smiles for daddy

UaeExile

UaeExile

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Name
Adam
Edit My Images
Yes
Both taken with the Fuji XT1 and 16mm 1.4.

C&C Welcome :)

1.
2i1li01.jpg


2.
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First of all congratulations!! Lots of photo ops for the next few years too. Might be my screen but they seem a bit bright and high contrast?

Can I ask why you used 16mm for a portrait shot? Seems an unusual choice, but I'm certainly no expert.
 
Morbid said:
First of all congratulations!! Lots of photo ops for the next few years too. Might be my screen but they seem a bit bright and high contrast?

Can I ask why you used 16mm for a portrait shot? Seems an unusual choice, but I'm certainly no expert.
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Thanks Ian!

I wouldn't say they were too contrasy unless my monitors out. I did bump the exposure quite a bit in an effort to replicate the look of a local baby photographer here in Abu Dhabi as I think it suits newborns skin. I also played with the red and orange channels to give it a slight creamy b&w feel.

The 16mm on the Fuji is the equivalent of a 24mm on full frame, so it's perfect for environmental portraits. It's probably lost a little on this shot, but I want photos of Louis growing up to have context.... Not just shots of him with my 56mm with everything else blurred out in the background. Like I said, these aren't good examples but that's what I'm going for with the 16mm. There's also very little distortion in the middle so you can create some really dramatic portraits without making your subject look like an overweight alien :D
 
minnnt said:
Because... Fuji. :D

2 super pics mate. Love em. He's coming on now isn't he?!
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Makes me do all kinds of unconventional stuff :D

Yeah he's really coming on. I'm much preferring this age to take photos of him as well. New-newborn is tough to make interesting when all they do is roll around!

They're actually a lot sharper than that too... Bloody tinypic :mad:
 
Thanks for the explanation Adam, certainly very nice shots and adding the context to the shots adds to the pics and memories they will create. Definitely no distortion on your little one, and you got the look you were after which is the main thing.
 
Lovely images and beauuuuuutiful baby!!!! I have to get me one of them there fuji's.... Everyone's got one these days!
 
Disclaimer: I've never made a serious attempt at infant photography. I may be about to speak utter tosh.

I was going to suggest a longer lens to minimise the amount of background clutter & de-emphasise the foreground cushion but then I read you wanted to include some context. The expressions are charming but there's something which doesn't quite work and I can't quite put my finger on it. The first one in particular is a bit soft but that's not the issue.

It may be the little one's outfit blending with the cushion & bedclothes. I'd like to see the child's fingers, too. I understand why you've got the cushion there but it does seem slightly unnatural and get in the way a bit. It might be the composition; it's all very central and straight on. It might be the lighting; it's a uniform flat light which is very flattering for portraits in a clean environment but doesn't make for much of interest in this contextual style.

I understand the reasons for the over-exposure but the high-key style on the skin jars with the deep blacks in the background.

That seems terribly critical but they're not all definite faults, just possible reasons why the pictures are merely very good rather than stunning :)
 
juggler said:
Disclaimer: I've never made a serious attempt at infant photography. I may be about to speak utter tosh.

I was going to suggest a longer lens to minimise the amount of background clutter & de-emphasise the foreground cushion but then I read you wanted to include some context. The expressions are charming but there's something which doesn't quite work and I can't quite put my finger on it. The first one in particular is a bit soft but that's not the issue.

It may be the little one's outfit blending with the cushion & bedclothes. I'd like to see the child's fingers, too. I understand why you've got the cushion there but it does seem slightly unnatural and get in the way a bit. It might be the composition; it's all very central and straight on. It might be the lighting; it's a uniform flat light which is very flattering for portraits in a clean environment but doesn't make for much of interest in this contextual style.

I understand the reasons for the over-exposure but the high-key style on the skin jars with the deep blacks in the background.

That seems terribly critical but they're not all definite faults, just possible reasons why the pictures are merely very good rather than stunning :)
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Thanks Simon. I did have a little chuckle reading your detailed critique. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't appreciate it - on the contrary, it's given me plenty to think about.....It's just that when you've got a four month old (not four day old), hand placement and all of the other things just aren't important. The fact he's not wobbling his head, or sliding down the pillow, or being sick; well, to be honest, it's a bloody miracle :D

For what it's worth, these shots are about documenting my son growing up. So aside from putting in front of a massive window with natural light, everything else will be as it's meant to be :)
 
UaeExile said:
Thanks Simon. I did have a little chuckle reading your detailed critique. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't appreciate it - on the contrary, it's given me plenty to think about.....It's just that when you've got a four month old (not four day old), hand placement and all of the other things just aren't important. The fact he's not wobbling his head, or sliding down the pillow, or being sick; well, to be honest, it's a bloody miracle :D

For what it's worth, these shots are about documenting my son growing up. So aside from putting in front of a massive window with natural light, everything else will be as it's meant to be :)
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I know what you mean - but you did ask :)

When my son was 4 months old I had neither the time to photograph him nor interest in doing so. He's now 7 and has developed a number of strategies to ensure that any resulting pictures are unusable. I'm left with a fair set of shots from when he was 4-5 - i.e. when I first started getting interested in the twiddly bits on my camera and when he was willing to do what he was asked.
 
juggler said:
I know what you mean - but you did ask :)

When my son was 4 months old I had neither the time to photograph him nor interest in doing so. He's now 7 and has developed a number of strategies to ensure that any resulting pictures are unusable. I'm left with a fair set of shots from when he was 4-5 - i.e. when I first started getting interested in the twiddly bits on my camera and when he was willing to do what he was asked.
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Yeah absolutely - sorry if that came across arsey. Certainly wasn't meant to!
 
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