Any advice welcome

My Grandson nearly 7 months on.
My main problem is space, I really wanted to place a hair light, but just not possible in my house.
How I would love a garage or a similar space to set up a decent studio.

In the meantime I have been striving for good exposure and colour balance, I think I achieved this with these images. However, I would welcome any CC for improvements.
Many thanks in advance.

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Nice shots like them, lighting ok for me..

Many thanks Terry.

I failed to light his eyes as I had wanted, he has dark brown eyes and I don't mind admitting I am finding this more difficult that on some past subjects. (blue eyes seem to be a doddle)

Maybe if I could elevate him a little higher to get my fill light more in line with his eyes?

I would welcome more CC, thank you all.

I think this looks great as far as exposure, color, and lighting goes. My only suggestion would be a less reflective background. It is a little distracting...and that it is a very cool tone and the little guys outfit is warm.

But what you were working towards...you achieved!!! Great job!

I wanted to add, I LOVE his expression in the second one!!! tooo cute!

He's so cute...I agree with Grace about the BG, it's too reflective, and doesn't really go with what he is wearing. But the lighting, WB, and his skin tone look really good. I do think it would help a little if you got just a tad lower, like you mentioned, or raised him a little, for lighting his eyes better.

Thanks Grace and Jeni,

I think you are right, the background is a little distracting, my excuse is I was trying to get away from the usual brown one I have been using for so long now.

I'm probably have the wrong hobby, I don't have a great eye for these things, and I am not very arty, however, I do enjoy making nice images, and occasionally it works.

Maybe when I have more time, I will give a little lens blur (PS) to the background.

Once again many thanks

My only advice is...keep the kid..... OK so it is not strictly photographic advice but what a cutie.
perhaps lifting him would be a good idea. The reflections from the bg beneath him are more distracting than the bg behind him.

The expression in #2 is a killer

Many thanks Skip.

Before he could sit up, we was putting him on the dining room table, but now he can sit up (sometimes) I thought it more safer to keep him at ground level for now.
Unfortunately my lighting stands don't go that low, I could have perhaps use my Manfrotto tripod, but time was also a factor, as well as space or lack of it.

I may pop him down to my photographic club if I get a chance, time and space are in abundance there, so hopefully I'll get a good crack at a decent portrait of him.

I am pleased with the colour and exposure, just need to work on the other 98%

He is just too cute for words!

Normally after a short period or break from looking at some of my images, I take a second look and tend not to like them so much anymore.
With these two - nothing to do with my photography, but the subject himself, I like these even more now.
He is a great little lad, and is always smiling. How could I go wrong?

A real cutie - great age.

What camera and lens did you use?

I would not worry about multiple lights with kids that age, why not try using some hand held reflectors instead. Your exposures look spot on to me, but I see what you mean about not getting his eyes bright. Not sure of the solution to this, I always struggle with eyes myself (without lots of PP, which I try to avoid).

Canon 5D with Tamron 28 -75mm @ 57mm F 5.6 @ 1/125
Also tried acr calibration with a Gretag Macbeth card to assist with realistic colours.
Lighting was 2 x Elinchrom D-Lite 2's with soft-boxes.

Great job! I agree with others about the backdrop, but I think you did a good job with the photo in general. And he is a cutie! I love the second one!

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Many thanks all.

If I had stretched the background to eliminate all the creases, and If I could have brought the subject forward more, would the background still have been such a bad choice?

I love white backgrounds, but they seem a little too common nowadays. I know that normally backgrounds are chosen to suit the clothing warm / cold etc, but I thought it actually made the subject stand out a little.

However, I am always willing to listen to CC, loads to learn

Once again, many thanks all.