Candid Portraits of my Kids

kh_42

kh_42

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Took this a couple of days ago while we were on a short break to Northumberland, this one taken on the beach at Ross Sands, perhaps its just because its my little girl, but this is my favourite portrait shot of my kids that I've taken. I feel like it captures her perfectly, not posed, not hamming it up. Just her, caught in thought.



At the beach

And my Son, different feel to this one. Taken on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, he wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, he was watching for Seals so I was able to grab him in a more natural way than normal. Played with the processing a bit for this one, so interested in thoughts on it.



Watching
 
Nicely caught, I like the first one best, there looks to be a bit of a colour cast on the second, but could be my screen.
 
rick448 said:
Nicely caught, I like the first one best, there looks to be a bit of a colour cast on the second, but could be my screen.
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No, you’re right there is - I was trying something different with the processing.
 
kh_42 said:
No, you’re right there is - I was trying something different with the processing.
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Well, in that case, that is your personal choice :)
 
I like the first one better too, and dislike the cast on the second...in the interest of learning, may I ask what did you actually do to the second??
 
Pete E said:
I like the first one better too, and dislike the cast on the second...in the interest of learning, may I ask what did you actually do to the second??
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Its split toning, really did it to try and learn something because I'm not great at processing, but in this case that primarily seems to not have really worked very well! The good news is that's part of learning, so I'm not too worried and grateful that you've all been honest!

I'm going to have another go at it when I get time with some more natural processing.
 
kh_42 said:
Its split toning, really did it to try and learn something because I'm not great at processing, but in this case that primarily seems to not have really worked very well! The good news is that's part of learning, so I'm not too worried and grateful that you've all been honest!

I'm going to have another go at it when I get time with some more natural processing.
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If we don't try new things we will always produce the same images, if you are happy with the result then that is all that matters. It is different if you are trying to sell images.
 
Two lovely images of your children. Just watch the horizon position, especially on the second - it's cutting right through his head and the island especially is very distracting. Also a tad dark. With the split toning, I think it hasn't worked because it's all blue-ish/cyan. Try it again with that colour in the shadows and a warmer colour in the hightlights. And try to keep it subtle.
 
Tom Pinchenzo said:
Two lovely images of your children. Just watch the horizon position, especially on the second - it's cutting right through his head and the island especially is very distracting. Also a tad dark. With the split toning, I think it hasn't worked because it's all blue-ish/cyan. Try it again with that colour in the shadows and a warmer colour in the hightlights. And try to keep it subtle.
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Thank you, appreciate the feedback and suggestions, will have another play with it later on and see where I can get to. Horizon-wise, presumably I'd have been better to have it lower in the frame?
 
kh_42 said:
Horizon-wise, presumably I'd have been better to have it lower in the frame?
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Either/or - it's not as distracting with your daughter as it's not right through her head. It looks like you're looking down on your son slightly - if you went a bit lower it might have worked better in terms of horizon and also being more 'on his level'.
 
Tom Pinchenzo said:
Either/or - it's not as distracting with your daughter as it's not right through her head. It looks like you're looking down on your son slightly - if you went a bit lower it might have worked better in terms of horizon and also being more 'on his level'.
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I am very much a beginner, and when looking at the second pic, apart from the cast, I was trying to work out what didn't quite "feel right" and now you've said it, its sort of like the light coming on and the penny dropping! So much to think of when trying to grab a candid moment....
 
Totally agree with Tom on the toning - however I (almost) always find that a better way to cold tone an image is to add the blue to the shadows, but leave the highlights and mids the way they are - that way it adds the atmosphere, but just more subtly that split toning. Really nice candid images (y)
 
Thanks all, I was going to have another go at it today, obvs I can't do much with the composition element now, but that's noted for next time. Just fired up LR and its updated, now the split toning has gone and colour grading in its place, think I need to get used to that before I do anything else, I know its the same basic concept, but its going to take some getting used to I think!
 
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