today with my boy

Elaine

I'm trying to get more comfortable with the photo-journalistic style of portraits. (Seeing Andi's shots always challenges me!) Though I like getting a successful posed shot, I'd like to be successful at capturing real moments. I'm also not really sure how to direct (or not direct) a shoot in order to capture real moments, especially with folks who seem to need and/or expect direction. Anyway, I decided it would be good practice to just try and follow my son around a bit today. Here are three shots that I liked.


#1 - A boy's work is never done... The angle may be a bit much for some, but I'm kinda liking it, actually.



#2 - Happy Camper. (He has a mug of hot cocoa sitting on the table in front of him!) I have a difficult time capturing him looking straight at the camera, so I was pleased with this.



#3 - Drink up! The mug is a bit distracting, but he chose it because it is "Daddy's coffee mug." I liked seeing his mouth full and his cocoa mustache.


I'm also attempting to get a bit bolder with my processing. Any feedback is appreciated!

leaforte

Classics! Well done to these eyes.

DNagata

I really love the first one -- the variety of color and texture is just beautiful! And I do like the angle, it makes it a great composition.

photocat

"Real life" shots don't ask for direction in my opinion. Depending...
I think it was a good thing to follow your son in what he was doing, without directing him. The minute you direct, it becomes usually posed again.
We need to control the camera, not the people we shoot if we want to go to a journalistic way... How do other people see this? Would be interesting to know...

javierplumey

photocat wrote:

"Real life" shots don't ask for direction in my opinion. Depending...
I think it was a good thing to follow your son in what he was doing, without directing him. The minute you direct, it becomes usually posed again.
We need to control the camera, not the people we shoot if we want to go to a journalistic way... How do other people see this? Would be interesting to know...

Very nice. Wonderful color.

hamster

Elaine, these are wonderful. I love #1. He's a handsome kid!

Elaine

leaforte wrote:

Classics! Well done to these eyes.

Thank you!

DNagata wrote:

I really love the first one -- the variety of color and texture is just beautiful! And I do like the angle, it makes it a great composition.

Thank you very much! I appreciate the comments.

photocat wrote:

"Real life" shots don't ask for direction in my opinion. Depending...
I think it was a good thing to follow your son in what he was doing, without directing him. The minute you direct, it becomes usually posed again.
We need to control the camera, not the people we shoot if we want to go to a journalistic way... How do other people see this? Would be interesting to know...

In this setting, and because it was my son, it wasn't too difficult to just follow him and do some clicking. But in a family photo shoot setting, I've experienced some families who seem to just be waiting around for directions, which makes it difficult to capture moments of interaction.

javierplumey wrote:

Very nice. Wonderful color.

Thanks for looking and commenting!

hamster wrote:

Elaine, these are wonderful. I love #1. He's a handsome kid!

Thanks much! Yes, we think he's a rather good looking kid!

DavidS

I love them! You always get great photos of your son.

jeffreaux2

Hey Elaine !!! Awesome candids!!!

#1 is a pretty neat capture. I think it could benifit from some LR vignettes.

#2 is really nice. Excellent sharpness on him, and I really like the blue and orange that is going on in his shirt and in the BG.

Super nice.

I think that if you do ANY directing of these types of shots, you are best off to limit that directing to having them in the position that the light is best.....as long as it doesn't spoil the moment. The light looks fine in these, I am only saying that if you had a nice low sun, you could have him turn in one direction or the other to help you get some backlit shots, or to get the sun at a 45degree angle.

These are real neat!!
Thanks for sharing.

Elaine

Thanks, David! How nice of you to say that.


Thank you very much, Jeff! I had LR vignettes in mind with the first one too, but LR sill freaks me out! I did apply some regular vignetting to it.

Your thoughts on direction are similar to what I've thought before. I figure if I could just position myself the best for the light, then that would require the least amount of direction. I still get so frozen in the moment, though. Practice, practice, practice, I guess.

bauerman

Wonderful candid captures of your son Elaine - my kind of work for sure. I'm assuming no flash was used on the second and third shots - so what ISO setting was used and what shutter speeds were you getting? Did you process those for noise at all?

Great stuff........

Elaine

bauerman wrote:

Wonderful candid captures of your son Elaine - my kind of work for sure. I'm assuming no flash was used on the second and third shots - so what ISO setting was used and what shutter speeds were you getting? Did you process those for noise at all?

Great stuff........

Thank you! You're right, no flash. 2 and 3 were ISO 1000, 2.8 and 1/60. I did do a little bit of noise reduction - used a layer set to no more than 50% opacity, I think...even less on the 3rd one, if I remember right. Hope that helps, and thanks for the look!

Mitchell

Oh, Elaine. He's just so handsome.
He looks so much like his mom!!!

Nicely done. I like the first one.