Couple of Candid Portraits

Hi,

I was wondering if I could get some critique on the following for these two images (for web display - no printing):

White Balance
General Color Balance/Saturation
Contrast and Tonality

Thanks!

Technically, they're fine in my opinion. The one of the two young women might be a touch warm.

Both are lacking, however, in that the subjects do not engage the viewer. Nobody is looking at the camera. So they fall somewhere in the distribution between snapshots and candids. The one with the woman and the child would have been better if they weren't looking at something off camera.

If you look at the title, it says "Couple of Candid Portraits". However, maybe the OP should have omitted the word "Portrait".

In any event, I find the pictures very pleasing

#1 would have been a near perfect candid if you had gotten the feet.
IMHO

I like #1. Keep in mind that candids are not portraits. Portraits are crafted, candids are candid. A portrait implies that you have some control and have exercised that control to create a telling image.

OK - thank you for the clarification on the terminology. I guess it's a bit of an oxymoron then - "candid portrait"?

RandMan wrote in post #16753129
OK - thank you for the clarification on the terminology. I guess it's a bit of an oxymoron then - "candid portrait"?

Yes, no biggy. But it changes the expectation on behalf of the viewer. Its not to say a candid cant say as much or more about a subject as a portrait. And there are the odd times when they cross paths a little. Annie Liebovitz the famous portrait photographer has occasionally embedded herself into the world of celebs, for a few days and then grabs a "candid" shot that is very portrait like.

I agree. #1 would have been great if the feet were included. Could use a little straightening, also

joedlh wrote in post #16752692
Both are lacking, however, in that the subjects do not engage the viewer.

Well put!

Looking at these purely technically (color balance, tonality) the first is dead on. The second is a little hot-spot-y--but certainly because of the way it was lit (I'm presuming ceiling bounce ?) so it feels a little contrasty, a little overexposed, and the color balance might be ever so slightly off as happens when shooting in mixed lighting. That said, even the second shot is a reasonable interpretation.