It might just be my monitor (the one I'm using at the moment is uncalibrated and not good ), but the first shot looks a little muddy... but a lot of BW shots on this monitor do, even when they look perfect elsewhere.
Would it be possible to adjust the crop on the first shot a little bit so that he is positioned more toward the left and there is space on the right side of the image? Just not so centered, I guess. Also, is there any way to sharpen up his eyes just a touch?
The second shot looks like you just captured the right moment! I might crop it a little bit to remove/reduce the patch of lighter tones from her shirt, it is a little distracting.
It might just be my monitor (the one I'm using at the moment is uncalibrated and not good ), but the first shot looks a little muddy... but a lot of BW shots on this monitor do, even when they look perfect elsewhere.
Would it be possible to adjust the crop on the first shot a little bit so that he is positioned more toward the left and there is space on the right side of the image? Just not so centered, I guess. Also, is there any way to sharpen up his eyes just a touch?
The second shot looks like you just captured the right moment! I might crop it a little bit to remove/reduce the patch of lighter tones from her shirt, it is a little distracting.
Nice job!
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind.
I like them both. On the first, rather than muddy, it appears the nose/moustache (even the front of the hat) is in sharper focus than the eyes. I really like the overall appearance of the second -- slightly soft but really nice bokeh.
I like them both. On the first, rather than muddy, it appears the nose/moustache (even the front of the hat) is in sharper focus than the eyes. I really like the overall appearance of the second -- slightly soft but really nice bokeh.
First one is very nice - and anyone who thinks it's either soft, or muddy, should go with my wife tomorrow a.m. when she has her cataract surgery. ;-)
As to the second - it is much too soft. There are definitely times when "focus and exposure are greatly overrated," but this shot is not one of them. It's a cute child shot, but...
First one is very nice - and anyone who thinks it's either soft, or muddy, should go with my wife tomorrow a.m. when she has her cataract surgery. ;-)
As to the second - it is much too soft. There are definitely times when "focus and exposure are greatly overrated," but this shot is not one of them. It's a cute child shot, but...
But the first one is terrific.:D
Thanks for the comments, B.D.
I may be carving a niche only a mother could love, but I am fond of the several out of focus shots (including #2) I have posted lately. I know there is very little technical merit in them but I often find more interest in them in general. Granted, this could be akin to your dreaded tilted horizons as an attempt to generate interest, however. Perhaps I will grow out of it soon!
I may be carving a niche only a mother could love, but I am fond of the several out of focus shots (including #2) I have posted lately. I know there is very little technical merit in them but I often find more interest in them in general. Granted, this could be akin to your dreaded tilted horizons as an attempt to generate interest, however. Perhaps I will grow out of it soon!
I also find myself falling in live with out of focus shots of children. Being a mother and preschool teacher, I know that children are often like fairies flitting through, hardly ever in focus in real life!
I like the conversion on #1, but agree that swapping the negative space to give him room in the direction he is looking would be an improvement. It's nice and sharp, and his face the texture and lines of a great character. A little extra contrast could only accentuate those features more...:D
The second....while well framed(cropped) and surely an energitic and fun moment worth capturing misses the mark due to blurring that appears to be caused bt subject movement and a shutter speed too slow to freeze the moment. While I agree that in some instances softness can add "something" to an image, in this particular case it only detracts.
Thats my two cents.......dont spend it all in one place!:D
I also find myself falling in live with out of focus shots of children. Being a mother and preschool teacher, I know that children are often like fairies flitting through, hardly ever in focus in real life!
Caroline
Thanks Caroline. I knew there had to be someone else who like the blur!
I like the conversion on #1, but agree that swapping the negative space to give him room in the direction he is looking would be an improvement. It's nice and sharp, and his face the texture and lines of a great character. A little extra contrast could only accentuate those features more...:D
The second....while well framed(cropped) and surely an energitic and fun moment worth capturing misses the mark due to blurring that appears to be caused bt subject movement and a shutter speed too slow to freeze the moment. While I agree that in some instances softness can add "something" to an image, in this particular case it only detracts.
