Full Frontal Flash (Get your mind out of the gutter!)

[RebelScum]

I am just starting to use my 430EX II and I made the cardinal error of flashing my son right in the face. My question is how to fix it since the damage is done. Specifically what I'm most concerned about is the exposure. Is the color balance off as well? I have several pictures that all turned out with this exposure and lots of terribly cute expressions that I'd like to salvage. Also, any pointers on how I can better utilize my flash? When I bounced the flash off the side wall it created a terrible shadow behind him so I'm not sure where to go from here. I have limited space so I can't get him much farther away from the backdrop (in this picture I would estimate he was about 3-4 feet from the backdrop). Please help! (Other critique is welcome, as well, although I'm also already aware of the soft focus. It was a rough day. )
EXIF if it helps:
Canon Rebel XTi
50mm 1.8 lens
1/100 sec
f/2.5
Flash fired ETTL

[OsmosisStudios]

It's actually soft somehow. Frankly, ditch these shots and try again.

[zona5101]

The exposure looks alright, parts of the skin are pushing the right side but they are still controlled and appear to have detail. Color looks fine as well. You have already noted the lack of sharp focus and you stated that you cant' get him farther from the background so until you go off camera with the flash, you are where you are.

[RebelScum]

Softness aside, can the exposure be corrected? Some of the other shots had a sharper focus but the same exposure issues. Any thoughts on the white balance? I wondered if he looked too yellow, or is that a side effect of the overexposure? Any ideas how to correct the shadow behind him? Thanks for your input, OsmosisStudios, you are always quick to help!

[RebelScum]

Thank you for your input as well, Zona! On his forehead, is that just a result of flashing him right in the face? I assumed it was overexposure? Is a layers adjustment the way to go here? I've seen where there is an exposure adjustment you can apply in the Image menu, would that work better?

[scootermcq]

The specular highlight on his forehead could be cloned out or burnt out in post. To reduce the flat lighting, you could burn the side of the face to create a wrap from highlight to some shadow and sharpening could be applied in post as well. I would burn the background to remove the shadows.

After all that, you will get a passable image..... not stellar. It would be better to "get it right" in camera and make a good shot beautiful, not rescue an image that needs work.

[RebelScum]

Thanks for your detailed response, scottermcq! I took your suggestions and feel reasonably satisfied with the result. I know it's always best to get it right in camera, but since that didn't happen, I just hated to get rid of some of these expressions that typify my son right now. Thanks again!

[edbayani]

it is a bit over exposed and soft. color is good. you can adjust this with levels or curves. apply high pass and duplicate the overlay layer about 3 times to sharpen it a little.

[scootermcq]

Originally Posted by RebelScum

Thanks for your detailed response, scottermcq! I took your suggestions and feel reasonably satisfied with the result. I know it's always best to get it right in camera, but since that didn't happen, I just hated to get rid of some of these expressions that typify my son right now. Thanks again!

No problem.... here is kinda what I was describing. It is not perfect (especially working with a small image) and only taking 5 minutes, but it gives you an idea of what the results would be that I was describing.

[JFSanders]

Set the black point on the lighter part of the background this will kill the shadow behind him as well as turning the whole background black except for the wrinkles around his feet. Then move the midtones down so that the facial shadows come in and the colors are not washed out. Also, there is about a 1 pixel blur on him in general. I took this out with Topaz infocus. Took me less than five minutes. Now you could spend a bit more time with this photo in post and fix the other little nits and such and would be worth it on a full size image.

Jim