Family Portrait gone bad

[MeAgain]

I SUCK at portrait photography. My best work to date has been a grasshopper and a hamster. I just can't seem to do people. This was my attempt at a family portrait. My husband accused me of trying to make him look old and fat.

Can someone give me and idea how to make people look good? Please? Help save my marriage.

From Family Photo shoot - Post Edit

Camera: NIKON
Model: E5000
ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/4 sec
Aperture: 3.5
Focal Length: 7.1mm
Flash Used: No

[hibou]

The backlight here is definitely not doing anyone any favours. I can barely make out your (?) face on the left. There are a variety of methods to overcome this... I'm not a flash user so I would do this shot in the day near a window for diffuse light. You could still use the twinkle lights in that case.

Also I find the photo a bit claustrophobic - everyone is packed very tightly together and the comp is also very tight. Pull back a bit and give everyone some room to breathe

[natek313]

I think the biggest issue is that this looks like a quick snapshot as opposed to a planned, posed portrait. Just put a little more thought into where you want everyone and what you want them to do for a pose. Do some searching online for ideas.

The biggest thing I noticed is your daughter (I'm assuming) in the front has her arms crossed, and her body language is screaming, "I don't care." I've come to realize that if your subject(s) have a negative attitude about being photographed, then it will show. Try shooting when everyone is in a good mood.

[MeAgain]

Originally Posted by hibou

The backlight here is definitely not doing anyone any favours. I can barely make out your (?) face on the left. There are a variety of methods to overcome this... I'm not a flash user so I would do this shot in the day near a window for diffuse light. You could still use the twinkle lights in that case.

Also I find the photo a bit claustrophobic - everyone is packed very tightly together and the comp is also very tight. Pull back a bit and give everyone some room to breathe

Oh, thanks. I hate using a flash. I just have no feel for it, but Santa gave me a speedlight specific to my old camera and was very excited I use it. I also thought to get a good portrait I needed it.

Thanks for the advice! I will indeed turn off the flash, open the window and pull back a bit. When setting off the auto timer I'm just gonna have to run faster (yup, that's me in the blue)

[MeAgain]

Originally Posted by natek313

I think the biggest issue is that this looks like a quick snapshot as opposed to a planned, posed portrait. Just put a little more thought into where you want everyone and what you want them to do for a pose. Do some searching online for ideas.

The biggest thing I noticed is your daughter (I'm assuming) in the front has her arms crossed, and her body language is screaming, "I don't care." I've come to realize that if your subject(s) have a negative attitude about being photographed, then it will show. Try shooting when everyone is in a good mood.

Funny, my youngest in the front is my favorite part of the photo. She is my model and a major poser. We were all in a good mood though. This tells me I need to think like someone "outside" the family. I knew something was off but I didn't know what. I never thought to look at her body language. Thanks!

I did pose us but because I had to RUN to get into the picture before the timer went off I felt limited and constrained. I'm going to have to work that out. Thanks for pointing it out

[natek313]

Well, there's nothing wrong with posing with a little bit of attitude if the shoot was just her. However, I just don't think it works in a family portrait setting.

Keep at it, and I'm sure you'll get one that you really enjoy along with the family.

[Benji]

Just as you need a recipe to bake a cake, you need a "recipe" to make a portrait. For some unknown reason people think that they can tell a group of people to "stand over there and pose yourself" and magically they will arrange themselves properly and the resulting image will look great. That is rather like dumping a 100 piece puzzle out of the box from five feet up and expecting it to assemble itself perfectly as it falls to the table.

I've been a professional portrait photographer for almost 30 years and it takes LOTS of studying, experimenting and money to be able to generate beautiful portraiture day in and day out. The image below is a shot of my oldest son and his family that I took this past Christmas in my studio so let's disect it.

I first set up my background a 12 x 20 brown muslin, then since I knew my son is 6' 4" and his wife is 5' 8" I knew I couldn't stand him beside her because he would tower over her, so I seated him at a 45 degree angle on a tall bar stool. I then asked his wife to stand beside him with her body turned at a 45 degree angle but opposite him. I then stood my grandson beside his dad on a four inch tall box and his sister on a six inch tall box. I made sure no one was square to the camera (all bodies turned) and that no head was above another head. Everyone that was standing had their weight shifted to the rear hip and was pointing their front foot toward the camera.

I positioned the fill light above and behind the camera and metered it at f/4.0, then I added the main light at camera left and metered it at f/9.0, set the camera t f/9.0 and made the capture.

Benji

[MeAgain]

I never thought of it that way. I just thought I wanted a casual family photo. I'll plan and prepare a little more next time.

[MeAgain]

Originally Posted by natek313

Well, there's nothing wrong with posing with a little bit of attitude if the shoot was just her. However, I just don't think it works in a family portrait setting.

Keep at it, and I'm sure you'll get one that you really enjoy along with the family.

Once you pointed it out, I saw your point. I'll keep the tude to her solo shots.

[Erica.P]

Also you, yourself, should be smiling, or at least not frowning. Have you considered a remote instead of the timer for these kinds of photos? For many DSLRs remotes can be had for cheap and you wont have to worry about running into position.

Erica