Candids - too much sharpening?

[Pippy_Neville]

I was at a firework party last night at a friends and decided to annoy everyone else there by practicing candid shots with my nifty indoors.

These are among the best of the bunch (I don't post pics of other peoples kids so have left them out - what a sad world we live in). They've been desaturated a bit, cropped and unsharp mask applied - my main question is have I overdone the sharpening do you think?

I'd like to ask for C&C as I want to get better at candids/reportage as I love that style.

#1

#2

Thanks,
Phil

 

[Betty]

The first, I think is too out of focus anyway, so any amount of sharpening is going to make it look a mess.

The second has indeed been oversharpened, his skin tone is very pasty, and the overall image is now very noisy as a result.

 

[Pippy_Neville]

Thanks Betty, you're right on both counts methinks... I need a lot more practice at this candid stuff! (Well, at all this using a camera for any purpose other than a paperweight stuff really!)

 

[lukewoodford]

Yeah bettys bright, and your right, its not about practicing the candids, its learning how to use your camera. Don't worry though it will come.