I am never doing indoor shots again.

~Jan~

Outdoor shots, I feel like I'm catching on. Indoors...OMG. O.M.G. This session was a disaster. We planned on outdoor, but it hot, humid, and the only time she could meet was noon, so we did indoors w/ a backdrop. I have no lights, so we used the light from her huge sunroom. I HATE THESE ALL. The baby is at that BAD age--wouldn't sit still. Ugh. I think my niche is location shots, NOT indoors. I didn't enjoy this at all!

rwells

Jan,

I'm not very versed at portraits, so take this info with that in mind...
(Unless they are bouncing around on a bull or horse )


Years back I was trying my hand at some portraits in about the same situation with the lack of proper lighting equipment. I did find a pretty good solution to the setup (or lack thereof) that you were in.

I took an old cheap frosted plastic shower curtain and hung it up, using it like a scrim. Just remember to keep it as close to your subject as possible. Diffused light re-aligns the further away from your subject that you get the diffuser.

Anyway, hope that helps.

wesleyt

Jan,

I love these pictures. I think the lighting looks terrific!

- Wes

saurora

I think you did rather well for not having any lights. And you got more shots of this baby than I did of a 2 year old last weekend!!! Can you be more specific about what you don't like about these shots, aside from the experience?

kingmamaof2

Wow, I don't know why you don't like these, the lighting is Great! Just curious, what were your settings? I think the mom will love these, the second picture is a little soft but the rest look sharp as a tack. Good job!

emmalou

I like them....

Elaine

Oh, I feel your pain! Indoors is scaaaary for me! That being said, I think you got some great pics! 4, 6, 7 are my faves (next time you add a bunch of pics, it helps us give feedback when they're already numbered ), and I'm sure the mom will really like all of them. Don't beat yourself up...you got catchlights, nice light and exposure, fun expressions...all under tough conditions with a very tough age! Good job!

Dee

These are great
Window light indoors is the best for portraits! Look at the nice even lighting you got -- the photos are fine, and I bet the parents will absolutely love them!

Also, remember you can use a big sheet of white cardboard to bounce the window light onto the subject too!

~Jan~

kingmamaof2 wrote:

Wow, I don't know why you don't like these, the lighting is Great! Just curious, what were your settings? I think the mom will love these, the second picture is a little soft but the rest look sharp as a tack. Good job!

Well, she wouldn't sit still, so I felt like I didn't get a GOOD shot of her, KWIM. When I'm on location, I tell the parents to let the babies do their thing and I'll get some photos when they turn the right way. It takes minimal work, but lots of time waiting. Of course, we manipulate positions, encourage them to look certain ways, etc., but outdoors it is WAY easier to get the to be in a good location. Here, I had maybe 4' to play with, and she was all over the place. The room is gorgeous--a sun room w/ one whole wall (vaulted ceilings too) of windows and two huge windows on each side. WOW. And can you believe the red lips on this child? I didn't do a thing to them, infact I desaturated the red in a couple of them because her face was reddish.

Anyhow--I DON'T think any of them but one (the one w/ the canon lens cap) are sharp, I think they all look "Wal-mart-ish" and I just think they kind of look phony. I can't really explain what I don't like, I guess.

Oh well...this is one of my very best friends, so it's not like I was going to charge her, anyhow!

Cuties02q

I think they are very cute & the lighting is wonderful I just did a maternity shoot inside and the lighting is such a pain compared to outside

Stormdancing

Jan, these look really good for your 1st indoor shoot. Especially with available light.

Like Dee said get you a big sheet of white posterboard or foam core. Use it to reflect a little light on your backdrop. I think that will give you more depth and that might be what you think is missing.

photogmomma

These really are well done!

One thing I find that *really* helps with indoor shots is to give them some things to focus on. Then they aren't moving *as* much. usually. Like the canon lens cap. Maybe that could be her favorite lovey. Or a blankie she plays hided and seek with. I also, when there isn't much room, focus on the face instead of the upper body and that helps some. I get the mom/dad to play peek-a-boo with a toy or themselves. I long feather on a stick can get some fun expressions - just tickle and pull it out of the shot...

