Family portraits - please critique

7 pictures from today, I have a few more but came to think about, I'd rather have your critique now, before finishing and mailing the pictures.

I am very new at photographing people, but got a lot of good advice in here and really tried to think when I was doing these. Several have been made B&W, as I think the colors were a bit "too much" - sunny day, very green grass and leaves with a yellowish tint. Tried fixing it, but wasn't happy with the results soooo... B&W. How in the world do you do portraits at a sunny day?!










The hand of this little guy (closest to camera) annoys me :/ Have no idea what I did, as I didn't notice before saving and closing PS. But I like the picture, for the pose.




Excuse me, but what a cutie!




4 people are hard! I got several with them all, but one tiny guy made faces lol and another tiny guy would rather go around and play.... kids are tough!






I am aware, this doesn't meet any golden lines. I tried to crop it a million times, but for some reason, this original talks to me...

Please ignore that I apparently dont know how to count to 8 :redface-new:

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Personally, I like all the shots, but what's more important is if YOU like the shots. That's the important thing. Doesn't matter what anyone else likes. I'd be OK with sending those out to whoever you intended them for. And the B&W format.....brilliant!

fotojack said:

Personally, I like all the shots, but what's more important is if YOU like the shots. That's the important thing. Doesn't matter what anyone else likes. I'd be OK with sending those out to whoever you intended them for. And the B&W format.....brilliant!

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Thank you so much! I do like them myself, but sometimes it is so hard to see a "mistake" before someone points it out to you.

I think these photos are the best i have seen on here in a very long time. When you talk about "golden lines", i assume you are talking about rules in photography.ask yourself: was Picaso following any rules when he and fellow artist Braque, came up with cubism? if you are just going to follow the rules in photography and not go outside the box, you are just going to be another "photographer" among millions of others. The people who break the rules, are the ones who end up known.

AC016 said:

I think these photos are the best i have seen on here in a very long time. When you talk about "golden lines", i assume you are talking about rules in photography.ask yourself: was Picaso following any rules when he and fellow artist Braque, came up with cubism? if you are just going to follow the rules in photography and not go outside the box, you are just going to be another "photographer" among millions of others. The people who break the rules, are the ones who end up known.

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Thank you very, very much.

I agree on your point, but this is my first shoot ever with only people (normally I shoot dogs). Last session with a dog and owner went pretty bad, I lost my head lol. So I tried to concentrate more about compositions today.

Love them all. Like the peviouse post said. I wouldn't have a problem sending them out.

Mai, you have captured the life that is this family in your own style!! Excellent job... If I did that work I would be proud as all get out!!!
I am impressed and congratulate you on a job well done! (in my opinion...)

Pat in NH

There's so much that is good about these photos, but I'll just point out that I think that given your extensive experience capturing dogs in those fleeting moments (dogs are much faster than people), that you have a natural talent for capturing the "moment" with people and that really comes through in your images. If you have that talent, then all the rest follows after that because candid portraits like these benefit the most from that kind of attention to detail. What comes through is that you really care about your subject. There's no amount of critique I could offer when you have that essential component coming through.

You want also my opinion I think.

If I have to choose which photo I should buy (if this is my family), here is my choice:

Your comments really means the world to me.
I am learning a lot from this site, teqnuicue yes, but also try to be more happy about what I do, instead of searching for flaws.

I can say 2 things I had to force myself to do: zooming in for the portraits of all 4 and then cropping even closer in post processing. Dont know why, but I have a thing for air in pictures. But I do see it works, getting closer.

I found it very hard to give instructions, but guess that will come in time, hopefully I'll get to do more people.

Just give the same instructions as for your usual subjects.....stay! sit! come here! go there! say cheese!

