Family Portrait Session

[iND]

I echo Mark on the need to start giving some feedback other than 'nice photo'
I read Marks comments and I learned from his comments.

My comments

#1: I personally like the group positioning, posing a group is always a challenge.
I don't like the space over the dads left shoulder and the sliver of background
Thinking I would have moved the tallest boy to the center and the girl to his spot and maybe turn her in at 30 degrees.
Not sure if I like the tree on the right or would have been better with open space like on the left.
Moms arm and dads hand is a problem. The viewer is usually attracted to skin tones and these are a bit distracting
All in all a great shot.

#2 Don't like this at all, maybe cropped a little closer, too much back ground
Don't like the head and hand positions, looks strained.
Maybe have dad move to his left have mom swing her back to dad and put her legs up on the bench and crop some background out

#3 Good angle, good DOF and background.
I've studied this but with your DOF I am not sure where you focused, but mom seems out of focus to me. Mom and dad are not on the same plane in this
narrow DOF, Looks like you are using a 1.4, this might work on a wider lens (but with potential distortion) or a full frame sensor if you are not using one.
I generally save this angle and DOF for a single person shot, it is actually one of my signature shots for a bride. I will us a 50mm at 1.4 and take a burst of
shots and some times frame 3-5 of these side by side reflecting expression changes.

#4 Eyes look strained and squinted, I not sure how you focused but I would have used a single point AF and again you are a narrow DOF, I would have placed it
directly on the eye closest to the viewer. Head crop is good but I NEVER crop an ear (left ear) would have turned the head slightly to her right hiding the
right ear and fully exposing the left, and not cropping the left. This would have moved the left eye closer the the camera and I would have used a single AF
point on her left eye, and maybe a slightly larger DOF.

#5 Not a big fan of that much head tilt. Maybe would have her sit upright and rotated the camera creating the tilt effect but with less hair out of place.
Better focus this time again at a narrow DOF, and nice catch lights.

#6 Not sure I like the space between the 2nd and 3rd boys from the left. Boy 3 from left exposes his crotch, this is a no no.
Watch wide lenses and distortion, the 2nd boys hand could be slightly distorted if it gets any closer.
Center boy looks a little twisted as noted by his shirt, the girls on the left could be turned slightly to inward not a 45 but not straight on.

#7 Good, but don't like either of her hand positions.


This is mostly my opinion and things I was taught. Good work keep posting.