Portrait of my son and his fiancee

[sparkie1263]

We went to look at the wedding hall where they are getting married ant took a few shots.
Frank

[Elisha]

i like #2 maybe cause of the warmer skin tones?
is this from the Minolta 35-70?

[sparkie1263]

It was the Tamron 28-200.
Thanks Frank

Camera Make: SONY
Camera Model: DSLR-A100
Image Date: 2008:10:29 18:30:00
Flash Used: Yes (Manual, red eye reduction mode)
Focal Length: 35.0mm (35mm equivalent: 52mm)
Exposure Time: 0.033 s (1/30)
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

[DonSchap]

Frank, you simply must give your portrait shots a little more head room. It's almost like you are crushing them, especially if they "skrunch down" ... it actually looks worse. Just a slight tilt upward, if you would. You can always crop later, if necessary. You cannot crop if there is nothing there to do it to and as you know, I can only be so creative as to magically extend a new 15% extension to the top of your shots.

Perhaps it would help to rotate the A100 to the portrait orientation and take these. Kind of force you to elongate.

BTW: Congrats to the kids

Anyway ... next!

[sparkie1263]

Still working on that Don. I can only remember so much.
Thanks Frank

[DonSchap]

And what's this with him being the only one holding a glass in the shot ... Not good, Mom doesn't like men drinking alone. It becomes a "sub-subject" (or a prop) in the shot, due to imbalance. Give her a glass, too ... or better yet, just lose it.

[seanhoxx]

Sub-subject, ok something else to learn about!! arghh, Intersting now that I look at it and think about it something that small can unbalance a shot, A point to remember.

[sparkie1263]

Don is always throwing curves at you. LOL I only wish I could remember everything.
Thanks
Frank

[DonSchap]

Frank, when you look through the lens ... see all of the shot, not just the subject. Everything in view becomes part of the final product. Try to get rid of distractions and other upsetting items before you pull that shutter release.

It is a very common problem and differentiates you from being a photographer or a "snap-shooter" with a fancy camera. See your image ... imagine what you want to see in it ... and then really look and realize all you do not want in it. Control that which YOU can. This is your "vision" ... and you need to dominate it, not let it dominate you.

I not suggesting an agressive posture, but a more assertive, controlling one. This is your time and effort you are putting into these captures. Tidy them up as much as possible before the "click" or face long hours digitally manipulating them to recover. You know your subject is going to be there ... laughably, they actually are the least of your concerns. You need to look around them and see that background, that foreground, other people ... distracting lighting ... it all gets "caught".

When you are ready, get your subject's attention and ... GET THE SHOT!

[sparkie1263]

Point well made and point taken.
Thanks
Frank