First Family Shoot

[kntrygurl]

Ok - Today i done my first family shoot...how did i do? any suggestions will help! Thank You all very much.

I was using two alien bee b800's. The left one was set at 1/8 and the right was set at 1/5.


Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 22 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

(you can view the rest of the stats on flicker as well as see some of the other shots i took today....Feel free to leave comments on them as well.)

[naeno]

It appears a bit little underexposed on my monitor, but that's easily fixed. Dad could have used a bit of light behind him since his hair blends into the background.

Very good capture, though. It's very difficult to get 4 children to look at a camera have all have good smiles. Well done!

[ricklumpas]

I agree with naeno that your husband's hair blended with the background. You have a beautiful family indeed.

Nice job on having some sort of levels in the portrait to show some depth. Very clear, vivid and sharp at f/10. Good choice of wardrobe and color for the family photo.

I only wish that your husband is not behind you but beside you and that your son's face (chin) isn't almost overlapped by the head of the boy in front of him. I hope you can also remove the shadow on your husband's shirt in PP.

Rick

[kntrygurl]

Originally Posted by naeno

It appears a bit little underexposed on my monitor, but that's easily fixed. Dad could have used a bit of light behind him since his hair blends into the background.

Very good capture, though. It's very difficult to get 4 children to look at a camera have all have good smiles. Well done!

How would i have put the light behind him? I only have two lights...and thank you. it was fun tryin to get them to all look at me and smile. LOL

Originally Posted by ricklumpas

I agree with naeno that your husband's hair blended with the background. You have a beautiful family indeed.

Nice job on having some sort of levels in the portrait to show some depth. Very clear, vivid and sharp at f/10. Good choice of wardrobe and color for the family photo.

I only wish that your husband is not behind you but beside you and that your son's face (chin) isn't almost overlapped by the head of the boy in front of him. I hope you can also remove the shadow on your husband's shirt in PP.

Rick

I would like to say that isn't my family...Its a friend of mine....
I thought the color was a good choice...she asked me what to wear and i told her to find something they all had and wear that instead of goin out and buying clothes...white is what they had.
Next time i will remember to put him beside her instead of behind her...I was tryin to do the triagle effect to add depth to the image.
Is there a way i can remove the shodows when i take the pics...I only have two bees right now...will there be a shadow until i can afford another light or is there another way to set my lights when takin family portraits?

thank you all!

[Benji]

Expressions are very good! All clothing matching is good. Focus and white balance are good! My critique follows.

Rule # 1 in group portraiture. If the mother is overweight by one pound or more put her BEHIND her children. This will allow their thin little bodies to hide a significant portion of her body making her look thinner. Any time you can make mom look thinner you will be rewarded handsomely. Also a 45° turn of the torso will slenderize anyone nicely.


Rule # 2 in group portraiture. Never photograph anyone's shoulders square to the camera (like mom is in your image) because they will look wide. Things that are wide are usually thought of as heavy. Women do not want to look heavy. Again, a 45° turn of the torso will slenderize anyone nicely.

Rule # 3 in group portraiture do not have any head directly above or directly below another head. In your image the two boys at camera right and the two girls at camera left break this rule.

Rule # 4 in group portraiture. Two heads that are side by side should not be at the exact same height. Mom and eldest daughter break this rule in your image.

So someone may say "what is the big deal about breaking a couple of stupid rules, it is still a nice picture, and besides rules were made to be broken." Yes it is a "nice picture" but next time when the image maker tries this if he or she breaks fewer rules the image will be elevated to a "wow I didn't think we could look so good" picture and the image maker will be rewarded with "I want to buy lots of big prints of this shot, I love it."

Lastly rules were not "made to be broken" they were made to be obeyed. You CAN run around the community swimming pool but chances are the lifeguard will scold you because they don't want you to slip and injure yourself. If you continue to run you may lose your admission priviledges to the pool.

Benji

[kntrygurl]

Originally Posted by Benji

Expressions are very good! All clothing matching is good. Focus and white balance are good! My critique follows.

Rule # 1 in group portraiture. If the mother is overweight by one pound or more put her BEHIND her children. This will allow their thin little bodies to hide a significant portion of her body making her look thinner. Any time you can make mom look thinner you will be rewarded handsomely. Also a 45° turn of the torso will slenderize anyone nicely.


Rule # 2 in group portraiture. Never photograph anyone's shoulders square to the camera (like mom is in your image) because they will look wide. Things that are wide are usually thought of as heavy. Women do not want to look heavy. Again, a 45° turn of the torso will slenderize anyone nicely.

Rule # 3 in group portraiture do not have any head directly above or directly below another head. In your image the two boys at camera right and the two girls at camera left break this rule.

Rule # 4 in group portraiture. Two heads that are side by side should not be at the exact same height. Mom and eldest daughter break this rule in your image.

So someone may say "what is the big deal about breaking a couple of stupid rules, it is still a nice picture, and besides rules were made to be broken." Yes it is a "nice picture" but next time when the image maker tries this if he or she breaks fewer rules the image will be elevated to a "wow I didn't think we could look so good" picture and the image maker will be rewarded with "I want to buy lots of big prints of this shot, I love it."

Lastly rules were not "made to be broken" they were made to be obeyed. You CAN run around the community swimming pool but chances are the lifeguard will scold you because they don't want you to slip and injure yourself. If you continue to run you may lose your admission priviledges to the pool.

Benji

Thank you so much...This has been a big help. This is what i was lookin for...

as it turned out they all LOVED this pic and i was glad for that...
But now that you have mentioned it i should have turned mom and dad a lil. I was so nervous tryin to do them and keep the kids lookin at me. LOL. I need to get a clown or something to keep them smiling. LOL

Wanna come work for/with me?? LOL!!! Just kidding!!!

But seriously thank you for the info....i will def keep that in mind for the next shoot!

[daddyoproductions]

Thanks Benji for the tips! Very useful, especially with Christmas coming....