Absolutely love fall...a few portraits for the kids

SitterS · October 28, 2008

Found a park or two yesterday and the kids actually let me take photos for a change of both of them. Trying to get some pics for the grandparents for Xmas and also for the yearly blurb book for the entire family.

Comments and feedback really appreciated. Trying to learn to use fill flash so any comments regarding the use would be appreciated. I think I dialed down the FEC to about -2 on most of these. -3 in some cases. Just don't like the pin light in their eyes. Any way around this with camera on flash?

Agnieszka · October 28, 2008

Awwwww, those are wonderfullll!!!!

lust

jeffreaux2 · October 28, 2008

Gorgeous. I REALLY like that first one!

SitterS · October 28, 2008

Thanks Angie and Jeff for your nice comments.

Elaine · October 28, 2008

Oh, beautiful! I love 1 and 4!! Your kids are going to break hearts, I tell ya...stunning.
I'm not a big fan of that itty bitty flash catch-light either, but if the rest of the shot doesn't look over flashed (these do not) then I don't think it's as noticeable or bothersome.

I'm curious to know if anything can be done about it.

SitterS · October 28, 2008

Thanks a bunch Elaine. Was so happy just to walk away with a few yesterday. I am just getting into using fill flash which I am starting to get use to. Maybe someone can chime in about the flash and pin lights in the eyes. I think the only remedy is to take the flash off camera and use an umbrella or soft box. Maybe someone will comment.

jeffreaux2 · October 28, 2008

SitterS wrote:

Thanks a bunch Elaine. Was so happy just to walk away with a few yesterday. I am just getting into using fill flash which I am starting to get use to. Maybe someone can chime in about the flash and pin lights in the eyes. I think the only remedy is to take the flash off camera and use an umbrella or soft box. Maybe someone will comment.

A longer focal length will of course make them smaller...but they will still be there. A more pleasing look can be gained by moving the flash off axis from the camera. I have recently begun using off camera flash for fill myself. It can be trickier than shoe mounted fill since it is less forgiving if not correctly balanced with the existing light. Since the flash is from an angle, if it is too strong you will throw crazy undesirable shadows. Two off camera flashes can compensate some for that effect.....but then you risk knocking out those beautiful shadows from the natural light. Up to this point I am comfortable using a single off camera flash placed slightly off axis from the natural light.....to just add a boost to the shadows. This seems to work well.

You can also paint out those teeny white dots. To get the huge bright pleasing catchlights you need either a nice big reflector, or as you have guessed a shoot through umbrella...as increasing the size of the lightsource is the key.

SitterS · October 28, 2008

Jeff thanks for the reply. I have been looking into taking the flash off camera but don't have a fortune to spend to do so.

ladytx · October 29, 2008

Beautiful photos and children. Wonderful job on all!!

SitterS · October 29, 2008

ladytx wrote:

Beautiful photos and children. Wonderful job on all!!

Thanks a bunch LadyTX

Awais Yaqub · October 29, 2008

So beautiful so cute

bandgeekndb · October 29, 2008

This is one heck of a set! I would have no idea you weren't comfortable with fill flash!

My favorite is number 5, I love the artistic effect, especially the mild shadowing on her face and the emphasis on the colors of the tree bark. Definitely my favorite!

How were you using the flash to make these shots?

SitterS · October 29, 2008

Awais Yaqub wrote:

So beautiful so cute

Thank you Awais!

SitterS · October 29, 2008

bandgeekndb wrote:

This is one heck of a set! I would have no idea you weren't comfortable with fill flash!

My favorite is number 5, I love the artistic effect, especially the mild shadowing on her face and the emphasis on the colors of the tree bark. Definitely my favorite!

How were you using the flash to make these shots?

Thanks for taking a look and commenting. I liked #5 as well with some natural light falling across her face. Just used the saturation tool on the tree and added a soft light layer in lab and it popped the colors somewhat. As for flash, I read Jeff's information here at Dgrin on Seniors and using flash and just started playing. Flash is on camera. I shoot in manual and meter accordingly and then set the flash dialed down around -2 or-3. Not sure if this is the proper way or not to do it. ALso I made one of these this week and used it when taking the kids picks.

http://super.nova.org/DPR/DIY01/

sweet caroline · October 29, 2008

SitterS wrote:

Jeff thanks for the reply. I have been looking into taking the flash off camera but don't have a fortune to spend to do so.

I feel like I should be getting something for advertising, I've mentioned this so many times. I'm on a tight budget, too. I use the softliter II umbrella with diffuser and my built in camera flash in commander mode with my SB600 flash in the umbrella. Didn't cost much, of course I didn't have to get any wireless transmitters or anything because of the way this flash can work with my camera. It's been working well and is very transportable.

Beautiful photos.

Caroline

RBrogen · October 30, 2008

Absolutely stunning. Sharp, vibrant colors, wonderful composition...spot on SitterS

SitterS · October 30, 2008

Thanks RBrogen

Caroline appreciate the suggestion on the equipment. Looking into a few options right now.

Swartzy · October 30, 2008

These are very nice Shane. The saturation on the lower half of the images are really blue (and I realize it's a preferrence thing). Just my take if you don't mind. I'd darken the face a tad to blend a better balance with the overall exposure/setting. It would bring a bit of vibrance into the skin tones and they eyes would pop. Lovely settings and poses. Very cute indeed and well taken.

SitterS · October 30, 2008

Swartzy wrote:

These are very nice Shane. The saturation on the lower half of the images are really blue (and I realize it's a preferrence thing). Just my take if you don't mind. I'd darken the face a tad to blend a better balance with the overall exposure/setting. It would bring a bit of vibrance into the skin tones and they eyes would pop. Lovely settings and poses. Very cute indeed and well taken.

Thanks Swartzy. Appreciate the feedback on the blue and the light on the face. Actually used NIK Efex 3.0 for processing on all of these. Like the software but need to get better at the controls. Appreciate you commenting.

Trevlan · October 30, 2008

Sitters,

I just bought a pretty decent lenth PC cord. It was only 40 bucks on Amazon. I'm sure you can find a good one for Cannons pretty cheap. It's long enough for a decent 45 degree off camera, but you'ld have to be close to the subject, about 6 feet or so away. For the wider shots you'll definately want some remote triggers or the flash will be in the shot. Great pictures by the way. I feel the fill was a bit much, and would have looks better, at least for me, if it was dialed down a stop. But overall, great pictures! Keep up the great work.

ivar · October 30, 2008

I have to say those are some very nice shots! I really love this shot:

SitterS wrote:

I'm not as fond about the first two:

SitterS wrote:

The reason is that her pose/expression doesn't seem to fit a girl her age; It's too much of a 'mature' pose for some reason, it seems to me.