Yikes My Daughter is Ugly

[Obijuan]

I got you to look. Please critique lighting. I used SB-600 nikon bouncing of the ceiling. Too much light? Should I consider diffusers or gel pads?

From Grandparents

Filename: SB600 076.NEF.jpg
Camera: NIKON
Model: D80
ISO: 250
Exposure: 1/15 sec
Aperture: 4.2
Focal Length: 28mm
Flash Used: Yes

[mikedugganphotography]

Yes you did get me to look, so for that I'll give you my thoughts. For me the Lights not to much. I would recommend cloning out the object that is peaking in on the left of the image. Over a very cute photo.

[SusanH1970]

Looks a litte underexposed, actually. The baby's face is pretty dark and there is no light in her eyes.

I know you asked only for critique on lighting, so please forgive me if I'm out of line here:

As for the background....it might have worked if you'd had it much further away from the baby for a shallower depth of field and without that white thing.

Framing a bit lower would have been nice to see, too. There's loads of room over her head but she's chopped off at an awkward angle. You may like to read up on the "rule of thirds" and composition in general (in particular, cropping at joints).

Very cute little one, though! Love the smile!

[kencaleno]

Your daughter is beautiful!

I cloned out hole in wall. then
Ctrl+J
blend mode-Screen

Regards, Ken

[thepinkfog]

Sweet baby! I love her expression! I think a diffuser would help even out the lighting on her face a lot.

[Lois khalafalla]

Your daughter is precious.

[Benji]

Bouncing the light off of the ceiling sounds so "professional" on the 'net, I read this suggestion nearly every day, but real professional photographers seldom do it for the exact reason you have here, "raccoon eyes." Those dark shadows in the eye sockets. Overhead lighting is one of the worst kinds of lighting for portraiture due to this very fact. Give me side lighting and day of the week.

Benji

[kirbinster]

Great picture, I agree to clone out the object on the lower left. You picked what to me are some very strange camera settings: ISO: 250, Exposure: 1/15 sec - Why? Since you were using flash why did you push the ISO up from 200 and by an odd amount? Why shoot a baby that is likely to move so slow at 1/15th of a second?

[Obijuan]

Thank you for the critique of the picture composition, lighting, compliments to my ugly girl, etc. All is very valuable to me since I'm not even close to be a pro. About the settings. What settings would you recommend? So do I purchase a gel or a diffuser?

Thanks again.

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by Benji

Bouncing the light off of the ceiling sounds so "professional" on the 'net, I read this suggestion nearly every day, but real professional photographers seldom do it for the exact reason you have here, "raccoon eyes." Those dark shadows in the eye sockets. Overhead lighting is one of the worst kinds of lighting for portraiture due to this very fact. Give me side lighting and day of the week.

Benji

Bouncing light off the ceiling or wall,is used professionally,but you need to know how to do it-in this shot,the flash head pointed vertcally-If it was set at 45 degrees you would not have got "Raccoon-eye" effect. Or, You could use it with a bounce-card- See www.planetneil.com

Regards, Ken