Help for a Beginner

Rcphil8

Hello all,

This is my first post here and I'm not sure if this is done correctly. (attaching photo) Anyway, I am a beginner looking for simple advice on the attached photo of my daughter, Mira. Apart from the obvious compositional flaws does anyone have some basic advice on how to eliminate the blown out portions of her face? What did I do wrong? Settings are Av, f9, 1/200s, ISO-400, 55mm. Metering was pattern, should I try to learn more about metering as a beginner or just focus on more basic settings and leave metering on pattern? Thanks in advance, Ralph

Scott_Quier

Hmmm ... .... my first thought would be that a little flash from the camera position would allow you to reduce the ISO. This, in turn will diminish the effect of the sun on both the background (which is quite bright) and reduce the contrast between the shaded portion of her face and the sun-lit portion of her face/forehead.

Rcphil8

Thanks Scott!

zoomer

If it is blown it is just barely.
A little fill flash goes a long way in a shot like this. Catch lights in the eyes if nothing else. I think this is as good as you could get without a flash or reflector.

I use spot metering and spot focus on people shots, seems to help with the focus on the eyes and getting the exposure I want on the face.
But as I said this exposure is about the best you could do with your equipment.

If you reduced the exposure enough to really bring down the light on the side of her face then the front part would be really dark.

Of course there is that tree coming out of head but that is another topic I guess.

Candid Arts

Way too centered. Position her next time towards the edges more of the photo, as if she were "coming in", or "going out" of the frame. Also, I think there is too much room above the head. There is also a tree trunk coming out of her head if you look in the background. Gotta be careful of those things sometimes.

These along with the others' comments will greatly improve this image.

Thanks for posting!

Rcphil8

Thanks all for the coomments. I never think to use a flash in mid day sun - will have to try and compare the results.
This photo was just a selection to get advice on the highlights, I knew there were compositional issues.

Scott_Quier

Rcphil8 wrote:

Thanks all for the coomments. I never think to use a flash in mid day sun - will have to try and compare the results.
This photo was just a selection to get advice on the highlights, I knew there were compositional issues.

It does seem counter-intuitive, doesn't it? And, you are absolutely right in your thought to "try and compare" - don't take anything you read in a forum for the gospel (especially from me ). Work with it, and see if you can make it work for yourself - only by doing that can you determine if it works and then be able trust that when you really need it and don't have time to think about it.