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General => General discussion => Topic started by: the_stink on 23 May 2009, 17:12

Title: Family Portrait
Post by: the_stink on 23 May 2009, 17:12
Took some for my mate Nick so he can get them printed to give to his dad as a present hers the first one using the 50mm prime, such a good buy  :grin:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3333/3556281015_50605898eb_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: MrBounce on 24 May 2009, 09:52
Nice composition, but would suggest putting the sun more behind your subject(s) - stops them squinting, and gets a nice backlit effect. Also if you wear a white top or use a strategically placed bit of white card (and an assistant) you can reflect a bit more light into their faces which will also give them a decent catchlight in their eyes  :smiley: (See below)

(http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/BWClaire.jpg)

This was a shot I took of a neighbour's daughter a few years ago when I was doing Black & White "Old School" photography before computers so it's almost 20 years old.  :shocked:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: monkeyalan on 24 May 2009, 10:02
I always find this site a help when composing family photos.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

 :grin:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: Guy on 02 June 2009, 08:32
Quote from: monkeyalan on 24 May 2009, 10:02
I always find this site a help when composing family photos.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

 :grin:

awesome!!!!  :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: jamie_pyrite on 09 June 2009, 17:30
Nice :)

I've had this problem with squinting before too.. But if I put them with their backs to the sun I got major lens flare wherever I was (even with a hood) so I tried using a bit of external flash to light them a bit but it just made the photo look artificial.

Any ideas?
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: jamie_pyrite on 09 June 2009, 17:39
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/?p=1518

Hahaha!

EDIT: http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/pooh1.jpg

oh my god, these get better!!

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/happy-as-a-pig-31.jpg
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: monkeyalan on 09 June 2009, 18:21
my fave

so many things are wrong

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/?p=960
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: MrBounce on 09 June 2009, 20:41
Quote from: jamie_pyrite on 09 June 2009, 17:30
Nice :)

I've had this problem with squinting before too.. But if I put them with their backs to the sun I got major lens flare wherever I was (even with a hood) so I tried using a bit of external flash to light them a bit but it just made the photo look artificial.

Any ideas?

It's best to get the sun as high in the sky as possible (shoot close to midday if possible) and try to keep it slightly off-centre to avoid flare  :smiley:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: pink witch on 11 June 2009, 21:12
Quote from: MrBounce on 09 June 2009, 20:41
Quote from: jamie_pyrite on 09 June 2009, 17:30
Nice :)

I've had this problem with squinting before too.. But if I put them with their backs to the sun I got major lens flare wherever I was (even with a hood) so I tried using a bit of external flash to light them a bit but it just made the photo look artificial.

Any ideas?

It's best to get the sun as high in the sky as possible (shoot close to midday if possible) and try to keep it slightly off-centre to avoid flare  :smiley:

Get yourself a BIG silver reflective brolly (available from most good camera shops) or two and position them to light up the faces - an assistant is useful for this! Fill in flash is another good option, it can be tricky to master (its a bit of an art) but once you get it right the results speak for themselves...  :smiley:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: the_stink on 12 June 2009, 08:27
yeah ive got one of them brollies but didnt think idd need it but yeah all about the fill light will try it out on the next lot of outdoor portraits i do  :smiley:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: barry-gti on 12 June 2009, 18:48
did you do any editing on the pic Stink? because the colours of the sky and grass and stuff look so deep (if you know what i mean lol)
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: the_stink on 12 June 2009, 18:53
Quote from: barry-gti on 12 June 2009, 18:48
did you do any editing on the pic Stink? because the colours of the sky and grass and stuff look so deep (if you know what i mean lol)

yeah a bit it was a few layers with different levels so not too much just boosting the colours etc  :smiley:
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: jamie_pyrite on 12 June 2009, 19:01
I could imagine looking very stupid being in the local park with a giant silver brolly with a family doing a shoot! :D

Thanks for the advice, I've got one of those massive disks with different colours (silver, gold, black, white and opaque) which would be good I reckon.
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: pink witch on 12 June 2009, 21:53
Yeah those disks are great - take it you mean the scrunch up type ones? Get yourself another one, two are better if your taking pics of more than one person - use the silver or white ones for highlighting faces/eyes etc - the gold ones are magic for doing 'flesh' shots (lol) they give the models skin a healthy glow - best thing to do is grab yourself a willing friend or two, pose them up and practice till you get it!
Oh, and dont worry about looking stupid! Just get the shots, and you never know, some of the inevitable watchers may well be impressed enough to take a card from you! Go for it!
Title: Re: Family Portrait
Post by: MrBounce on 13 June 2009, 16:01
Quote from: pink witch on 12 June 2009, 21:53
Yeah those disks are great - take it you mean the scrunch up type ones? Get yourself another one, two are better if your taking pics of more than one person - use the silver or white ones for highlighting faces/eyes etc - the gold ones are magic for doing 'flesh' shots (lol) they give the models skin a healthy glow - best thing to do is grab yourself a willing friend or two, pose them up and practice till you get it!
Oh, and dont worry about looking stupid! Just get the shots, and you never know, some of the inevitable watchers may well be impressed enough to take a card from you! Go for it!

And even if you're really skint you can use a big bit of card or even a white shirt - look at the pic I posted - you can actally see me in the girl's eyes!  :shocked: