First family photoshoot

My neighbor asked me to do some pictures for them. Thought I'd share. I had some technical difficulties with my flash but I think I pulled it off.

This couple was very natural, it was great shooting them.

The neighbors.

Unfortunately they don't look quite as nice once uploaded here.

It was a great learning experience though

Did you want some critique?

DThriller wrote in post #18093074
Did you want some critique?

Sure I'm always open to critique. It just gets a little confusing since sometimes critique is given or not given in these photosharing areas. I appreciate and think about each feedback wherever it comes from.

Yeah just wanted to make sure. I love feedback I feed I never get enough when I post. Im like " critiques welcome " I should say " critique them D%#*it"

Anyways: I think this family could have used with a slightly higher angle. Stepping back, shooting at 200mm and maybe even standing on a apple box would have helped hide some chins. As for your fill flash nice work for sure! Maybe try some hss next time

DThriller wrote in post #18093095
Yeah just wanted to make sure. I love feedback I feed I never get enough when I post. Im like " critiques welcome " I should say " critique them D%#*it"

Anyways: I think this family could have used with a slightly higher angle. Stepping back, shooting at 200mm and maybe even standing on a apple box would have helped hide some chins. As for your fill flash nice work for sure! Maybe try some hss next time

LOL that's going to be a major problem with me.. I'm only 5'tall. Should I consider taking along a small step with me to get a more level angle? Seriously question though

What is hss?

No, don't, you may fall off. I have the same problem being vertically challenged at 5'4" when I shoot guys who are 6' and up

Id say its not a bad thing to have in your car just in case of a situation like this.

Hss is high speed sync. Its a way to shoot with a speedlight but go above the sync speed so you dont have to stop down as much in bright locations. Its a little messy bc it cuts your flash power way down. Its kinda all around confusing actually haha

I think they're fine, but next time I'd slap a CTO or half-CTO gel on the flashgun when shooting later in the day, their skin tones are quite cool and contrast oddly with the warmer background.

itsallart wrote in post #18093102
No, don't, you may fall off. I have the same problem being vertically challenged at 5'4" when I shoot guys who are 6' and up

Yeah that's going to be most people with me. This family is not especially tall and the angle was affected.

Alveric wrote in post #18093110
I think they're fine, but next time I'd slap a CTO or half-CTO gel on the flashgun when shooting later in the day, their skin tones are quite cool and contrast oddly with the warmer background.

I am assuming this is because it was later in the evening and so the shaded areas are going to be a cool color? I think I might have a gel somewhere in the stuff I bought recently.. I'll have to practice on a volunteer.

I would step back further away from them and use my longer lens, but then I don't think my flash is powerful enough for that sort of distance. I am using optical line of sight to set it off. What do I do, use multiple flash heads?

Yep: flashes are set to a colour temperature of ~5200K-6000K (the target actually being 5500K, the temperature of mid-day sunlight in a clear sky). During the golden hour the daylight temperature is warmer and oranger, so you need to compensate for that. Also note that Canon flashguns seem to be on the low Kelvins side, roughly ~5200K; furthermore, as you might already know, flashguns' colour temperature also varies with power level. All in all, a CTO should solve your problems at the cost of 2/3 to 1 stop of light.

Maybe this might help you: http://profoto.com …ce-using-cto-gel-ctb-gel/ . They explain things better than I do.