Christmas photo critique wanted - be brutal please

[katodog]

I'm no professional, but I'm wondering how this looks. Please be as harsh as need be, tell me what stinks about the photo, or if it's okay. Shadows by the eyes, background crooked, etc.. The more I look at it, the more critical I become of it. It's basically the way I wanted it to be, but I'm sure the color or focus could be touched up a bit. The one thing that bothers me is the hair on her right side, left side of picture. It's hanging longer than the other side. It kinda bothers me, kinda doesn't. What I'd like to know is what others think. And please, be brutal, I take criticism well, and every little bit helps me learn. Thanks in advance.

You can click the pic for a larger image.


http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a399/katodog/X-Mas0001Medium.jpg (http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a399/katodog/X-Mas0001.jpg)

[chauncey]

I assume that you wanted the "in your face" pose.
Work on the eyes a bit more or start over, you've got some blown areas on the face.

[katodog]

Thanks. Yes, I wanted the pose. It came out almost perfectly the way I wanted it, but lighting wasn't my friend. Add to that the fact that my daughter doesn't sit still for pictures, it makes for a difficult time. I am going to try again tomorrow and do the lighting different. It shouldn't be too hard to bribe her with candy to sit for a few shots. Color-wise, though, I don't think I'll get much better lighting.

My predicament is this: I use the room lighting, which stinks like garbage and old feet for color. I use a flash, and no matter how I use it, bounce, diffused, straight-on, I don't get the shot I want. It always looks stale. I can use work lights, which is what I used today, but getting her to stay static while I adjust stuff just ain't gonna happen. This shot was at the point in the sitting where I want to throw the camera across the room, so I was just shooting whatever she did. She was sitting, and then leaned forward, and I liked the pose. When I saw it on the computer I really liked it, but the color was crud. I did what I could in Lightroom, but then I got the blown-out nose and forehead, and hot spots on her cheeks.

This was the results I came up with the both myself and my wife liked, but I still think it could be way better. Maybe better lighting, raising her head a bit more, I don't know. Like I said, I'm no pro, but I try to fake it as best I can. One of these days I'm gonna spring for some real lighting, but for now I do what I can.

Thanks again. Any info in always helpful. I think the best thing to do is try to re-shoot it, but so far I guess if my wife likes it it's okay. You know how that goes.

[_Sim]

Those sound like tricky conditions. Are you using gels on your flashes?

The most distracting element of the picture for me is the shadow on her right eye. Obviously that kind of stuff is going to be hard to fix if you're just shooting candids, but if you do a re-shoot changing the angle of her head would help with immensely. Just something to keep in mind.

But hey, at least so far you have a shot your wife likes so you're in good shape re-shoot or not!

[katodog]

Yup, that's what I figured. If the wife is happy, then the battle's won. But, just between you, me, and the fencepost, I want the shot to be better, if it can be.

The shadow under the eye bugs me, but I haven't got a clue how to get rid of it. I was going to use gels, but this is the second night in a row I've tried to get Christmas shots. The gel idea didn't hit until today, and I was using different lighting and didn't even think about it during the shooting. I think if I catch her right after her homework, and bribe her with a cookie or something, she'll sit long enough to re-shoot at least this one shot. Funny thing is I have the gels, and this would have been the perfect opportunity to use them. But, I'm about as bright as a burnt-out light bulb, and these things evade me while in the moment.

I'll be spending some time before she gets home from school testing my lighting conditions. I think the work lights will be good for overall light, but I might cover them with something, or aim them into some white paper. I have to be crafty, since I don't have "real" studio lights yet.



But, as far as this shot goes, any ideas on what I can do to it. First, to improve the overall shot without blowing out the face and cheeks even more. Second, how to get rid of the shadow. I know that there's a lot of fancy Photoshop gurus around here, somebody must have a trick up their sleeve.

[jayspec]

The white balance is too warm. The eye shadow is bad. And you're right about the hair. Because of its curliness, it's such a strong element that it's imbalance throws off the whole composition.

Some fill would take care of the eye shadow and soften up the nose shadow some. It doesn't have to be flash. It could just be a bit of white cardboard underneath the face or to her side.

I realize how hard it can be to get a little one to pose for a holiday photo. I tried to do that very thing today:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/3116560001_357142b84c.jpg

[Robbierob]

im no pro either, but the shadow over her right eye is mucho distracting. even if wifey is happy ..reshoot until you are

[Stealthy Ninja]

Photoshop to the rescue!

[Robbierob]

much nicer!

[_Sim]

Agreed, nicely done... stealthy as always.

[katodog]

Thanks guys. Nice job on the photo Ninja, but now you have to tell me how you did it. No secrets allowed.

[jwkramer]

The shadow under the eye bugs me, but I haven't got a clue how to get rid of it.

If you can get the flash off of the camera, try diffusing it, and firing it from a lower angle to fill in the face shadows. (You would need a remote cable, or some kind of remotely fired flash to do this)

-Jim

[katodog]

Thanks for the help. I don't have wireless triggers for my flashes, so I'm kinda stuck for now trying to figure out the lighting by being creative with what I have. I was think about using a work light on the floor, aiming towards her, and another aimed at white paper. I have a huge roll of paper, and it's pretty heavyweight paper, so I can use it as a reflector if I need to. I can probably find something to diffuse the light, and I have a ton of work lights at home. One set has a 250/500w range, so I might try those.

I didn't get the chance to try it out today, but sooner or later I will test out what I have available. I don't mind leaving the photo as it is, since it's ultimately the wife who I have to please. But, you guys know how it goes, somebody else might like the work, but we don't.

[katodog]

Well, here's the ending to this story.

My wife already got the cards done, so I can't re-shoot.

The three pics chosen are okay pose-wise, they're the way I wanted them. But, they are blown out.

The good thing is that my wife likes them. The other good thing is that everyone who has seen the cards asked my wife where she had the pictures taken. I figure that's a good thing, since they think the pictures were good enough to look like a studio did them. Of course that doesn't make me feel any better about the shots, but I guess if I wasn't the guy who took them, and I didn't know any better, they'd be okay with me, too.



So, here's the cards. I scanned one, and you can see how they are. Not too good, not too bad. Go ahead and yell at me that the pictures came out skunky. I know they did. Of course, the scanner didn't help out things either with the upload, but this is close enough.


http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a399/katodog/X-Mas2008CardMedium.jpg

[Stealthy Ninja]

Thanks guys. Nice job on the photo Ninja, but now you have to tell me how you did it. No secrets allowed.


Have you ever seen the "You suck at Photoshop" series. Very funny and you can learn a lot.

http://www.mydamnchannel.com/Big_Fat_Brain/You_Suck_at_Photoshop/YouSuckatPhotoshop1_398.aspx

(Slightly NSFW)

Anyway...

I cut her left eye out, flipped it around and resized to match the other one. Then used layer mask and brushes to smooth it out. Then a little dodge and burn to even out the light.

Oh and some cloning/blur tool to make her less "tired" under the eyes.

Hint: to line up the eye to the other one, make the "new eye" a bit translucent (reduce opacity) temperately.

[katodog]

Never knew about the "You Suck" series. I'll have to spend some time looking at it. As for what I've attempted, I did a Dodge and it worked out okay, and then I just free-handed the glint in the left eye and pasted it into the right eye. Kinda looked pretty good. I will probably go back and play with the photo a lot more, it's fun and I need to learn.

[katodog]

Okay, now that guy is friggin' hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robbierob]

i now have my new favorite video!