Help with Posing

[Speedykiki]

I took some family pictures for my girlfriend's family this weekend. They are very pleased with the results, but I keep looking at the white arm. So, two things - ideas on how I could have posed this family without that arm being so obvious (or maybe it's just me). I didn't like the look of it just hanging at her side either - so that was out. Second, lighting? I had one monolight to my right and a flash off camera to the left. Just generally, what am I looking for with lighting?? Thank you so much for your time!



EXIF
Nikon D90
F11, 1/60 sec, ISO 250, 32 mm focal length, flash off camera & monolight.

[zona5101]

light is a little too hot on mom's side and the white shirt just accentuates it. I'd say you want to try and bring the mono light up some in height so it is throwing the shadow down rather than across (eg the shadow on the mom's nose). I think your off camera strobe might have served you better either as a fill (moved more around to the front) or moved higher and to the rear as a hair/rim light. I'm just not sure your getting all the mileage you can out of shooting it across...but it certainly adds to the image, i wouldn't leave it out, maybe just try a couple of different spots to see if it has more impact. I'm not real concerned with the girls arm position, it woulda been nice if she wore a dark color like the others but it is a nice capture that only needs a few minor tweeks.

[Benji]

There is a whole lot more to posing a family than what meets the eye. There is a tremendous amount of psychology involved also. Our minds quickly pick up on things we see but may not recognize immediately.

When posing families I always put the parents side by side, facing each other and in the center. Reasons? Side by side because they are best friends and are unified in their stand to protect their children. Facing each other because lovers usually face one another, and centered because they are "the bosses." Plus they are normally the tallest and in order to build a pyramidal composition the tallest people must be in the center. Why a pyramid? Can a pyramid be easily toppled? No. The wide solid base of a pyramid anchors it to the ground. It will not move. Our minds see a family posed in a pyramidal composition and think "solid family."

Technical stuff. All photographic lights should be feathered. You DO NOT want to aim the umbra (the hot spot of the light) directly at anyone. Instead the light should be feathered so the penumbra (the soft outer edges of the light) kiss the subject's faces as it travels across them. You can actually feather a softbox so that every subject will have a nearly identical meter reading all the way across the entire image. I ran your image and got the following readings: Mom 221; daughter in white 225; little girl 225; dad 207 and little boy 185. They brightest side of their faces should all be 236 to 240. The main light was too low. Posing. No one should be square to the camera. Hide subjects dressed in lighter clothing behind those dressed in darker clothing.

Positive stuff. Great expressions and the background is well lit. I'm not sure the background matches the clothing but neither does it clash. Good seperation of the hair from the background also.

Benji

[Melissa Miller]

Hi Benji,

I am not sure if I can ask you a question this way.. How did you run this image to find the figures on the lighting?? (I ran your image and got the following readings: Mom 221; daughter in white 225; little girl 225; dad 207 and little boy 185.)
Thank Melissa