My 1st Family portrait ... C&C welcome

KTBoom2006-E510

Well, this is my first family portrait.

cmorganphotography

The white shirts are blown out so when you do work on it, I'd bring it down in exposure. I think this would look neat in b&w. I know the feeling of people not wanting their pics taken and not smiling for it in defiance! It makes you feel bad and I wanted to shout "well? why I am here then?! smile!"
Instead, I just snapped away trying my best to be perky and amusing.

KTBoom2006-E510

cmorganphotography wrote:

The white shirts are blown out so when you do work on it, I'd bring it down in exposure. I think this would look neat in b&w. I know the feeling of people not wanting their pics taken and not smiling for it in defiance! It makes you feel bad and I wanted to shout "well? why I am here then?! smile!"
Instead, I just snapped away trying my best to be perky and amusing.

How's the arrangement?

cmorganphotography

KTBoom2006-E510 wrote:

How's the arrangement?

There's a nice overall shape. It's harmonious and the head level makes sense. I can see relationships and the faces are all visible. They look pleasantly clumped even though they don't look happy about it.

Photosbychuck

Nice shot!
It is hard when your subject will not smile.

Did you get them to do any poses with them all standing?

Maybe a second shoot would help them relax and smile a bit.

Take Care,
Chuck,

Travis

I think you did a great job considering the "attitude". That is the worst trying to photograph people that don't want to be photographed. One trick I found that works is to play up to their defiance and say "ok, everyone look as serious as you can like this is the worst thing that ever happened to you". Have them hold the pose for a second and then bet them that they really want to laugh while flashing a big smile. More times than not you'll get a second where they relax and flash a smile. Just be quick to capture it.

Technically, I like the pose and agree that the white shirts are a little blown out but that can probably be fixed in post via Recovery. Nice first attempt. It will get easier....at least thats what they tell me.

KTBoom2006-E510

Travis wrote:

I think you did a great job considering the "attitude". That is the worst trying to photograph people that don't want to be photographed. One trick I found that works is to play up to their defiance and say "ok, everyone look as serious as you can like this is the worst thing that ever happened to you". Have them hold the pose for a second and then bet them that they really want to laugh while flashing a big smile. More times than not you'll get a second where they relax and flash a smile. Just be quick to capture it.

Technically, I like the pose and agree that the white shirts are a little blown out but that can probably be fixed in post via Recovery. Nice first attempt. It will get easier....at least thats what they tell me.

Thank you... It was difficult... Here is another picture I took



And I didn't take one of them standing. Didn't even think about it

cmorganphotography

Some people just naturally lose a smile for photographs. To combat them with a +2/+2 assault of awesome just count down your shot but take a photo before you to the *actual* one. People will just think you're fiddling with buttons.
Think: "Ok, everyone ready? 3... 2... *snap pic* 1... *snap actual posed pic*" It seemed to work everytime for me and I got a few of people who were tensed to look relaxed, and people who didn't smile to light up. Little kids help. I always ask them to tell me a story. People will smile when a child tells a story. Or I just fall over or trip on purpose or look like a bumbling idiot. If they don't take you seriously, they won't look so serious.
All a bunch of things that have helped me make people more comfortable around me for having just met me.
It works quite a lot. Talking. Talking helps too. I share personal experiences with a comedic twist. "So, this one time I walked into a wall, right?"... and so forth.
Or just plain Blarney them to death. Gift of the gab. Run of the mouth. If they are so distracted by how much you talk, they might crack up or look less frozen, absorbed in when and if you take a breath soon.

Travis

KTBoom2006-E510 wrote:

Thank you... It was difficult... Here is another picture I took



And I didn't take one of them standing. Didn't even think about it

I really like the pose on this one. It would have been perfect if you didn't cut the hands off the little boy in the front and you slipped them some happy pills. The more I see of this family, the more I'm starting to believe that they are just the way they are. I hope I'm wrong because the thought is kind of depressing.

KTBoom2006-E510

This one is my favorite




please do comment

cmorganphotography

OH NO! They ate the blonde girl for being happy to pose and smile in pictures!!!! NOOOOOOO!

