A recent Family Shoot

Gringriff

I just delivered the prints last night from a session with a family (friends of ours). I think the shots turned out nice a they are happy too. Any critic and suggestions are welcome.

1. First Shot with family


2. Mom and Dad


3. The Boys...


4. Trying to use a tree


5. For fun, tried to get a walking shot


6. A tree and water


7. Just the water on this one - and my favorite of the group


Thanks for looking,
Andy

Helvegr

Let me first say, that feel free to take any of my comments and ignore them. I don't claim to be anything but an amateur at best.

1. I like the posing on number one, its simple and they look comfortable.
2. Its a nice image, but I think I would have framed it slightly differently. She gets cut off at the wrist, and he is cropped at the knuckles.
3. Same as #2. The cropped limbs.
4. Same here, the boys on the outside is getting cropped a bit too tight, and the on the left he's losing his hand.
5. I like this shot a lot, and despite my previous comments you could probably tighten the crop on this even more.
6. What a great location you had to work with, very nice.
7. Wow, they sure can smile. Nice image.

All in all, very nice. In fact probably better then i would be able to pull off. I can see why they were happy with the results!

Thanks for sharing!

Hackbone

Nice exposures and the skin tones are nice also. You have no light direction to create depth however in 6 you've got a start of direction with the shadows on the face. Try for light direction most of the time........"find the light."

1. You have the start of a good composition here with creating triangles with the heads. The two folks out front sitting Indian style is not professional in this instance. They should be sitting on their bumb and dad seems to have a potty pose. The bright legs tend to attract your attention first as bright areas come forward and dark receedes.

2 has good composition but dad's claw hand is distracting........tell him to put the hand anywhere behind her where he won't get slapped.

3. stagnant pose with the claw hand again. Always try to turn folks a little to one side or the other.....dancers posing.

4. claw hands again and mom and dad seem armless....odd looking. Every one straight on and trees growing out of heads.

5. With the bkg scene just seems to posed and tacky.

6. water is bright and takes the eye away from them......mom seems to be squeezed out of the photo with the crop below. Dad and sons have a pleasing triangle composition then mom just drops out of it. Tree stump????

7 great angle for getting rid of double chins but I'm not a fan of such a high angle for a family but it does clear up the water glare problem. Again hands are a problem....mom is doing the "fig leaf" pose, green shirt fellow lost his arm, red shirt guy is just dangling. Guys need somethng to hold on to or to lean against. Watch your friends especially the guys. They are always leaning on something or have their hands occupied.

I hope you don't view this as mean spirited but there are posing problems and correcting them will make your portraits more attractive.

PS.....talk with your subjects about clothing selection......remembering light colors come forward and compete for attention and the face should be the object of attention. Tell them to dress from their feet up......no white socks and ladies if your wearing a dress put on darker hose to tone down the whites. Also put everyones clothes on the bed and squint........this blends the colors and any standoutish color will be notice more readily and should be changed. Bright colors put on weight also so darker earth colors are a better choice but not black and not bold patters such as mom.....notice how that blouse screams for attention.

Gringriff

Thanks for the detailed feedback guys. This is a great help, I appreciate it and will try to remember these points.

Thanks again,
Andy

Qarik

these are okay family shots. my 1st overall comment would be to shoot with wider aperture to blur out the BG on these..some of the BG are districting. #7 was nice thought but a littel too high of angle..lastly try vingette these just touch to guide the eyes