Trio portrait - first shots with new 5D2

[CaptainNH]

Ok, I know that a paid job isn't the greatest time to try out a brand new camera, but I couldn't help myself. Bought a new 5D2 at 3pm this afternoon, just in time for a shoot this evening at 6pm. What could possibly go wrong? [I did have my 50D in the car just in case)

Anyway, to the shot. A trio of siblings wanted a portrait to give to their mother for her 60th this weekend.

Shot at a local park (almost) into setting sun. None of them naturals in front of the camera and hard to pose.

I'm interested in comments on composition mainly - I always struggle with posing three people for a vertical shot, don't know why.

Other comments greatly received......


Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 1/60 | f/6.3 | EF70-200 f2.8L IS @ 95 mm | ISO250 | 0 EV
Strobes - 2 x EX580II through brolly, ETTL via pocketWizard

[PomND]

It's great especially in black and white until you get to the lowest sibling, she is awkwardly positioned with her being cropped off a lot.

I'm not sure what I would've suggested but maybe had the lowest sibling more in the shot and to the right could help balance it.

[naeno]

The top two look wonderful. I love the nice backlighting. The lowest woman...not so much. I would have recommended that she be standing to the right side the other two (picture left) so she would have had that nice backlighting as well. It also would have made a nice triangular shape with the three heads.

Check this out for a GREAT tutorial on posing people. The clothing is outdated, but the concepts NEVER go out of style!

[LoveDSLR]

{1,2}
Our eye is drawn to the lightest part of a picture first and it returns repeatedly.

{line}
The second person can shift to his left a bit or as PomND suggested the third sibling to her right. Male's left arm is also poorly positioned.

Background should be complementary and non-distracting.

[CaptainNH]

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

I shot some a little wider, so I'll see if I can get more of the lowest woman into the frame. I tried to pose her less square on to the camera, but for some reason, with this came a strange change of facial expression

Thanks for the link to the Zeltsman site too. I'm sure that I've seen the gent in #25 in an avatar on DPS somewhere