Father and Son - Feedback (1st Picture post)

[juneappal]

I am interested in feedback on this candid. These are my in-laws, at the revealing of a portrait that my father in law commissioned. This particular size reduction may appear a little bit more reddish on my monitor than the original did - it appeared that way in imageready, but when I view it on the web it looks all right.

I am curious about folks' opinions on composition/crop/timing. What does your eye look at in the photo? Does the photo ask any questions? Any other feedback?

[goatee]

I like it, but for me, it's lacking some kind of impact - maybe cropping in to their faces tighter, and I think that black and white would work well - here's my crude attempt.

[awp]

When shooting candid, you are limited by the subjects activity. I try to be creative with camera angle as well as trying to shoot different angles of the same subject. It is not uncommon for my friends and family to find me climbing on furnature, trees, cars...... to get different shots. I also am a BIG fan of black and white. In the photo you posted, I would not have shot straight on.

[PhotosGuy]

I like the color as the guy on the left blends into the window. Awp has the technique right. If you'd moved a bit to the right, the brown line wouldn't have been running through the right guys nose! ;)
A touch less DOF might have helped, too since it's supposed to be a "people portrait", not an environmental candid. OTOH, if the commissioned portrait is the one in the pic, disregard what I said! :D:D

[juneappal]

I like the color as the guy on the left blends into the window. Awp has the technique right. If you'd moved a bit to the right, the brown line wouldn't have been running through the right guys nose! ;)
Doh! - the brown line - I never saw it before now, but now I'll notice it every time. Thanks for nothing! :confused:

I like it, but for me, it's lacking some kind of impact - maybe cropping in to their faces tighter.

I tried out your suggestion....If I only crop side to side, I get disembodied hands holding the glasses. If I Start cropping up from the bottom I either have the disembodied head of the virgin peeking in, or I have a long, skinny shot. And that damn drown line!

and I think that black and white would work well
Normally I like B&W and often prefer it. In this particular shot, something about the color palette grabs me - very soft and muted colors.

In the photo you posted, I would not have shot straight on.
Interesting - My main consideration at the time was capturing the eye contact between the two of them. Assuming there was no way to get higher, what angle might you have gone for?


Thanks to everyone for the responses - it is very helpful to look at the picture through other people's eyes.

-Adam