How's my editing progressing

Okay, I'm still learning quite a lot about photography and also trying to improve my editing skills (next to non-existent)

This one of my nephew turned out OK from the camera (not great, but improving) and I did a little editing on it, mainly on his face. First off, I know I screwed up the eyes. They are a little fuzzy while the jacket is fully in focus.

Thanks for any replies. Feel free to be real, but some advise on what to do differently would be great too.

Posted the original and the edit.

1. original

Not bad. The second one is my choice. It has a better background. Don't forget to get down on his level once in a while.

Not every shot can be technically perfect, but technicality is only part of the battle!

Yeah, looks like you focused dead center on the jacket. Would have focused and recomposed in this situation or even better, moved the focus point or manually focused.

It's hard to comment on the processing as the lighting is not good. Some indirect sunlight or flash fill would have helped on the face. If you shot this in RAW I'd change the WB to warm it up some.

Also the people at the top of the first really ruin it.

acchildress wrote in post #6616495
Not bad. The second one is my choice. It has a better background. Don't forget to get down on his level once in a while.

Not every shot can be technically perfect, but technicality is only part of the battle!

I have others I'm working on down on his level. This one was rushed a little as he was trying to run away.

gooble wrote in post #6616503
Yeah, looks like you focused dead center on the jacket. Would have focused and recomposed in this situation or even better, moved the focus point or manually focused.

It's hard to comment on the processing as the lighting is not good. Some indirect sunlight or flash fill would have helped on the face. If you shot this in RAW I'd change the WB to warm it up some.

Also the people at the top of the first really ruin it.

The top is pretty much out of the camera. I cloned out the people as it ruined it to me also.

I'll play around with the WB tonight at home.

Focus points and recomposing is one of the things I'm working on now. I'm fine with recomposing on things not moving around, but I've got to get comfortable with changing the focus point around.

Thanks for the comments!

Cute kid
A quick attempt:

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Your trying to run before you can walk.
The problems here are lighting and composition.

As was said, get down to his level (will prevent out-sized head), and shoot him in the eyes.
If the eyes aren't in focus, it's a worthless shot.

You can do better with a little thought before your shot.
Take a lot of images and look at them on your LCD screen (it's called chimping) between shots.

Keep on shooting, it'll get better with experience.

chauncey wrote in post #6634401
Your trying to run before you can walk.
The problems here are lighting and composition.

As was said, get down to his level (will prevent out-sized head), and shoot him in the eyes.
If the eyes aren't in focus, it's a worthless shot.

You can do better with a little thought before your shot.
Take a lot of images and look at them on your LCD screen (it's called chimping) between shots.

Keep on shooting, it'll get better with experience.

Thanks for the advise. I've got a ton to learn, but that's part of the fun right?

As for shooting from above, generally I don't. I shot this one like that and actually liked the out-sized head look. It's different than all my other shots of him.

I've always had the habit of rushing ahead of where I am, but that's just me. Eventually my skills catch up to what I was trying to do.

Again, thanks all. I'll be around, hopefully with better and better results .