KTBoom2006-E510

This one is with the little boy's hands in it

KTBoom2006-E510

cmorganphotography wrote:

OH NO! They ate the blonde girl for being happy to pose and smile in pictures!!!! NOOOOOOO!

lol, the blonde girl is the youngest boy's fiance... so they wanted some without her

cmorganphotography

KTBoom2006-E510 wrote:

lol, the blonde girl is the youngest boy's fiance... so they wanted some without her

Sure....... sure........ she's just standing off somewhere...... sure....

Travis

KTBoom2006-E510 wrote:

lol, the blonde girl is the youngest boy's fiance... so they wanted some without her

You don't mean the little boy in the front? Wow, they start'm early there!

KTBoom2006-E510

Travis wrote:

You don't mean the little boy in the front? Wow, they start'm early there!

oh geez... I wasn't even thinking about him... NO, not the LITTLE boy... lol

akrab

I think you did great I love the last one best. I cant comment on color or exposure because I am on the kids horrible monitor

Scott_Quier

- The last one is the best of the bunch.

Here's what I see:

• You were able to avoid having all the heads on the same level. Photos are more interesting if there is a variation in the level of the eyes.
• You lost the relationship between the blonde and the young man - not a big problem.
• Sitting mom and sister square to the camera - not kind. Sister is nicely posed in the last one. Mom seems more relaxed in the last one, but she's square to the camera.
• Young man with his arms crossed - wow is that saying something or what? Same for the facial expression of the guy next to him.
• I think I like how relaxed dad appears in this last one.
• Does the fiance have her eyes partly closed? It seems that way in all the photos.

Over all, I think you did a great job in a very tough situation. Whose idea was it to get the photos done? Was there something that happened right before the photo session that put everyone in a bad mood?

OhEddie

Wow, that dog sure can strike a pose:D

Nice job under tough conditions. I have a problem with family shots too. It's always like, "Ok, but let's hurry and get this over with."

Blurmore

I shoot a lot of family portraits, and for a first time out this is really good. You really need to loosen these people up or maybe they are just like that. A couple of easy pointers that will help make your portraits stronger.

1. Angle people...I know it is tough with the furniture you have but the only people who should ever be straight on in a portrait are kids.

2. Use the arms of chairs and lean to make people closer.

3. Develop contact, have people touch people that way they have something to do with their hands, and it adds continuity. If you can't have people touch, have them hide their hands, better than cutting them off. A note on touching it is ok to have a woman have their hands around a man's neck or on his chest, but the other way around almost ALWAYS looks like he is manhandling her. A good place for a man's hands is on the lady's thigh. You don't want fingers peeking out from over shoulders or around the waist, if you can't see the whole hand...hide it.

4. Generally bigger people should be in the back especially if they are wearing shorts.

5. You want to avoid a "pile of people" the best way to do this is to vary people's height in the same plane and keep the rows to 2 rather than 3 for this size group.

6. Most of the time kids can't hold their own in a portrait, and in the first one the you man should have been between the people on the bench. Ok on the one where he is opposite the young lady leaning on the post. Generally children should be at the center, or close to it and big people should frame the group and give weight to the portrait with their mass.

Good job, work on the angle, get people leaning and touching and loosen those smug people up.

KTBoom2006-E510

Thank you all very much. I made my first sale from this photo shoot! The other pictures I have been doing for free. I was very happy with my pictures, and I got the same reaction from the family when we met today. So things are good. THANKS

goofry

KTBoom2006-E510 wrote:

Thank you all very much. I made my first sale from this photo shoot! The other pictures I have been doing for free. I was very happy with my pictures, and I got the same reaction from the family when we met today. So things are good. THANKS

Taking all the comments already posted into account, you should be able to continue to improve. But you also had happy clients, and that should tell you something.

I had a family that had a couple of people that would not smile. Sometimes that's just the personality so if you don't get the smile, don't fret.

The only other suggestion I would give is when you have kids around for the "family" portrait, don't pass up on the opportunity for some candids of them between shots or after the group is done. You often get some great expressions and the families usually love them. Just a suggestion.

Travis

KTBoom2006-E510 wrote:

Thank you all very much. I made my first sale from this photo shoot! The other pictures I have been doing for free. I was very happy with my pictures, and I got the same reaction from the family when we met today. So things are good. THANKS

Congrats Katie! It always feels good to get the first sale from a shoot. I think as "artists', we are sometimes overly critical of our work and need that client positive feedback for a little security. Great job!