Thats my two cents.......dont spend it all in one place!:D
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comments Jeff. When I have a few minutes I'll try another crop on that first one since your comment seems to be a common one. I'll even try a little more contrast. Like you said, it couldn't hurt!
I also find myself falling in live with out of focus shots of children. Being a mother and preschool teacher, I know that children are often like fairies flitting through, hardly ever in focus in real life!
Caroline
Being a photographer - and a dad - I know that it's possible to capture that aspect of childhood and still take in-focus images. There is no doubt there are times when a fast child and a slow shutter speed combine to produce a gorgeous image. There is also no doubt that throughout the history of photography there are iconic images with technical imperfections - and some of them are improved - may even be iconic because of the imperfections (How about Capa's D-day images? ) But the image we are discussing here is just plain out of focus. There is nothing in it in focus. And on top of that the child's eyes are closed. (And that might have been fine had the face been in focus. )
Hopefully we are all friends here. And hopefully we all offer criticism that's constructive and not destructive. But at the same time, I don't believe we are providing each other any help if we just say "whoopee! what a great shot" to everything that gets posted.
Shot one - excellent, both technically and aesthetically.
Shot two - try again.
Comments
Would it be possible to adjust the crop on the first shot a little bit so that he is positioned more toward the left and there is space on the right side of the image? Just not so centered, I guess. Also, is there any way to sharpen up his eyes just a touch?
The second shot looks like you just captured the right moment! I might crop it a little bit to remove/reduce the patch of lighter tones from her shirt, it is a little distracting.
Nice job!
Spread the love! Go comment on something!
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind.
Thanks for sharing.
John
Take more pictures!
http://aliceswonderland.smugmug.com/
Thanks for the comments, folks.
First one is very nice - and anyone who thinks it's either soft, or muddy, should go with my wife tomorrow a.m. when she has her cataract surgery. ;-)
As to the second - it is much too soft. There are definitely times when "focus and exposure are greatly overrated," but this shot is not one of them. It's a cute child shot, but...
But the first one is terrific.:D
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
Thanks for the comments, B.D.
I may be carving a niche only a mother could love, but I am fond of the several out of focus shots (including #2) I have posted lately. I know there is very little technical merit in them but I often find more interest in them in general. Granted, this could be akin to your dreaded tilted horizons as an attempt to generate interest, however. Perhaps I will grow out of it soon!
Hopefully.
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
I also find myself falling in live with out of focus shots of children. Being a mother and preschool teacher, I know that children are often like fairies flitting through, hardly ever in focus in real life!
Caroline
The second....while well framed(cropped) and surely an energitic and fun moment worth capturing misses the mark due to blurring that appears to be caused bt subject movement and a shutter speed too slow to freeze the moment. While I agree that in some instances softness can add "something" to an image, in this particular case it only detracts.
Thats my two cents.......dont spend it all in one place!:D
Thanks for sharing.
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Thanks for the comments Jeff. When I have a few minutes I'll try another crop on that first one since your comment seems to be a common one. I'll even try a little more contrast. Like you said, it couldn't hurt!
Being a photographer - and a dad - I know that it's possible to capture that aspect of childhood and still take in-focus images. There is no doubt there are times when a fast child and a slow shutter speed combine to produce a gorgeous image. There is also no doubt that throughout the history of photography there are iconic images with technical imperfections - and some of them are improved - may even be iconic because of the imperfections (How about Capa's D-day images?
Hopefully we are all friends here. And hopefully we all offer criticism that's constructive and not destructive. But at the same time, I don't believe we are providing each other any help if we just say "whoopee! what a great shot" to everything that gets posted.
Shot one - excellent, both technically and aesthetically.
Shot two - try again.
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed