First edits from yesterday's toddler shoot (C&C)

divamum

C&C always welcome!

As some of you read in my other thread, I had my first not-my-own-kid-and-under-two-years-old shoot yesterday. Everything was seemingly conspiring against us from bright (BRIGHT) autumn sun to a missed nap (and thus cranky girl), but I think I managed to get enough that the family will be happy. Lovely people and it was soooo nice to be outside in the current weather!!

I did indeed use the little Fotodiox softbox recommended by JPC in this thread. I don't have any specific with/without shots, but it's an easy and inexpensive addition to the bag that, in my opinion, did indeed soften the flash and also decreased output slightly - since I was shooting on ETTL, that's sometimes useful (I sometimes find I can't dial FEC back far enough when using as fill). I was pleased with the results by and large.

I, on the other hand, was so distracted chasing this kid around that I made all sorts of idiot settings mistakes while working at high speed in changing light - there are some shots I look at the exif and think, "REALLY??" Seriously, I despair sometimes Fortunately, I think I got plenty of decent shots despite, but it still irks me that I didn't notice certain unintentional settings until AFTER the shot. :doh

In any case, the first few from the shoot. I'm having trouble deciding on a processing style for the st; I'll figure that out as I work through them, but for now, a mix of ideas I'm playing with.

7d+ 85 1.8/20-70L/135L depending, with 430ex + mini-softbox on camera used as fill.

1. One of the few decent shots I got of all three of them:




2. One thing I DID get right was to bring a bottle of bubbles. SCORE!!!



3. This one's proving a bit of a beast to crop, but I still like it:



4. What I think is going to be one of my favorites of the day. She absolutely REFUSED to sit on the benches, but was determined to climb them and lay down on them. It was pretty adorable, actually, and I'm just glad I was in a spot where I could catch it!




5. We did get some of that luscious golden-hour light in the end. We were just about to finish up since she was on the edge of a meltdown, but as we walked back to the cars she perked up. I had my camera around my neck and was literally snapping these with one hand (my gear trolley in the other) and am just happy she stood RIGHT in the right light and that the settings were close enough to "right" to grab it!

mjordanphoto

Nice work! I'm glad to hear you like the Fotodiox softbox, I've been considering getting one (after reading through the threads leading up to this), it's certainly cheap enough to pick up and toss in the bag. I think I'll do that and try to rope some friends into acting as my guinea pigs. I absolutely love #1 - everyone is smiling, it's such a fantastic image, and easily my favorite from the set. I really like the processing on that one as well. I think #5 is also wonderful and works particularly well in B&W.

Can't wait to see more (if you end up sharing them) and seeing what processing style you end up with for the set!

lizzard_nyc

Morning Divamum,
Ok I'm diving in for some c&c.

Love the processing on the first one, it immediately takes me back to my family photos from the 70's (the processing) and it seems like such a happy moment you captured AND it's a different shot than most.

#2 I find that I can hardly work with a green background and grass is sometimes a killer for me, it turns everything a slight shade of green or blue when overcomensating and that's what it looks like on my uncalibrated monitor. So maybe it looks right elsewhere--still, I hate grass! lol because I can't master the conversion.

#3I do like the crop as is, it's interesting, but the moment you got..I dont' know feel like this had potential .

#4 love your monotone, sweet shot of the child's facial features and hands.

last one--looks a little soft to me, like the focus is on the grass rather than the child. I think the parents will love it nonetheless because of the expression on her face and her little clapping hands.

As to the new accesory, I"m still clueless about all that so I can't comment.

ilbcnu

I was watching for these as I went ahead and ordered the Fotodiox. (for the price and the ease I thought what the heck).
I think overall the parents will love them.
#1 is fun, unique and all happy faces. I like it. The vintage treatment works with thier dress style, but not sure about the vignetting. Did you try any blk/wht?
#2 as a parent I would love. I might warm her up a little. Great job with the background - was this the 85?
#3 nice catch of the light on her but doesn't grab me.
#4 I love this and your processing! Just so unique of her, she is so busy with her hands & face
#5 as a parent I love the expression and her hands. The light is nice across her face, but I have to agree that focus looks off. Great catch while on the move though!

