Family Portrait

Livin The Dream

Livin The Dream

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Kris
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Was asked to shoot 6 children for a 60th birthday present. Funny how these things work out in practice, we definitely had the light but even an hour before sunset, the sun was a tad too strong shooting into it. I'd positioned them with a tree to block some of it, but the little one on the end was bored after the first shot, my gags didn't work so well. Patience wasn't winning this little fella over at all. Another tip really would have been for a blanket, as sitting down may have helped with composition (they’re on a slope here but the girl on the left is still so tall) but I didn't expect it to still be damp after the hottest day in April for 50 years. The final image here is inevitably, a composite, to get the expressions and the two on the end have been completely replaced. Only thing with this composition, and worth remembering, is that I've shot too tightly for the intended canvas. There's no allowance for the wrap really. But I can faff with another and add a bit I'm sure. Shot on the 85 at 2.2, so at least they're all on the same plane.

40703916535_44b7d40c56_b.jpg
 
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It would a simple matter to add to each end of this shot in Photoshop to allow for canvas wrapping- nice shot by the way :)

Les
 
Very nice indeed!!

If I were going to print it big then there are a couple of things I'd tweak.
I've remove the tree trunk and bright spot to the left, and I'd try to reduce the contrast on the two bright legs where they've caught the light. I might even try to clone some more tree in to the top right, but I expect it would look naff and I'd delete it again once I'd done it.
 
juggler said:
Very nice indeed!!

If I were going to print it big then there are a couple of things I'd tweak.
I've remove the tree trunk and bright spot to the left, and I'd try to reduce the contrast on the two bright legs where they've caught the light. I might even try to clone some more tree in to the top right, but I expect it would look naff and I'd delete it again once I'd done it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Si.

I’d considered some of those things, especially adding a bit of tree on the right or at least removing the leaves that have blown.

The trunk and patch of grass is easy enough to do so might try copying the right side flowers, flipping them, and patching that area. I’ll have a play tonight.

It was tricky blotting out the sun. I took the tripod with the view to not having my head buried behind the camera and direct but, as always, didn’t bother as found myself moving around trying to lose the sun behind someone’s head.
 
I’ve had to tweak already this morning as dad didn’t like the little lads ear in the middle as it’s glowing red. I’d already toned it down but have used some of his sisters hair to lose it.
 
Looks great Kris.

Always like your posts, you share all the ups and downs of your shoots and at some point I may remember something I have read.

Gaz
 
cargo said:
Looks great Kris.

Always like your posts, you share all the ups and downs of your shoots and at some point I may remember something I have read.

Gaz
Click to expand...

Thanks Gaz for stopping by and commenting, I'm glad someone gets something out my occasional posts here. It's been a big learning curve this photography thing for me, but that's what keeps me interested, there's always plenty more to learn. The visual side is such a big part of the process that that continues to improve slowly, I think. I used to love reading some of posts on here from those that used to give pullbacks or explain the process, there doesn't seem so much of that these days. Anyway, final image here that's gone for print today and something that you don't see anything of on here, a SOOC version to see the overall difference. There actually isn't too much processing to get the colour/contrast etc but obviously the swapping sections around has taken some time.

Thanks to @juggler for your useful insights as always, it's easy to miss something when you've your head buried in it for a good while!

40703916535_f373b925ae_b.jpg


SOOC

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Livin The Dream said:
SOOC version to see the overall difference. There actually isn't too much processing to get the colour/contrast etc but obviously the swapping sections around has taken some time.
Click to expand...
Hi Kris.

Thanks for the reply.
Very unusual to see the before sooc, so many thanks for sharing that too.
Funnily enough we have just had a couple of days in Wales, whilst there I took a couple of snaps "Candid" of our Daughter she was back light by the sun and a body of water highly reflective, they turned out darker like in the image above. I didn't use any exposure compensation at the time as I usually would but changed to spot metering reading off Kirsty's face/cheek. I generally use centre weighted metering and would have added some ev in that situation. Looking at the sooc here the results are similiar.

Sorry for the waffle but it's good to have a chat about this stuff.

Gaz
 
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I like knowing ‘the process’ and sadly, you don’t see much, if any, of it on these forums these days.

For most stuff I set up to shoot quickly, for differing light. So using exp comp and knowing your metering, always in matrix. But for something like this I lock down exposure in manual. Knowing that there’s the possibility of needing to swap the odd face so locking exposure is important. No point metering for the skin tones, I know where they will fall and there’s so much latitude in today’s files that half a stop isn’t an issue, it’s more about finding the right balance overall. Biggest thing with such strong backlight for me here, is not blowing too much of it, so metered as normal the whole scene. The skin is under exposed but as a whole, the exposure is where I want it to be to fine tune later.

More editing centric posts elsewhere tend to have SOOC shots included but I’ve not seen them on here, but why not? It’s part of the process these days.
 
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Livin The Dream said:
For most stuff I set up to shoot quickly, for differing light. So using exp comp and knowing your metering, always in matrix
Click to expand...
Sounds like I do the same thing generally only I always use center weighted metering seems to work fine for me. TBH it was unusual for me to change to spot but it made sense at the time and worked out fine.There again i'm sure my normal method may have worked out too.
I don't do shoots so to speak just use the camera for my own enjoyment but never the less I like to get the best results possible. Using manual in this scenario makes perfect sense to me after reading your post.
This is the only forum I use at the moment so I will have to do a search for forums where there are sooc images along with the after photos.

Gaz
 
Spot works great in heavily back lit situations Gaz. Most situations require a minus adjustment and so they can throw you if you’ve not done one for a while.
 
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