sibling headshots

Elaine

I have tweaked and fiddled 'till I'm cross-eyed with these! I'd love some feedback before the parents finally get down to ordering.

sweet caroline

Elaine wrote:

I have tweaked and fiddled 'till I'm cross-eyed with these! I'd love some feedback before the parents finally get down to ordering.

The two siblings on the sides look underexposed compared to the boy in the middle. Other than that, very nice set. They will go nicely together.

Caroline

Elaine

sweet caroline wrote:

The two siblings on the sides look underexposed compared to the boy in the middle. Other than that, very nice set. They will go nicely together.

Caroline

Would another way of saying that be that the middle one looks a touch overexposed? They were taken in completely different light, and the exposures were fine in camera. Whenever I drop the middle one's exposure, it ends up looking dull. I'll give it another go. Thanks for the comments!

sweet caroline

Elaine wrote:

Would another way of saying that be that the middle one looks a touch overexposed? They were taken in completely different light, and the exposures were fine in camera. Whenever I drop the middle one's exposure, it ends up looking dull. I'll give it another go. Thanks for the comments!

Well, the reason I don't say the middle one is overexposed is because I know that my screen tends to look bright. When images look slightly over exposed on my computer they print nicely. When I tilt my screen up a little, the boy in the middle looks properly exposed. Anyway, hopefully someone with a calibrated monitor and more experience will chime in.

Caroline

Elaine

sweet caroline wrote:

Well, the reason I don't say the middle one is overexposed is because I know that my screen tends to look bright. When images look slightly over exposed on my computer they print nicely. When I tilt my screen up a little, the boy in the middle looks properly exposed. Anyway, hopefully someone with a calibrated monitor and more experience will chime in.

Caroline

My monitor is calibrated and I prefer a near-the-edge exposure for prints as well. The light isn't as even on the older two, causing me some trouble when trying to make these three shots look right together. (...goes to pull out some more hair! )

sweet caroline

Don't drive yourself too crazy! The parents ought to love these.

Caroline

crockett

Why do anymore hair pulling. Where you've landed on these 3 look fantastic! Call it done because these are great portraits.

Also, just FYI and others. Your monitor (calibrated or not) really has nothing to do with proper exposure. Open the photo in PS (or your favorite editing software), open levels and you will see if any of the whites are clipping.

Your monitor only effects how it "appears" while editing. PS will tell you how they print.

Mitchell

Elaine, don't fret any further. This is as good as these get and they are excellent.

Next time you want to take a series like this, make sure all the photos are taken in the same spot with the same lighting and exposure.

Don't make the middle photo "blah" just because it was taken in brighter lighting.

jeffreaux2

Mitchell wrote:

Elaine, don't fret any further. This is as good as these get and they are excellent.

Next time you want to take a series like this, make sure all the photos are taken in the same spot with the same lighting and exposure.

Don't make the middle photo "blah" just because it was taken in brighter lighting.

I agree.....


Nice job!

Ann McRae

Elaine
I think these are very nice.
I am not bothered by the difference in light.
However, my first thought was that the little boy should not be at the same height as the others. Strange, eh?

Anyway, one means of reducing the noticeable difference in light may be to make the border between the shots thicker and of the same color as the background. If you are really worried by the lighting, give that a try.

ann

neastguy

nice job!!

zoomer

These look fine to me.
The parents should love them.

Elaine

Ann McRae wrote:

Elaine
I think these are very nice.
I am not bothered by the difference in light.
However, my first thought was that the little boy should not be at the same height as the others. Strange, eh?

Anyway, one means of reducing the noticeable difference in light may be to make the border between the shots thicker and of the same color as the background. If you are really worried by the lighting, give that a try.

ann

I wondered the same thing about the height, Ann. But, as they are primarily "school photos" for each kid, I figured I should consider them as individuals, rather than how they would look in a group shot.
Thanks for the suggestion about the border size/color. Good tip!

Elaine

Thank you very much all! I appreciate all the comments and tips! This place has taught me soooo much!

sweet caroline

Now I feel bad for mentioning the lighting at all! I was really just looking for any little thing that could possibly be improved. Believe me, these are beautiful photos. You did a great job. The parents will be crazy about them.

Caroline

Elaine

sweet caroline wrote:

Now I feel bad for mentioning the lighting at all! I was really just looking for any little thing that could possibly be improved. Believe me, these are beautiful photos. You did a great job. The parents will be crazy about them.

Caroline

No worries, Caroline! You pointed out something that was bugging me a bit anyway, so at least I know it wasn't all in my head. I'm here for all feedback. Thank you for your encouragement.

As a side note...I was looking at my son's 1st year album with him the other day (he's 7 now). That was back when I was having film printed at the local Fred Meyer (grocery/home store). My goodness, were there some terrible shots in there! A lot of terrible shots. A book filled with terrible shots! And yet, they weren't any worse than anyone else's, back then or even now. So, it was a great reminder for me that the average person won't be as concerned about a slight light variation that I tend to over analyze now.

sweet caroline

I sometimes come home from a session with what I feel are mediocre photos, and then the family tells me they are "amazing". I want to aspire to be great, but I do try to remind myself that often the photos I present are so much better than what they've taken themselves or what they've had done before. Sometimes my shortcomings bug the heck out of me. I feel like if I'm going to be good at something, I want to be really good. It's only been the past few months that I've had any regular photography work, so I still have so much to learn.

Caroline