Critique Needed Please; Portraiture

1)

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/90717616@N08/9​373033976/

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1 I dislike the angle. There is a pink cast on his cheek from his shirt.

2. I dislike the angle, if he would have been looking into the camera it would have been more engaging. The flower on his foot is distracting.

3. I don't understand what the woman and man are doing. Is she pregnant? Is he making fun of her? In addition the boys' emotion does not match the playfulness of the man and the woman behind him. He looks somber they look like their being silly/funny.

A knit-pick and I'll probably get burned alive for this from other posters. Their outfits do not coordinate at all and I really dislike the sandals with the socks.

Exactly the feedback I'm looking for! Literally like my third time trying to shoot people, the shoot was only for the boy, that last shot was just a candid I liked for some reason. His style is more than questionable I agree, haha. And she's not pregnant. Oops.

Thanks! I will get some more traditional angle shots up later, maybe I was reaching tok much with these?

Hi Chubbyone,

I love the first one and I think it is bold of you to try a different approach. I like the angle and the narrow DOF really makes it work for me. The skin tones look a bit off - a bit too pallid for my liking...

I don't like the second one so much even though it is a more traditional angle for shooting a child - I think you might have gone a bit too high with your POV...

The last one looks like the child has been added in - the lighting on him seems different to the lighting in the scene...

I dont' really care for the up the nostril shots, especially with young kids - you never know what might be up there..... The OOF hands/arms don't help the image at all IMO and the difference in lighting on them is even more troublesome.

The higher shot is more pleasing but I agree with GlynT, you are a bit too high.

The third shot just doesn't work at all for me. If the child is the subject you need more of him in the image. You did nicely bring him to the focus and lighting point.

One thing that tends to work is to get at the child's level and get the child looking at the camera. I believe it's traditional because it tends to work. Experimenting is fun and can produce some very appealing images but a good solid, traditional portrait always work in my book.

When shooting children, try to get on their level. I usually try not to shoot down on them, it makes them look smaller than they are. When you're shooting at the same level, it really brings out their personality.

I would also try not to use such a wide aperture. It's already been mentioned, but the first photo is a throw away for me. All the wrong things are in focus. I don't like the flower in the corner of the second one. It doesn't add anything to the photo and looks out of place. I would try cropping it just under his hands to take out the flower and shoes. It might work, it might not, but I think his expression is good. The last one could have worked if the boy was farther away from his parents. It looks really strange since he's right in front of them and they're blurred- like it was done in Photoshop or something.

It's a good start, though! Keep practicing!