Second day portraits. What do you think?

Well here's second day. It was the exact same setting but I kept the window out of the picture. The wall is kind of dirty but the girls parents are fully impressed.

I'm definitely looking for a gray card now. These were done in jpg with custom WB.

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Must still be raining there!

Nonetheless, I really love that last shot.

Someone with a lot of Photoshop smarts can create the effect of an oval overmat to hide the details of the bed and you would have a real winner.

Congratulations!

the kids' expressions are priceless. like bob said, the last one is nice...but it seems out of focus. i would've created a larger DOF to get all 3 in focus.

I think I noticed that being out of focus... Shoot. Maybe I can soften the others up with GIMP. That oval overmat your talking about, do you mean vignetting or like an oval frame?

And it wasn't raining but I didn't make it over there in time before the sun went down. Maybe next time.

Thanks for the reply!

Photos 3-5 seem a little underexposed but I think you should be able to brighten them up in GIMP quite easily. Not sure if you metered off the white/yellow tops - if so it would most certainly underexpose the picture.

IMHO, the last picture is composed well but as mentioned earlier it's out of focus. Your exif says you used f2.2 and shutter speed of 1/50 which is normally too wide open for multiple person shots and too short a shutter speed for the 50mm focal length. Also, I'm sure the uneven surface of the bed would make it even harder for the kids to keep still for the shot. Next time try using maybe f8 and shutter speed in the 1/100 region for a better focused shot.

ethos101 wrote in post #5686481
I think I noticed that being out of focus... Shoot. Maybe I can soften the others up with GIMP. That oval overmat your talking about, do you mean vignetting or like an oval frame?

And it wasn't raining but I didn't make it over there in time before the sun went down. Maybe next time.

Thanks for the reply!

Either as an oval frame or just erasing to a pure white aound an oval center - whatever it takes to get the bed as much out of sight as possible.

But I sure love those three smiles!

Thanks for the input. Your all extremely helpful.

I think I did meter off the white/yellow shirts. I didn't realize it made that big of a difference what I metered. I was on center-weighted average, would it have been more consistent if I was on evaluative metering?

Also, if 1/50 is too short for 50mm wouldn't 1/100 be shorter? Or are you referencing my f-stop/shutter speed in combination? I definitely realize my f-stop was too wide now. It's hard to judge if my focus is right with that 2.5" lcd screen. I might try it again next weekend. This is really good practice. And cheap... it's free.

Thanks again!
Dan

Your sensor needs a clean

ethos101 wrote in post #5690710
Thanks for the input. Your all extremely helpful.

I think I did meter off the white/yellow shirts. I didn't realize it made that big of a difference what I metered. I was on center-weighted average, would it have been more consistent if I was on evaluative metering?

Also, if 1/50 is too short for 50mm wouldn't 1/100 be shorter? Or are you referencing my f-stop/shutter speed in combination? I definitely realize my f-stop was too wide now. It's hard to judge if my focus is right with that 2.5" lcd screen. I might try it again next weekend. This is really good practice. And cheap... it's free.

Thanks again!
Dan

Yes metering is tricky sometimes...checking the histogram is a good way of seeing if your exposure is correct - takes time to learn to read histograms (something I'm still doing). Do some googling about exposure and metering and you'll learn loads. Here are a few to get you started:-

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=89123
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=472703
http://www.trustedrevi​ews.com …rial-Exposure-Metering/p1

I had another link that was really excellent in showing the effects (actual photos) of metering off wrong objects...just can't find it at the mo!

Yes, sorry for the confusion about shutter speeds - 1/50 is too slow and 1/100 would be a faster speed which will assist in freezing your subjects!

Also, think about investing in a flash - it will truly transform your portraits - I've only started with flashes and already finding out its benefits!!

iamaelephant wrote in post #5690760
Your sensor needs a clean

I think he mentioned that the wall is a tad soiled.
Maybe you can find some fabric for the next met and hang it up on the wall....

Watch your crops on the legs of the little fella.you are cutting him off.either full body or waist up would be better?

Love his face in #4....

Also, make sure your crop will fit a frame without body parts being pinched

Very good links there, thanks pridash!

And yes the wall is filthy, I think the studs in the wall are molding and it's seeping through the drywall. Time to call the landlord on that one, not good.

I went to find a grey card and everybody seems to be sold out. Haha, I'll find one soon. I'm gonna keep going at this until I get it right. I'm learning too much to stop.

Thanks again.

Here's the final choices I sent to her mother to get prints. I'm starting to wonder if I should have maintained a certain aspect ratio for the print shop...

The focus on the first drove me nuts (even after unsharp mask) so I did the other family one just in case.

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ethos101 wrote in post #5700202
Very good links there, thanks pridash!

And yes the wall is filthy, I think the studs in the wall are molding and it's seeping through the drywall. Time to call the landlord on that one, not good.

I went to find a grey card and everybody seems to be sold out. Haha, I'll find one soon. I'm gonna keep going at this until I get it right. I'm learning too much to stop.

Thanks again.

Here's the final choices I sent to her mother to get prints. I'm starting to wonder if I should have maintained a certain aspect ratio for the print shop...

The focus on the first drove me nuts (even after unsharp mask) so I did the other family one just in case.

A grey card is not a necessity, but is a good tool to have. I believe if you meter off the palm of your hand you'll get pretty much the right exposure, but then slightly adjusting EC for darker and lighter skin tones.

If your background is not the best try hanging a bed sheet against the wall and get your subjects to stand about 5 or 6 feet away from it so the creases won't show up on the photo.

Right, I get the palm exposure thing but I need a grey card or similar to understand where my own palm falls in EC value, then I can just palm it. I want a grey card anyways.

I like the second one. A smile with tooth whole