Thoughts?

I've been playing with speedlights. I shot this photo of my son using one Yongnuo YN600ES-RT in a Godox Octagon Softbox against a black backdrop.
Made a few adjustments in Lightroom and a bit of PP in Photoshop.


Please let me know what you like or don't like.

Cropping the hood out on the side kills it for me. The framing is kind of an overdone thing but it can work, but in this case the hood forms a secondary frame but cropping the top and side just lead your eye away from his face instead of framing it.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17899302
Cropping the hood out on the side kills it for me. The framing is kind of an overdone thing but it can work, but in this case the hood forms a secondary frame but cropping the top and side just lead your eye away from his face instead of framing it.

Thanks Gonzogolf, I'll have to get him to let me try again but include the left side. I actually shot it like this and cropped the blank right side.

I'm not a fan of the negative space crop in a studio shot, especially with the subject facing forward. Unless there is a reason like adding text or something later its just trying a bit too hard to be artistic.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17899319
I'm not a fan of the negative space crop in a studio shot, especially with the subject facing forward. Unless there is a reason like adding text or something later its just trying a bit too hard to be artistic.

I was definitely trying to be artistic with this. One of my biggest fears is that I'm not very creative! My hope is if I look at enough examples and know how to shoot them, then maybe my creative juices will start flowing. All the while learning how to control light!

bsiegler wrote in post #17899334
I was definitely trying to be artistic with this. One of my biggest fears is that I'm not very creative! My hope is if I look at enough examples and know how to shoot them, then maybe my creative juices will start flowing. All the while learning how to control light!

The lighting is good,the only issue is the framing.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17899335
The lighting is good,the only issue is the framing.

Thank you, I greatly appreciate your critique!

I think the framing is subjective, I've no issues with it, but I would say the eyes look a tad soft, but the eyebrows are OK, a tad front focussed??

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17899346
I think the framing is subjective, I've no issues with it, but I would say the eyes look a tad soft, but the eyebrows are OK, a tad front focussed??

Thank you, I see what you mean. I continually have a hard time with focus. I did some test shots with a Spyder Lenscal and it seemed to be acurate. I've read about focus issues with the 70D, but I shot this in manual focus.
So it's probably user error!

It's something I suffer with as I'm a little bit obsessed with shallow DOF But, more fool me as I've missed so many good shots because of it, so I'm actively trying to stop doing it. Last shoot I double checked the DOF, then triple checked with an app, seemed to work.....

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/DX6j​DQ

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17899352
It's something I suffer with as I'm a little bit obsessed with shallow DOF But, more fool me as I've missed so many good shots because of it, so I'm actively trying to stop doing it.

I too always tend to shoot with too shallow DOF! It's funny how things look great on that little LCD and then things change on that big monitor!

There is no reason to shoot shallow dof with a black background in a studio shoot.

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17899352
It's something I suffer with as I'm a little bit obsessed with shallow DOF But, more fool me as I've missed so many good shots because of it, so I'm actively trying to stop doing it. Last shoot I double checked the DOF, then triple checked with an app, seemed to work.....

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/DX6j​DQ

That's adorable! Great shot.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17899364
There is no reason to shoot shallow dof with a black background in a studio shoot.

Wouldn't anything else in the photo change if stepped down from a 6.3 to an 11?

bsiegler wrote in post #17899376
Wouldn't anything else in the photo change if stepped down from a 6.3 to an 11?

As long as the flash power changed to accommodate the reduced exposure what else in this shot would change? The backround is black so more depth of field isnt going to change, if anything it might get blacker.