Critique Feedback on baby daughter

[d31]

Warning - baby photos.

I've recently purchased a 5D MK III (First FF cam) and am still coming to grips with it.

I captured the following photos of my daughter the other morning and have really been struggling focus and sharpness.

I've been trying to use back button focus, with AI-Servo and manually selecting the focal points.

Any advice and feedback on the following would be appreciated.

1/80 / f4.0 / ISO 2500 (85mm - EF24-105 f4L IS II)

1/125 / f4.0 / ISO 3200 (105mm - EF24-105 f4L IS II)

 

[kjrice88]

Oh my goodness, what a cutie!
From an amateur perspective, i'd dial down the ISO. this will make the shots grainy and make them look not as sharp. If you're finding it too dark then you need to be in a better lit room, outside or get some lights set up.

They're great pics, but I see what you mean.
I prefer the face in the 2nd but I do like to DOF background blur in the first.

You've managed to get lovely, dummy free/food free/drool free shots, i'd say you're doing well already.
Just keep practicing though and experimenting. What could be more enjoyable.

edit - oh, and focus on the eyes! If you're using single point, especially at a wide aperture

 

[grotty]

Cute! It's possible the shots lack sharpness due to motion blur - you'd probably need to up your shutter speed to freeze the unpredictable movements of a little one.

 

[d31]

Thanks for the responses.

I think you're both right, the ISO is clearly too high and the shutter speed needs to be bumped up.

I'm quite lucky that the room I shot in gets good natural light but I think I'll need to set something else up so I can compensate with the decreased ISO and increased shutter.

 

[juggler]

They're lovely. The noise matters not one jot unless you oversharpen it for print.

There are a few minor details in the background which could be tidied but the only real area for improvement is the gaze direction & breathing space. She's very close to the edge of the frame and looking straight out of it. If you're going to get that close I think you need eye contact.

 

[ryanyboy]

If you're struggling with sharpness it's most likely your shutter speed is too slow. You were pushing your luck with these two.

 

[Nawty]

Yes, the shutter speed is probably a touch low which means, conversely to what some have said, you need to raise the ISO to increase the shutter speed (any modern camera will be fine up to ISO6400 with these types of well lit shot).

In terms of framing some might contend that you have erroneously chopped off the top of the head but that doesn’t concern me too much, I’m slightly more off-put by the overly central framing although it isn’t disastrous.

 

[d31]

Thanks for all the feedback.

In terms of framing some might contend that you have erroneously chopped off the top of the head but that doesn’t concern me too much, I’m slightly more off-put by the overly central framing although it isn’t disastrous.

Something I've started noticing myself.

Will be sure to focus on these areas.