seven

Elaine

My son turned seven awhile back. I attempted a photo shoot and struggled greatly with overhead/overcast light. It should have been perfect conditions, and I just could not find good spots and positions where his eyes were getting the light. This was one (out of a gajillion) that I was pleased with.

clemensphoto's

Looks pretty good to me! Glad you posted this photo since I need to take my kids school pictures soon. Your background reminded me of a great place to take them (old train depot).

Scott_Quier

Elaine wrote:

My son turned seven awhile back. I attempted a photo shoot and struggled greatly with overhead/overcast light. It should have been perfect conditions, and I just could not find good spots and positions where his eyes were getting the light. This was one (out of a gajillion) that I was pleased with.

This is very nice - I think you did quite well!

As to the others that you're not sharing .... When mother nature doesn't give you the light you need (but comes close), just throw your flash on your camera, dial down the FEC, and suppliement the ambient. Now the eyes of your model will get all the light they need and you'll get the catchlights in the eyes that you want.

Again, very nice photo - one for the wall I would think!

adpace

Awww - that one is perfect!! What a great shot... Happy Birthday to your son!

Elaine

Scott_Quier wrote:

This is very nice - I think you did quite well!

As to the others that you're not sharing .... When mother nature doesn't give you the light you need (but comes close), just throw your flash on your camera, dial down the FEC, and suppliement the ambient. Now the eyes of your model will get all the light they need and you'll get the catchlights in the eyes that you want.

Again, very nice photo - one for the wall I would think!

The frustrating part was that I was doing just that! This one even has fill flash. I kept putting him in positions where I thought the overhead light would be blocked a bit by trees, used fill flash and still got eye socket shadows. He is standing underneath a cantilevered roof here, which finally gave me what I was looking for. I think my light-reading skills have improved, but they didn't seem to be working that day. Ah well...we got one or two.

Elaine

adpace wrote:

Awww - that one is perfect!! What a great shot... Happy Birthday to your son!

Thank you very much, Angela!

Agnieszka

This is a PERFECT shot!!

Elaine

Agnieszka wrote:

This is a PERFECT shot!!

You are very kind! Thank you very much!

Swartzy

Perfecto Mundo! 7 huh....by the time he's 18...he'll have the whole model thing nailed...better sign him up for agencies Elaine.....who knows, you might make enough to buy more camera gear!

Scott_Quier

Swartzy wrote:

Perfecto Mundo! 7 huh....by the time he's 18...he'll have the whole model thing nailed...better sign him up for agencies Elaine.....who knows, you might make enough to buy more camera gear!

If not that much, then maybe enough to live on during your retirement years!

ladytx

Handsome boy and beautiful picture.

Elaine

Swartzy wrote:

Perfecto Mundo! 7 huh....by the time he's 18...he'll have the whole model thing nailed...better sign him up for agencies Elaine.....who knows, you might make enough to buy more camera gear!

Thanks so much, Swartzy! Ah...the lure of camera gear...I'm just hoping to get my current gear figured out by the time he's 18!

Elaine

Scott_Quier wrote:

If not that much, then maybe enough to live on during your retirement years!

rofl
Ain't that the truth!

Elaine

clemensphoto's wrote:

Looks pretty good to me! Glad you posted this photo since I need to take my kids school pictures soon. Your background reminded me of a great place to take them (old train depot).

Thanks for your comments! An old train depot does sound like a great spot. Have fun!

Elaine

ladytx wrote:

Handsome boy and beautiful picture.

Thank you, LadyTX!

WingsOfLovePhoto

I think it is great! You really only need one GREAT photo. The others are just practice

urbanaries

Gorgeous photo! My he is getting big! I love the depth of field and lighting on this one (his pose and expression are great, too!) The only thing I would do before printing huge is maybe clone out some of the OOF green patches in the background. Looooove the bokeh in this one though...wow. Was this with 50 1.4?

Elaine

WingsOfLovePhoto wrote:

I think it is great! You really only need one GREAT photo. The others are just practice

Thanks! I like your perspective!

Elaine

urbanaries wrote:

Gorgeous photo! My he is getting big! I love the depth of field and lighting on this one (his pose and expression are great, too!) The only thing I would do before printing huge is maybe clone out some of the OOF green patches in the background. Looooove the bokeh in this one though...wow. Was this with 50 1.4?

I think this looks like it was taken at least two years into the future! My husband declared him entirely too grown up looking here. D

This was actually taken with the 85 at 2.2. I seriously considered cloning out those green patches. The one close to him was bright green, so I burned it down to better match his shirt. I'll definitely give it go and see what I think. I'm sure it would look more clean that way, if I can do it without botching the look of the bokeh.

Thanks a bunch, Lynne! Love your new avatar! :ivar

Elaine

Here's a cleaned-up, 8x10 version:

ShepsMom

Great shot Elain! Love the "moody" colors on this one.

jeffreaux2

Very nice Elaine.....

I am wondering....
If you had overcast light...why were you seeking shade? Usually any camera angle that will have the face tilted up some to the sky.....any at all...should light the eyes well with no flash.

Elaine

ShepsMom wrote:

Great shot Elain! Love the "moody" colors on this one.

Thanks much, Marina!

Elaine

jeffreaux2 wrote:

Very nice Elaine.....

I am wondering....
If you had overcast light...why were you seeking shade? Usually any camera angle that will have the face tilted up some to the sky.....any at all...should light the eyes well with no flash.

Well...that big soft box in the sky just seemed to be aiming the light directly down, causing shadows in the eye sockets and under his smile lines, no matter where I was or what position we were in or if I used flash or not. I was warming up on him for the "sweet family" shoot I've shared a bit of here, and I tell ya, I was in a panic! I couldn't make anything work right, and I'm sure it was stupid mistakes. Thankfully, I managed a bit better with the family than I did with my son.

lisap

This is such a great shot. The colours, the pose, the lighting, background, everything. You have a really good model!!

-- Lisa P.