Critique How do I improve this?

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Name
Nick
Edit My Images
Yes
This is a picture of one of my twin boys. Natural light camera left, one softbox above and almost in front of him.

I like this because to my eye, it perfectly captures his personality. But as I'm trying to improve with my portraiture, I totally get the fact that his positioning on the chair, tongue out isn't to everyone's taste.

Any feedback would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Nick

Edit, just noticed I uploaded the one where I didn't crop the bottom right corner

sgpb42.jpg
 
Nick,

It is always difficult to get kids to pose so you just have to take a picture as an when you can.

My be try and get them involved, my kids are a bit older so the last time I let them take a picture of each other whilst the camera was on a tripod.

With regards to the picture, the lighting is good but you may want to crop a bit of the top, also I cannot see why setting you used, and am looking at the picture on the phone, the eyes look a bit soft.

Also worth cropping the sides a bit.

Saying all the above, please note I am no expert and still learning.

Thanks

Kev
 
Thanks Kev.

Settings were: ISO 100, f1.4 1/100. Looking on Lightroom the eyes look ok to me, but MY eyes may be soft!!

Cheers,
Nick
 
Thanks, might be me viewing on the phone.

I tend to use f5.6 upwards for portrait with light, but I presume as you are using both a soft box and natural light you may have had to use f1.4.

Have you tried a portrait crop in LR to see how it looks?

Hopefully one of the experts will come along soon and add more feedback.

Thanks
 
The lighting looks nice and soft, and natural - which is good. However, it does look like a snapshot, rather than a portrait in my mind.

Cropping in tighter, and not chopping his hand off at the wrist would improve it significantly though.
 
Agreed re snapshot. Trying to control the twins, plus thinking of the composition is an art form in itself. Regardless of camera settings and lighting. Hats off to the pro's who nail these shots day in day out.
 
ty by mrcrow_uk, on Flickr

crop...that may have been your intention
better to go a bit closer or use a long focus lens
you used your sensor to frame the shot and his head as the only priority
the hand as you can see is not included so no cropping would work

the lighting for me is innocent and complimentary...

cheers
geof
 
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As you say, you've captured his personality and that is good.
As stated, cropping would help.
 
I like it and wouldnt crop it that much just loose the dodgy corner and bit off of the top. Keep the same ratio.

What I like is that you mixed the ambiant with flash I would have struggled with that and gone all flash as it is easier for my brain to work with.
Love the soft light though.

Gaz
 
ty by mrcrow_uk, on Flickr

crop...that may have been your intention
better to go a bit closer or use a long focus lens
you used your sensor to frame the shot and his head as the only priority
the hand as you can see is not included so no cropping would work

the lighting for me is innocent and complimentary...

cheers
geof

Thanks Geoff and agreed the tighter crop works much better. And yes I only had his head as priority. I seem to concentrate on getting the eyes sharp to the detriment of other facets of the shot.
 
Thanks Geoff and agreed the tighter crop works much better. And yes I only had his head as priority. I seem to concentrate on getting the eyes sharp to the detriment of other facets of the shot.

go manual old chap...then the camera cant do you a dirty....if you have focus lock use that....
i use manual for these situations...then recompose...or compose that is
cheers
geof
thanks for the like!!
 
The lighting in this is much more successful than in your previous post :)

Thanks Juggler. That's in no small part due to me spying on your work and listening to the advice you gave me previously, so that's nice to hear.
Nick
 
You need to get in closer and position his head better in the frame. What were the other 30 or so you shot at the session like? You did shoot lots of others didn't you?!
 
At least 30.. some where good to my eye, some where oof some a bit dark etc
 
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