Just some ideas!

Still very cute! (But I know where you're coming from. Try 'em in B&W and I bet you lose that "Walmartish" feel to them for the most part!)

Netgarden

I bought a portable light just for times like these. It's kind of like a high powered lamptype/spotlight. Works well.

Richard

~Jan~ wrote:

Well, she wouldn't sit still, so I felt like I didn't get a GOOD shot of her, KWIM.

If you had lights, she still wouldn't sit still. I guess you have very high standards, Jan. These look pretty good to me.

Regards,

~Jan~

THanks for the sweet comments, everyone. You all are so nice here. Oh yeah, forgot to tell you all that I'm a perfectionist. Only time that's really served me well was in college (got a 4.0). Now, it mostly adds stress to my life.

Anyhow, I did some antique-y actions to a few. Let me know if this helps. I thought her shirt look kind of vintage, so maybe a vintage color would work.

Scott_Quier

I may be a little late to the discussion here, but I also think you did a wonderful job on these, with or without lights. Very nice work and I'm sure your client is going to be oooohing and aaaaaing all over these. Out of all of them, there are only two that I wouldn't show the client, the last of the first set (expression) and the last of the second set (just too cold toned).

The PP on the first of the second set is to die for. Care to provide some details?

~Jan~

The PP on the one you are referring to is a vintage color one from this person: http://www.littlemoments.typepad.com/actions/

I believe I did that action then decreased it slightly so the original popped out a bit more. I can't really remember. I need to start writing down what I do in PP.

pyrtek

The one with the lens cap is GREAT. She looks like she's a magician
trying to turn it into something (probably a frog ).


Scott: the PP you're asking about is probably mostly achieved by mixing
a B&W version of the image with the original colour version at 50 or so percent.
I'm not saying that this is all that was done here, but it'll get you most of the
way there, I think.

Art Scott

As a Mostly outdoor photog myself I feel your pain in working indoors on very limited space...but you did a very excellent job......we always down play our own work (we are our worst critic) and I don't think too many on here would compliment your work if it were wal-martish....IT IS NOT.....these are very good shots...sure if you had a few studio lights things might be a little bit different but maybe not....that little one was moving around and would you have been able to move the lights to follow her...prob not...so next time there is a wall of windows use them unless the scene on the other side is not at all photogenic.....let the child play near the windows even touching them looking out of them..etc etc......use on camera (not built in) or flash attached to a flash bracket for fill....a couple of foam core boards for reflecting the light for more fill....or a couple of the springy type of multi - reflectors.......bounce the light off the ceiling or use a diffuser of some sort on the flash (some people light the gary fong tupper ware bowl thingy, some people like the various types of velcro attached soft boxes ( mine is a rather large Lumi Quest...others like to make their own...not me)......also have mom remove the lampshades off any lamps in the room and turn them on for added lighting....give the darling child toys to play with, unless of course you're shooting a Canon Ad..then your lens cap is just fine......

BTW: GREAT SHOTS ALL OF THEM........

urbanaries

Art and Andi have given you some great feedback! When indoors, try to use the scene, like you would outdoors.

And Art, I never thought of removing the lampshades!!! BRILLIANT! (why didn't I think of that before! rofl)

m8o

~Jan~ wrote:

That's the kind of shot I go for ... candid regardless it was done during a formal portrait session. Love that. But yes, I understand (now that it was said) the statement above that it is advisable that it be a toy. (I'm learning too)

Flyinggina

Jan, Walmart would get a lot more business if they did children's portraits as nice as these. They are wonderful and I know the Mom is going to be thrilled!! I really like your antique treatment too.

Virginia

evoryware

I was expecting there to be bad shots in this thread. Disappointed I have not seen any.