatically find a more dynamic angle to shoot from instead of straight on.

Her hand is a very relevant element of the shot and you've cropped it off rather tightly. It's difficult, but important, to think about how you crop limbs.

I do like how you didn't put the subject dead center in the frame.. that's a start.

In the end, you have to ask yourself how to make your image stand out from the 60billion other photographers out there who would have also thought, "oh look, cute shot" about this scene.

Good luck, keep posting, and remember that you want to think about your image, not just grab it when you see it.

[DFphoto]

Thank you, I really appreciate all the feedback. I am here to learn and get better. This was a spontaneous shot. But I agree, had I change the angle or took a few seconds to set the shot up I could have improved the shot.