new at portraits

[dblightsey]

Hello, I am brand new at portraits and am looking for some critique. Don't worry about hurting my feelings I want to get better.







Heres the info:
Canon EOS Rebel XTi w/the kit lens 18-55mm (working on getting the 50mm)
1/4000
F6.3
ISO 400
Focal Length 38mm
No Flash
I believe the WB was Auto or Cloudy I can't find it for sure.


I have learned alot since I shot this for a family member. I have PP this shot some and it was done in JPEG and now I shoot RAW. I know I should have the ISO more around 100/200. I shot this in the shade at about 1145pm in Florida so the sun was up and bright outside. No tripod and very little experience

Okay, thanks in advance.

[peeperita]

i think you framed this well....there's enough room around the family that they don't sem crowded in the frame.....it's a nice pose and the baby is happy......

my only suggestion would have been for you to try some fill flash to light them up and balance them well with the background......

[natek313]

I agree with peeperita. You should try getting some fill flash to lighten up the foreground and right-hand side of the frame.

Or, if you don't have that available, you could have definitely exposed the shot a little more - maybe open the aperture up a little bit or slow down the shutter speed. Just a thought.

Nice job, though. The pose is great, and the baby is smiling.

[PowerPix]

I agree, they look a little dark. Other than that, I like everything about it.

[weezerisrock]

Very well done I agree with everyone here, just adding a little more time for the shot to expose would have made this shot better. (or kick up the exposure just a notch in PP)

The only critique I have on this shot composure is the mother looks a little strained. Like shes having to arch back uncomfortably to get her arm around her husband. That could have been fixed with a quick step backward.

Other than that, well done! They will be pleased as punch for the picture I think. And the baby is smiling! way to go!

[PamEli]

My first impression is the same as the other's the family is positioned nice and with the baby's great smile you've got half the battle here. The first thing I noticed though is that it needs some fill light, or a little more exposure...a little post processing will help at this point.

I too have been working on some portraits in the last few months, and some of the comments here are more for me to think about. I really need to start posting for comments.

[dblightsey]

Okay I tried to lighten it a little with Elements, is this good or should I go even further ?

[EOBeav]

Classic example of what happens when you compose with both sunlight and shade. The two just don't mix very well. Hopefully you did this in RAW, because this is a very well composed shot. If so, I think you could turn up the contrast and bring the family up to the correct exposure levels without blowing out the background too badly. It's definitely worth a shot.

[PamEli]

this is much better, I think you nailed it.

[John Calnan]

For future reference, I think if you could have controlled your depth of field a bit & put the background out of focus, it would have also helped to keep it from competing with the subject. Fill flash would have helped as well.