Did you go AV or total manual?

I would be happy to have these of my family- Nice Job!!

zoomer

2 ftw. That is a memory there.
So was it as hard as you were thinking it would be?

divamum

Thanks for the detailed C&C Liz. I agree - green grass is the pits to work on! #2 seemed ok on my monitor (and iPhone) though. I've got some others which are a real pain because the grass was almost BLUE in the light, it was so bright, so am tweaking the green slider a lot in LR.... I may have to resort to trick processing to camouflage it

Zoomer, thanks - we got a bunch with the bubbles, but I do love that one particularly. Overall it was more *enjoyable* than I'd been expecting under the circumstances, but it was definitely hard work! This family are a lot of fun, so it was a really great way to spend an afternoon despite the perpetual motion. I do find it hard to work to kid-speed, though (I find that even with my own, who has a VERY short attention span when it comes to being in front of the camera!). I make such dumba** camera mistakes that I'm too distracted to notice until after the shot(s), and it annoys me because I know better!

Amanda, in the end, I went with manual - flash+Av on Canon can be very annoying when the camera decides it knows what you want - when it doesn't - so I stuck with what I know works. I did go with slow motor drive and AI, however, on the "fast-moving target" principle! It got some I wouldn't have otherwise (and probably missed some I'd have nailed in one-shot), but overall I think it was probably the right choice.

At least I promised low and so can deliver high: I told them that with unpredictable kids I don't put a number on how many shots they'll get, but usually "15 or more". After my first cull, I've got over 100 to consider, so I can easily deliver at least 50 (is that about right for this kind of shoot? I'm used to delivering 200+ headshot proofs, so this is a little different!)

I'll add more photos here as I work through them - definitely appreciate the C&C!!!

zoomer

For those bright green spots reduce the yellow, helps a lot.
Agree with you on the green shade light, the worst, even the smallest bit of flash will get rid of that green pallor.
Sounds like you have plenty of shots to work with.

Just to provide critique for the next time. See how well 2 works....partly because it was taken at her eye level.....less top of the head shots.

divamum

Oh, absolutely - couldn't agree more on the angles! I got down to her level as often as was physically possible, but unfortunately, I can't crawl as fast as she can run, and she only STOPPED moving for a total of about 3 minutes during the entire shoot! She's a little sweetheart, but was also verrrry camera-aware and she would always run off and/or turn her butt towards camera as soon as she saw me coming. She loved all the attention but, like many 20 mo olds, also LOVED the power of being able to say NO and do exactly what she knew we DIDN'T want.

PS Yes on the yellows, although many of these are starting out with more BLUE in them and so I'm tweaking the green slider more to the yellow end, and then getting to work on the yellows to clean up the skintone. There was, as I had feared, no way around it. These do have flash (except where it was recycling during a drive shot), but I keep it as low as I can - perhaps sometimes too low, but I hate hate HATE the "flashy" look.

adbsgicom

Nicely done!! 2 totally rocks and 4 is the art piece of the group...

divamum

A couple more.... C&C always welcome!

6. More bubbles (I'll give it to them in colour, too, although I greatly prefer the B&W)


7. Can't decide about this one. I love that we got lucky and her poncho matches the flowers, but we didn't get any great expressions from her while she was rummaging around in the dirt - this is probably the best one. Thoughts?



8. Babygirl got really tired towards the end....



9. There is so much wrong with this, and I STILL love it. This processing (it's a preset, actually) seems to work well for the light we had yesterday, so on the ones which look good with it I've done this I've done this and/or B&W. Hopefully that makes for a coherent set.



I have another I need some help with, but it's very specific so I'll put it in its own thread.... More in a minute!

adbsgicom

Mad love for #8...

divamum

Thanks Andrew. Heeeheee... I love that one too, as did her mom when we chimped it. I need to sharpen up the eyes a little more. One of the frustrations of this shoot - maybe because shooting servo, not sure - is that there are a few which are soooo close to great... but then focus is ever so slightly off. I meant to shoot more stopped down, but then I didn't like the backgrounds and, and, and... you get the idea Oh well - good thing I guessed that might be the case and took a LOT of pictures! If I do too many more shoots on little kids, I really need to refine my focusing-fast-moving-objects techniques. It's not something I do much of (unless you count the puppy, and since those are all for myself it doesn't matter!), so I could stand to improve my skills, I suspect....

briandelion

Great work divamum! You deserve a lot of credit for venturing fearlessly into uncharted territory (that does sound over the top doesn't it? ) My picks of best pics- #'s 2, 6 & 8.

