Couldn't be taken...

shatch

A client of mine is selling their home here is a link to the amazing home (I would love some feedback on the photos of their home. Click the "photos" link at the top of the page once you are there.. I noticed that they didn't have any family photos. When I asked them about it, they said a good photo doesn't and never will exist for their family because none of them are photogenic. I finally talked them into a trial. Delivered a copy to them this morning. They are changing their mind. Any changes you would make?



Thanks for looking.

Kevin L. Kitchens

THey have no idea what they are talking about...

Unless you used professional models as stand-ins!!! The shot looks great and a nice looking family. I love the angles of the son's face for some reason too.

Scott_Quier

- They don't have a clue. The photograph is very good. I would have liked to see a little more life in the faces of all but the son (he has some life there). The three ladies and the father are just 'kinda there'. The two older ladies are just simply drop-dead-gorgeous!

The photo itself is very, very nicely done. I really like the lighting, but would have liked a little more light on the dark cloths. All but the father are getting a little lost.

A final nit - there is a hand or something showing in the lower right. I would clone it out.

shatch

Thanks Scott and Kevin for the remarks and complements. The mother wanted a serious photo. I actually shot each individual seperately then put them together in this arrangement. There are some fantastic photos of them smiling that I know we will be assembling another photo with. This was my "quick...scab one together to give them an idea" shot. Nice call on the hand. I think I also want to add a little highlight on the boys shoulder to provide some definition.

Thanks again for looking and commenting.

ShepsMom

This is a great photo. I agree, both women are beautiful. What was your pp??

KvPhoto

I love this! I feel like Dad's jacket could have been more black. Also, Mom looks a little stunned, wish she had a little more expression. I love the lighting though.

Elaine

What a striking photo of a very striking family! Hard to believe they think of themselves as non-photogenic! So, if I'm understanding you correctly, this family portrait is actually 5 separate pictures merged together? Amazing! Very nicely done. I do wish the boy's clothing was a bit more visible and maybe dad's jacket could go darker.

Zanotti

Nice shots, nice house - nowhere do you say where the hell it is!

I have a friend that has a huge farm in Coeur d'alene and is looking for a house........

Art Scott

Great portrait.....wanna share how ya did it....lighting diagram etc etc and of course post processing please ..........BTW are you sure this isn't a family of models....this would be one of my business cards or at least a huge enlargement on my studio wall..........thumbbow

shatch

The home is located just outside of Idaho Falls. Here is a link to the data sheet.

Thanks for the comments and thoughts Zanotti, Elaine, Kvphoto, and ShepsMom. I don't remember the specifics of my post production but I believe it was a bw conversion using channels and saturation with a slight transparentcy to reveal just a little color. I used healing brush to touch up some skin areas, then created a layer that created a soft skin. I used a reveal mask to bring the soft skin through while still trying to keep some detail.

shatch

Art Scott wrote:

Great portrait.....wanna share how ya did it....lighting diagram etc etc and of course post processing please ..........

Thanks for the kind remarks Art. I was replying to some previous posts when you were submitting your comments. Hopefully the pp comments above will be good enough. The lighting was a modified clam lighting. I had a hair light softbox above with a softbox camera left with a third light/softbox on the floor. Knowing the family didn't like having photos taken (the little girl was crying an hour before because she didn't want to have a photo. After the shoot, she asked her mom if I could come to dinner some time), I choose to do them individually. I looked through the photos and picked those that I thought would make a good composition then put them on individual layers in photoshop and created masks to blend them together. Then on to post production.

wxwax

Nice job. The boy, and to a lesser extent the girl, look like they're floating heads in space. Some detail would be helpful.

I'm surprised they all think they're ugly.

~Jan~

Nice job!!

photogmomma

Wow! I just LOVE the PP! I would bring back a tiny bit of detail with the blackest outfits and darken the dad's slightly, but it's awesome! I'm sure they're pleasantly surprised!!!