Big Family Photo Session

kdspencer

Hi,

I had a 12 people extended family come over yesterday to take their pictures. There are a few things I wish I'd done differently (positioning hands so they didn't get cut out of the frame), and I'm not sure that gray was the best choice for backdrop, but I wanted to post some of the pics for some comments.

I'd like to add a soft vignette (black) around the edges of some of these. How do I do that in CS4? I know how to do it in the RAW converter before I open the image, but have no clue how to do it after the fact.

Here are some pics:

1. This one has been cropped so it's only a little bigger than 3MP now (I'm a little sad about that). I wonder if a 5x7 would be too big of a print to make of this?



2.



3. This was the whole family together - all 12 of them.



4. I really liked how this one turned out, except for cutting the hands off at the bottom.



5. Grandma and Grampa and their Grandkids



6. A different background



Thanks for looking and commenting!!

kdspencer

Anyone?? Bueller... Bueller...

slpollett

It seems like it is hard to get anyone to post comments on your pics until you are 'well-known.' I'm just a novice myself, so take my comments with a grain of salt.

I agree that #1, #3 & #4 would be better if you hadn't cut the hands off, but they are still nice pics that the family should love. I also like the lighter background over the dark grey, but the grey one worked too.

You had a tough crowd there with lots of white and dark shirts, but it looks to me like you did a good job with the lighting.

My only suggestion would be to pay a little more attention to the composition so you get those hands included. I have the same problem sometimes. I'm paying so much attention to the camera settings & stuff that I miss the little things that make a difference in the final product.

Even with the cut off hands, these are still very nice family portraits imho.

Sherry

angevin1

I don't know how to do the vignette in CS4, but in LR2 theres a module just for it, and easy to use.

I like how you made twelve people look like less in number! & Look natural in posing.

What I don't like is the flat light. It almost looks like it was the on-cam flash. To me it is unflattering and uncreative.

Also they appear to be too close to the background, leaving no room for separation.

It is hard at first to accomplish what you want with this many people. Most folks just figure you stand there and smile, like these did and the photographer shoots the photo.

I'll bet that last background, the pink marble one would look lovely and very different with some shadowing.

cheers, tom

Azurite

I think the positioning looks nice with the big group too. But it seems like you needed more light. How many strobes did you use? It's hard to see catch lights in the eyes. The pink marble backdrop looks digitally swapped - was it? I can see shadows at the edges of the bodies like when I try and digitally swap backgrounds with my chromakey green. Looks like you are on the right path to taking good portraits!

kdspencer

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments. You're right, the lighting wasn't ideal. I actually don't have the lighting equipment I would like, and used an on camera flash (with a bracket to keep the flash above the camera). This is why it looks so flat. And I did deal with a few shadows that I cloned out. I had some soft lights set up around the group as well, but they're Dayflo lights, more for video than photo (I borrowed my husband's lights).

The last background is the actual background, not swapped out, but the shadows might be b/c of the on camera flash.

Thanks again for looking and adding your two cents.

zoomer

Not to shabby.
Allowing for the on camera (bracket) flash with relatively flat light.
Subjects are to close to the background. Next time create some space and you can blur the background a bit.

Did you do a levels adjustment on the photos and slight contrast boost to add some po?.

I think for a first attempt these are not bad at all.....seen LOTS worse.

You can just use the Burn tool to create vignetting it is really fast and easy. Have fun with it.

You mentioned all the major nits yourself. All you can ask is to improve each time and before you know it you will have it down.

Hackbone

You have to get that flash off camera if you can. You subjects look plastered to the bkg. Try to move them about six feet in front of your bkg, that would help and a kicker or two behind them to give more separation.

clemensphoto's

Very nice job.