A shot of my kids

kidzmom

Just wanted to share one of my kids from yesterday (for critque---not the kids, just the photo, lol!). Played with some curves on the pp.

I was all geared up to take some shots of them together. I usually have a zillion of them individually and none in a group. I DO know why this is the case though. THEY ARE IMPOSSIBLE to take pictures of together. I have a heck of a time trying to keep the baby (19 mos) in the shot. He is into toddling everywhere and is not capable of bribery. So anyway, I had about 15 seconds to set my camera and take this shot. This is practically the only one I got with him on the rock.

I wanted to work on some nice rim lighting..but I might have missed the boat here. Suggestions? I know the comp is pretty average, but I have big time excuses for that. You should have seen how difficult it was to get that little guy in the picture.

Okay...I'll post others later. I got some nice ones of my eldest at least (with baby boy in one arm while snapping shots with the other). Sometimes I feel SO frustrated when shoots don't go my way. (vent over.)

GadgetRick

Exposure looks good, I'd try and get them closer together. In person it always looks like they're smushed together but, in the photo, it'll look better.

divamum

Your oldest daughter is your clone, right?! (sorry- I get that all the time too even though in point of fact I don't think she really looks like me, but a perfect cross between my mother in law, and my dad. But I digress....)

I think the lighting is quite nice, although isn't true "rim lighting" coming more from directly behind them than the side? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. Whatever it's called, it's sure pretty! No raccoon eyes so good job on that.

I see what GadgetRick means about the airspace - it's mostly between your son and younger daughter, I think, although I'm not sure where else you could have put her except maybe on his lap? Mitchell has done some super family shots with all five of them in frame, so if you can search here and find those, they may give you some more ideas (and I'm willing to guess he has some from when they were littler that he'd let you see if you ask him prettily )

The only nits are, as you say, the baby looking like he wants to sprint out of frame (well, he did!) and that you nicked your other son's toes off the bottom of the frame - other than that, looks pretty good to me!

kidzmom

Thank you Rick and Diva! Rick... you are definately right. I did TRY though, lol! How I loved my senior shoot. SO easy! Little kids are such tough challenges and I think shooting your own kids is even harder because who ever listens to their Mom! ! Diva...I think your sweetie is your mini-me so we're even! I echo your thoughts exactly on the big brother foot crop and the 'sprint out of the frame' look. You are right that it is only rim lighting-ish. I really just wanted to practice shooting towards the light (even if it wasn't head on). Anyway...I appreciate the comments guys. At least I have *something* of them together. Might not be perfection but anyway..I'll keep shooting. I sure hate taking them out for group shots though. That is called WORK for me.

red_zone

I know you were trying for lighting, and the light & exposure on your kids looks great. I'm not a fan of the bg though, it might have been interesting to get a little higher and have more of the wildflowers in the background... but then you wouldn't have them looking straight-on... hmm... decisions...

Agnieszka

I hear ya about the posing, but the light & processing are deliiiiiish YUM!!

btw!! Love the matching colors / clothes!! And you got some beeeeeeauuuutiful kiddos!!

kidzmom

Thank you Redzone and Angie for your thoughts and comments! Redzone, I really wish I had more cooperation...I tried to get them down in the field with the flowers. What a joke, the little man was "outta here".. I ended up with the rock as a last resort. I wanted him to feel as if he didn't have options for escape (pinned as if in a car seat). It worked for a few seconds at least, lol.

Angie. THANK YOU! You made my day with your comment on liking the light and processing. All I can cay is I've learned from the best

I appreciate all of the input. THANKS!!

Kelly