My First Baby Photoshoot - Opinions Please!

[Sean Setters]

I only have access to Gimp at the moment, but I took a stab at it.





My suggestion is to apply a (Warming) Photo Filter mask to the arms of the child. Then use another mask (possibly a heavy warming filter or a hue adjustment) to adjust the color of the carpet (the vast color difference between the blanket and the carpet/rug fabric was bothering me). I did a rough job of it in Gimp (as it was all I had access to at the moment). However, I'd go a step further if I were using Photoshop and add a slight Cooling Photo Filter to the completed image (over the whole thing) to bring the warmness back in check.


UPDATE: I took another look at the photo in Photoshop and added a warming filter to the light-colored background and then applied a cooling photo filter to the entire image. I then decided the pic looked pretty good when it was highly desaturated. I used a mask to lessen the desaturation on the face, then adjusted the opacity of the layer in general to taste.


UPDATE#2: I did a curves adjustment layer to brighten things up a bit.

[clemmb]

Denise,


I too think you have a talent for this. I do not think it is too dark but the lighting may be a bit flat. The catchlights in the eyes are very small. Did you use an umbrella? If so, you should place it as close to her face as possible. Two umbrellas work well. One close for the key light and one farther back for fill. The key light to one side to give more light to that side which will give more depth and not flat.


I agree with others though. Nice shot. You can be proud of your work. And drool is one of the hardest things to take care of. You did good.


Mark

[ddt0725]

Thank you Sean & Mark ...and thank you Sean for taking the time out to do a revision for me! I only wish I would have seen these suggestions way before now ...I spent the entire afternoon trying to improve my first one. I guess it's back to the drawing board with these! If I don't get this just right, I doubt very much my daughter will let me take any more. I am hoping she'll let me take photos of her two daughters together next time!


The first one I just increased the exposure a tad.
















On the last two, I had to replace the background because it was a little shadowy on the bottom right. Using the quick selection tool was pretty difficult because she has lots of flyaway hair! I caught as much as I could of it!

I don't think my daughter would ever let me get any closer to her with a flash ...I was nervous about her letting me have it 5 ft. away! I used a small soft box on one flash and just my stofen diffuser on the other.

[clemmb]

Actually 5

[Trowski]

I don't think my daughter would ever let me get any closer to her with a flash ...I was nervous about her letting me have it 5 ft. away!

Actually flash is no more harmful to a baby than it is to us... which is to say it isn't. Camera flashes are not bright enough for a long enough duration to cause any damage. Some babies might not like the flashes, but it would have nothing to do with physical harm to their eyes.


As for the photos, I really like the first one from the post above. I might even say to increase the exposure another 1/3 or 1/2 stop, maybe it's just the monitor I'm on at the moment.


The babies arms being red bother me a little in the 3rd photo, and then make them look dark in the B&W version. Maybe you could lighten them up in the B&W.


I really like what you've done here though, you definitely are on your way to being an excellent portrait photographer! Keep it up, don't be discouraged, I'm sure your daughter will love the photos just as they are right now.

[Kayaker72]

Hi Denise....I like the colored a little more then the B+W.....and I do like the lighting, so whatever you did worked......