Super cute family!

[samanthajolson]

This are some family friends that I photographed yesterday. It was my VERY first time taking pictures in my "studio" that we're setting up in the basement. How did I do? Honest, helpful CC please!! Thanks!

1
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50joXpC3KI/AAAAAAAAEpQ/BiH_QbtbDxo/s800/DSC_0143.jpg

2
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50jvJshP5I/AAAAAAAAEpY/rccrtQipLrk/s800/DSC_0147.jpg

3
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50j5JNcyNI/AAAAAAAAEpg/IdbNzRBHD6c/s800/DSC_0237.jpg

4
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50j-mhjBnI/AAAAAAAAEpo/NWcL9jPHurw/s800/DSC_0314.jpg

5
(same as number 2, but bw)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50kDAFWhDI/AAAAAAAAEps/IWnsXH_no_4/s800/DSC_0147bw.jpg

6
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50kGwF44eI/AAAAAAAAEpw/QOQzMJwSnxQ/s800/DSC_0462.jpg

7
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50kLKd1_fI/AAAAAAAAEp4/2p4Zt73K134/s800/DSC_0458.jpg

8
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ii5I-f20sk/S50kQ7r_8BI/AAAAAAAAEp8/AYBHQt6ir4U/s800/DSC_0336.jpg

[Blossom101]

Great pics! I love their shoes!

[Shellbear]

Good pictures overall. Here are the things that I noticed first off..

1. The kids look a little washed out while the parents are not properly exposed. Maybe position the lights differently or use reflectors? What lighting equipment are you using? Also, the little boy to the far left's hand is blurry.

2. Same as Number 1

3. The father's hand is much brighter then the rest of him, making it slightly distracting and the mom almost looks like she is sitting on nothing?

4. Love this one

5. I like it better in B&W, but would like it better if the lighting was more even.

6. & 7. I love these, cute shots.

8. Same issues as 1 & 2 but not as bad.
And this may just be my monitor, but the hair of the family with the white background seems to take on a greenish tint?

Great job for your first time. Keep up the good work!

[xoiceox]

lighting is off on all the pix it seems... shots and poses are great but the yellow tint and the darkness over the heads doesn't look too attractive. Maybe position the lights higher?

[samanthajolson]

Thanks guys!

Shellbear, thanks so much for going through each one!
After I was done, I realized the differing exposures :(. Mom is so dark in the background and dad is not evenly lit. I have 2 lights, each shot into an umbrella (they are constant lights, not flashes). I do have one 42" reflector, I wish I would have used it! Not totally sure where I would have placed it though - suggestions on how to set that up correctly?
Being that those are the shots I have now - is there any way to correct that a little in PP?
And a blurry hand is MUCH better than 2 blurry bodies on the boys in the rest of the shots! :-p
I didn't notice the mom sitting on "nothing"! Oops! Thanks for catching that - I'll take more notice of that next time!
I see the green too! Any idea why that happens or what to do to fix it? Either in camera or in PP?

Thanks again!

[jenirose3]

Cute family....but def need work on lighting....

[Lori Putman]

You can certainly do some masking and layering and correct the exposure/lighting issues. I like all the poses with the exception of #3 where half of mom's bum is in mid-air.

[StroupePhotography]

#5 is the winner. On a few it seems the height of the camera should be up more. Seems like they are looking downward. Care to share what the black flooring you are using ? I like that look it gives.

[samanthajolson]

I definitely agree about the lighting issues. To be honest- this was my second time EVER using lights, and my first time using these! Practice practice practice...........
Same with the camera being too low. Funny cause previously someone said I had the camera too high. These are all things I need to keep in the back of my mind in the future, so thank you for pointing them out!!

Care to share what the black flooring you are using ? I like that look it gives. You're going to laugh. I don't know exactly what it is. My fiance said maybe it's melamine? I got it at Home Depot for like $8. It's 4'x8' and pretty thin (1/8"??), and it was in the section with a bunch of boards like that - some have tile patterns etc. Sorry I really don't know what it is! And also - it came white (I have a white one too - that's what the floor is in the white pics!). I got 2, and my fiance painted it black (literally just sprayed it with black spray paint!). Don't know if that helps at all!

[StroupePhotography]

Thanks,never thought about spray painting one side black. I have the same and its called white tile board.