I really like all of your shots! They show the closeness of the family and I love that you chose to do them in B&W. Beginning anything new is hard. Family Portraits are not easy and like you I too shoot mostly wildlife and landscapes...Thank you for sharing these. I am shooting my first official family portrait session next month. I am more than a bit apprehensive but I am hoping that I will relax and end up with some excellent shots to present to the family as you have done. I am positive the family is going to treasure those shots for years to come. Well done Mai!

crycocyon said:

Just give the same instructions as for your usual subjects.....stay! sit! come here! go there! say cheese!

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I tried, lol! Instead of saying cheese, I got the oldest kid to say a bad word hehehehehe. Thats why he's smiling.

Tami Jo said:

I really like all of your shots! They show the closeness of the family and I love that you chose to do them in B&W. Beginning anything new is hard. Family Portraits are not easy and like you I too shoot mostly wildlife and landscapes...Thank you for sharing these. I am shooting my first official family portrait session next month. I am more than a bit apprehensive but I am hoping that I will relax and end up with some excellent shots to present to the family as you have done. I am positive the family is going to treasure those shots for years to come. Well done Mai!

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I am sure you will do great! I really though a lot about compositions when I did these, so I focused on that, instead of "uh am I gonna do something wrong" lol. And in my head I was telling myself, zoom closer, zoom closer, dont do pictures with their feet on it.

We started at a playground, where mom and dad helped the kids playing, I had a zoom and told them to try to ignore me being here. Then I asked the big kid if he would show me him riding his bike. And after that, we went to the other place, were the portraits were done. The kids I got up on a big rock for their portraits (did those with the 50mm).

I also did this one, which could have been a good image IF I had noticed that dad did the classic "picture-pose" with his head. Darn it.




We did the pictures in 1 hour, then the kids were mentally off, thats a good experience for me, I didn't know how long kids were able to stay focused. So I should have done the portrait of them all before. And I should have looked closer on the camera screen, to see if everybody were looking and not making faces

I must say, I am not the biggest fan in the world of these "everybody looking straight into the camera" pics, but thats obviously what people want.


Looking very much forward to seing your pictures! Its somehow nice to have someone here being a little new to this category too, hopefully we can trait our experiences.

Tami Jo said:

I really like all of your shots! They show the closeness of the family and I love that you chose to do them in B&W. Beginning anything new is hard. Family Portraits are not easy and like you I too shoot mostly wildlife and landscapes...Thank you for sharing these. I am shooting my first official family portrait session next month. I am more than a bit apprehensive but I am hoping that I will relax and end up with some excellent shots to present to the family as you have done. I am positive the family is going to treasure those shots for years to come. Well done Mai!

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Tammi Jo,

After what I have seen of your work, you will do just fine!!

Pat in NH

Fantastic shots Wud! I love the way how each feels more like a memory than a photo. To me each shot is telling me something.

As to the little guys hand....its just at an awkward angle. But something that can't be helped at times when capturing a moving subject. It doesn't take anything away from the photo for me at least. Awkward looking postions/angles are not so bad as long as the viewer can see themselves in that same position in the frame.

It is always tough stepping out of the box.....but these all look great. I wouldn't hesitate to give these the green light.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

Deezey said:

Fantastic shots Wud! I love the way how each feels more like a memory than a photo. To me each shot is telling me something.

As to the little guys hand....its just at an awkward angle. But something that can't be helped at times when capturing a moving subject. It doesn't take anything away from the photo for me at least. Awkward looking postions/angles are not so bad as long as the viewer can see themselves in that same position in the frame.

It is always tough stepping out of the box.....but these all look great. I wouldn't hesitate to give these the green light.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

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Ahh okay, I thought I did something in post processing, but think you are right, maybe his hand just didn't make the focus zone or it was to fast.

Thank you!

The hand may be a bit out of focus. But also the last 2 fingers and thumb are grouped together in a way to give the impression that the fingers are bigger than what they are. It still works because it is not a static or set up shot. Just the natural movement.

It still doesn't take anything away in my opinion.

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Great pics! I love the b&w theme.

I'm very new to this site and for what it is worth I loved your images. Beautiful capture of this family, certainly if I was your client I would be delighted with your work.