I'm a writer too -- tech writing. I know the feeling. :)
For all of these, I' suggest some light, basic color correction. If you have Photoshop, this is easy. I have an auto-action that makes a copy of the image, applies auto-levels, then makes a copy of that layer and applies auto-contrast, then makes a copy of that and applies auto-color. Then I can compare the different layers and determine what tweaks need to be made to get a really good shot. (All of this is outside the usual allowable edits in Shutterbug Society, btw!)
The little girl in pink dress is a good shot. I think it could have been a GREAT shot, though. First, I'd have gotten down with her, as low or even lower than her, and shot up. A lot of photos of children are shot from adult perspective; getting down gives you a really cool and different photo. Also, I'd have angled over to the right to get rid of the adult leg in the background. Sadly, she isn't in focus; the background to the left is. One thing you could do to improve it now is to crop in a bunch, so you crop out the in-focus background and most of the adult leg, which will make the in-focus stuff go away, which in turn will make the fact that she's so soft not as obvious!
The woman with the kid is a wonderful shot. I would have snapped of 20 of them, and used the best -- preferably with the baby's arm not covering his face, and maybe with him not in full profile (3/4, like the woman's face, is the most preferred, usually). But really, this is an awesome shot. Good job!
The red-haired girl and the child definitely suffers from flash, and could really use a crop, especially across the right and top. Color correction would make it look a lot better.
The family on the stairs is a toughie. I'd have had the guy in front move over to the left, and then zoomed in more to cut out the wall on the right and the portrait in the background (if the bottom was still there, I'd photoshop it out). Also, it's a little off angle -- the lines along the sides aren't straight, which you always need to watch any time you have vertical or horizontal lines in a shot. That can be fixed with a crop, too. Again, the flash is washing them out. If you have people posing, bring over a lamp, or open the shades, or turn on the lights, and use as much natural light as you can. And in a posed setting like this, you do NOT want the conversation / laughing thing -- you want everyone to relax and look at you. Again, I'd shoot quite a few and keep the best (and even photoshop some faces together if Aunt Jill's eyes are closed in EVERY one where Uncle Rogers are open, and vice versa. Oh, and if possible, get UP for this shot -- stand on a stool or a chair and shoot them from above.
In the last one, the couple in the garden, again, I'd have zoomed in -- there's a lot of wasted space around them, especially the statue on the right. The focus is kind of soft on them, but not too bad. I'd kick up the contrast a bit. I love the emotion in them, though -- this is a cute shot.
I think you WILL get the shots you want. Keep at it; you're doing really well. Good luck!!!
no subject
For all of these, I' suggest some light, basic color correction. If you have Photoshop, this is easy. I have an auto-action that makes a copy of the image, applies auto-levels, then makes a copy of that layer and applies auto-contrast, then makes a copy of that and applies auto-color. Then I can compare the different layers and determine what tweaks need to be made to get a really good shot. (All of this is outside the usual allowable edits in Shutterbug Society, btw!)
The little girl in pink dress is a good shot. I think it could have been a GREAT shot, though. First, I'd have gotten down with her, as low or even lower than her, and shot up. A lot of photos of children are shot from adult perspective; getting down gives you a really cool and different photo. Also, I'd have angled over to the right to get rid of the adult leg in the background. Sadly, she isn't in focus; the background to the left is. One thing you could do to improve it now is to crop in a bunch, so you crop out the in-focus background and most of the adult leg, which will make the in-focus stuff go away, which in turn will make the fact that she's so soft not as obvious!
The woman with the kid is a wonderful shot. I would have snapped of 20 of them, and used the best -- preferably with the baby's arm not covering his face, and maybe with him not in full profile (3/4, like the woman's face, is the most preferred, usually). But really, this is an awesome shot. Good job!
The red-haired girl and the child definitely suffers from flash, and could really use a crop, especially across the right and top. Color correction would make it look a lot better.
The family on the stairs is a toughie. I'd have had the guy in front move over to the left, and then zoomed in more to cut out the wall on the right and the portrait in the background (if the bottom was still there, I'd photoshop it out). Also, it's a little off angle -- the lines along the sides aren't straight, which you always need to watch any time you have vertical or horizontal lines in a shot. That can be fixed with a crop, too. Again, the flash is washing them out. If you have people posing, bring over a lamp, or open the shades, or turn on the lights, and use as much natural light as you can. And in a posed setting like this, you do NOT want the conversation / laughing thing -- you want everyone to relax and look at you. Again, I'd shoot quite a few and keep the best (and even photoshop some faces together if Aunt Jill's eyes are closed in EVERY one where Uncle Rogers are open, and vice versa. Oh, and if possible, get UP for this shot -- stand on a stool or a chair and shoot them from above.
In the last one, the couple in the garden, again, I'd have zoomed in -- there's a lot of wasted space around them, especially the statue on the right. The focus is kind of soft on them, but not too bad. I'd kick up the contrast a bit. I love the emotion in them, though -- this is a cute shot.
I think you WILL get the shots you want. Keep at it; you're doing really well. Good luck!!!