Critique requested for Outdoor Family Portrait

Ave

This is my first large family portrait session which was outdoors on a slightly overcast day around 3:45 pm sun was to set around 4:45 pm. I would like some professional opinions and I know I have a lot to learn. I would like to know how I could have made them look raelly good. After looking at them Im pretty sure I should have used a flash or flashes. What would you guys have done. I would like any type of critique regarding DOF, posing, exposure, Flash.

http://pbphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/2219735

I have another family session with 15 people coming up and would like it to be really good so any input is greatly appreciated.

I have a Canon 20D and 5D
580EX and two
420EX speedlights
24-70 f2.8 lens
16-35 f2.8
70-200 f2.8

Shay Stephens

Adding a dash of flash can help add some contrast to the photo and a little bit of warmth on an overcast day. Don't over do the flash though. Try it -1ev to start and see if that works for the situation.

Secondarily, when processing the photo, kick in some contrast if it is lacking in the photo. Same with saturation. If it starts looking a little monochromatic, start adding saturation to get back to at least what the eye expects to see. That alone will take the photo to a new level.

Everything else looks fine to me.

saurora

I think you did pretty well on the posing....not an easy task! I did my first "group" session today with 5 people, 3 of which were children. Yikes! I could have used an assistant. Hard to pose and keep an eye on expressions, etc. After shooting previously with only available light, I broke down and admitted I needed to attempt flash. I was pleasantly surprised today how much better the exposures were than what I have been getting with available light outdoors, especially in shady areas. The skin tones were warm and right on. I won't have nearly so much PS to do. I have a lot to learn about exposures, etc. and not all was perfect by any means, but you have a nice assortment of flash and I would do as Shay suggested and utilize them for catchlights/fill and ....warmth on an overcast day.

JimW

The posing is the hard part for me, and I think you did great. I agree with Shay that a little flash would really help those faces and eyes (#1484), which look pretty dark. Flash would make the post processing much easier. But as he said, don't go too far or the flash will flatten everything, especially if the flash is on or near the camera.

I respectfully disagree with added saturation though. That would quickly cause a lot of problems in those same faces and eyes on 1484. It is my understanding that most digital slr's oversaturate the image already. (learned this from Jeff Schewe, fwiw)

Jim

Ave

Thank you all for you thoughts!!! How would you recommend setting up the flashes and how far awy from the subjects????
Thanks

JimW

I would just put a flash on my camera's hot shoe, pointed up into one of those bounce card things, which raises the height of the light source a little to avoid redeye etc. Then, as Shay said, dial it down a little if needed, so it doesn't look flashed. It only takes a little pop of fill flash.

But first I would shoot it without flash and note the histogram. Then shoot again with the flash and note that the right side of the histogram doesn't get to far to the right, especially with white shirts. (Just a little screw-up insurance that I learned, probably the hard way. )

Jim