VayCayMom

awwwww success!!! LOVE LOVE the bench shot, you got it, when little ones don't do what you would like them to do just shot what they do want to do!! Wonderful job !!!

divamum

Thanks Brian and Trudy! I'm not sure shooting little ones is my "natural habitat", but I did have a good time.

dbveto

Diva maybe I am wrong but I would not touch #8 it has a dreamy look that goes with her Tired expression. Great job on the others.

laurenornot

Nice work. Toddlers are incredibly difficult to shoot! Love the processing on #1.

divamum

Thanks guys - I really wasn't feeling terribly confident about these, and your nice responses are encouraging. I sent the family the link and haven't heard back yet - I HATE that part of a shoot timeline! I'm always convinced they hate them until they resopnd otherwise . However, I've been checking my smug stats and am not yet convinced they've even looked at them yet, so fingers crossed that's the case and they'll be happy when they do..... !!

Qarik

Hi Divamum, I am going to grade you and give you a B+. You captured some great emotions but nothing made me stop and pause...the closest was #9. I am missing the standard "group shot" and any sort of wide angle work that might show an interesting back ground or a great portrait type of closeup. I know toddlers are very difficult to pose and work with in general though haha

divamum

Qarik wrote: »

Hi Divamum, I am going to grade you and give you a B+. You captured some great emotions but nothing made me stop and pause...the closest was #9. I am missing the standard "group shot" and any sort of wide angle work that might show an interesting back ground or a great portrait type of closeup. I know toddlers are very difficult to pose and work with in general though haha

Exactly my thoughts but... pose? HA! That wasn't gonna happen. I wanted some wider angle shots too, but the background didn't work so well for that unless I could keep littl'un in one particular spot and she wouldn't stay there long enough for me to grab it. The family shot I wanted to do on the benches was a total wash, as the minute her parents picked her up she approached meltdown, hence why we let her get on with her own climbing project (and that shot remains my favorite of the day, I think).

I did try for quite a few closeup/frame-filler type shots, but she definitely didn't want to be part of that idea except when she was otherwise occupied with her bubbles, so most of them have this expression:

(unedited)


My point being that yep - I agree with you (and yo'uve pretty much hit on the things I was disappointed with) but... I'm not sure how I could have gotten those shots! (all suggestions for the future welcomed, I hasten to add!)

ETA: Qarik, your thoughts have made me look through again, and there are a couple of others I should probably work on - still not sure they're what I want, but they probably ought to be included. Thanks for the nudge!

laurenornot

I think this last one you just posted is the best of the set!

divamum

Really?? Wow. I thought she looked grumpy/scared/not very appealing and had ditched it. Ok, easy one to work up since the 135L worked it's magic sooc... I'll get to work on matching it to the set!

Qarik

divamum wrote: »

Exactly my thoughts but... pose? HA! That wasn't gonna happen. I wanted some wider angle shots too, but the background didn't work so well for that unless I could keep littl'un in one particular spot and she wouldn't stay there long enough for me to grab it. The family shot I wanted to do on the benches was a total wash, as the minute her parents picked her up she approached meltdown, hence why we let her get on with her own climbing project (and that shot remains my favorite of the day, I think).

I did try for quite a few closeup/frame-filler type shots, but she definitely didn't want to be part of that idea except when she was otherwise occupied with her bubbles, so most of them have this expression:

(unedited)


My point being that yep - I agree with you (and yo'uve pretty much hit on the things I was disappointed with) but... I'm not sure how I could have gotten those shots! (all suggestions for the future welcomed, I hasten to add!)

ETA: Qarik, your thoughts have made me look through again, and there are a couple of others I should probably work on - still not sure they're what I want, but they probably ought to be included. Thanks for the nudge!

btw here is my edit of the frame filler..it has some good bones