Feedback on Saturday's family beach portrait

Travis

Saturday I did portraits for a family vacationing in VB. I ended up doing another on Sunday for different family that approached me while I was shooting the first. I have a new found respect for those of you that chase kids all over creation. I was covered from head to toe in sand, sweat, and saltwater!

I know I need to adjust the red skin tones a little but I was curious about initial thoughts. I'll post the second shoot later this week. C&C appreciated. Thanks!!!

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Scott_Quier

1. Did you do any skin treatment on mom? If not, she has some really wonderful skin. I like the posing/grouping you have going on here. Very nicely done - at least to my mind.

2. This is very cute - too bad she wasn't looking at the camera.

6. For the most part, I'm liking the PP on this one. One thing I think I'm seeing is a small halo around his head, like the masking work wasn't as spot on as it is in the rest of the photo.

saurora

Love #1!!! Great posing, very relaxed and natural. Good job! The difference between the first group and #5 is like night and day. #5 seems very stiff and formal especially for a beach shot. Everyone looks as if they are holding their breath! Did you take any right after this shot? If you could have combined some of the relaxed (down on the ground) posing from the first along with maybe a couple of people standing, it would be more interesting. One thing I'm discovering with my own shooting is that it takes me longer than I would like to get my settings in place before taking the photo. Meanwhile my subjects are 'tensed'. I'm learning to tell people to "relax" while I make some adjustments. Then I try to capture them when they aren't tensed and expecting it. #5 could be fun if you could get them laughing. Shooting families is always a challenge, but I think the beach is a great place to do so. I think both families will be happy.

Travis

Scott_Quier wrote:

1. Did you do any skin treatment on mom? If not, she has some really wonderful skin. I like the posing/grouping you have going on here. Very nicely done - at least to my mind.

2. This is very cute - too bad she wasn't looking at the camera.

6. For the most part, I'm liking the PP on this one. One thing I think I'm seeing is a small halo around his head, like the masking work wasn't as spot on as it is in the rest of the photo.

Thanks Scott. Your right on # 6. The only adjustment I made after exporting from LR to PS was to dodge his face and I didn't notice the bleed until now. Good thing that is easily correctable.

Travis

saurora wrote:

Love #1!!! Great posing, very relaxed and natural. Good job! The difference between the first group and #5 is like night and day. #5 seems very stiff and formal especially for a beach shot. Everyone looks as if they are holding their breath! Did you take any right after this shot? If you could have combined some of the relaxed (down on the ground) posing from the first along with maybe a couple of people standing, it would be more interesting. One thing I'm discovering with my own shooting is that it takes me longer than I would like to get my settings in place before taking the photo. Meanwhile my subjects are 'tensed'. I'm learning to tell people to "relax" while I make some adjustments. Then I try to capture them when they aren't tensed and expecting it. #5 could be fun if you could get them laughing. Shooting families is always a challenge, but I think the beach is a great place to do so. I think both families will be happy.

Thanks Saurora, I agree on the group shot. I'm still sorting through the other group shots to see if there is one that is a bit more relaxed. The family has this wierd dynamic where they don't really like each other. It is clearly evident in that in the individual family shots, the groups are looser and more fun while in the full-on family shots, the groups were competing for position. It didn't help that the wind was blowing 30 knots, direct sun, and hot as all get out. Here is another showing the more relaxed feel with the Granmother/children:



You can definitely see the difference!

Scott_Quier

Travis wrote:

Here is another showing the more relaxed feel with the Granmother/children:



You can definitely see the difference!

Yeah, this one is priceless. The grandparent(s) and the parents will cherish this one!

Travis

Scott_Quier wrote:

Yeah, this one is priceless. The grandparent(s) and the parents will cherish this one!

Thanks again Scott. The grandmother lost her husband years ago and then 2 years ago, she lost her only son to muscular dystrophy. They got the beachhouse in Sandbridge to commerate the 2 year anniversary of his passing. The grandchild on her right is named after her son.

Swartzy

Travis...very nice photos. I agree with what the others said, so no sense in repeating. I'm seeing a tad bit too much magenta throughout (heh, not the B&W of course). There seems to be a magenta hue not only in skin tones but the over all photos. I like the processing and poses. Sweet.

Travis

Swartzy wrote:

Travis...very nice photos. I agree with what the others said, so no sense in repeating. I'm seeing a tad bit too much magenta throughout (heh, not the B&W of course). There seems to be a magenta hue not only in skin tones but the over all photos. I like the processing and poses. Sweet.

Thanks Swartzy. Your right on the magenta. My Lightroom preset is off a little and after staring at the photos for awhile, my eyes adapt so its great to be able to get all this great input here in order to correct before presenting to my client.

jeffreaux2

I like them all. You really have a handle on the beach shoots that you do. My only nitpick would be the faked DOF on #1. I am not a fan. Try doing something similar, but use a gradient mask on the blurred layer. This will more closely mimic DOF fall off from a large aperture lens by having the BG gradually fall OOF behind them. Very nice light!

Travis

jeffreaux2 wrote:

I like them all. You really have a handle on the beach shoots that you do. My only nitpick would be the faked DOF on #1. I am not a fan. Try doing something similar, but use a gradient mask on the blurred layer. This will more closely mimic DOF fall off from a large aperture lens by having the BG gradually fall OOF behind them. Very nice light!

Thanks Jeff. As for #1, I used a gradient mask in conjunction with the lens blur filter. I may have pushed it a bit far or not allowed enough of the gradient. I appreciate the input!

joshhuntnm

#2 are her eyes really that light, or did you dodge them? If dodged, it seem a bit too much too me.

Overall, great shots. really good.

Travis

joshhuntnm wrote:

#2 are her eyes really that light, or did you dodge them? If dodged, it seem a bit too much too me.

Overall, great shots. really good.

Thanks Josh. Her eyes are really that light and incredibly beautiful.