Brothers

To help the nearly exasperated dad, I promised these two boys that they could pose any way they wanted for the next pic -- mom and dad were doing most of the "directing" of the kids. This is the pose they selected, and I try to keep my promises

Would like to know what you think?

It just goes to show that if you LET it happen, it'll happen.

I'm willing to bet that this is one of the best shots of your packet.

I see seriousness in the near boy and sneaky playfulness in the far kid.

This shot is a keeper. Nice job Helene. Well done!

Pete

Other than wanting a little more light on the face of the kid in the back, I love this shot!!

I bet the parents select this too.

I agree a good shot, and yes the boy in the back does need a little more light on the face. Maybe a little dodging work will lighten it up and make it more balanced. Is there some sibling rivalry between these two? They chose the pose and put a lot of space between themselves. The shot, to me anyway, indicates the older brother is very dominate over his younger brother.

I like the shot, and the pose. Yes maybe a touch of dodging and burning on the far boy might lift his face a bit, but I also like other things in the image.

The soft skin tones really contrast well against the rough bark and the harsh grass. The boys have different expressions reflecting, I think, very different natures. The red clothing is a good foil to the autumnal colours of the scene, but those autumnal colours are reflected in the skin tones.

A really good shot, and if you say that most of what I have said was an accident then it shows the quality of your photography. The more experience I manage to get the more successful accident I have!!!

Nice shot. the kid in the front is spot on....the one in the back kinda looks as if hes tired of posing....personally i would try to avoid "mom & dad" from directing anything in the future.....The best shots are when you tell the kids they can pose however they want (with a little guidence of course), but the parents should stand off in the distance observing....it makes for a less stressful shoot. Just my $0.02

Pete, the parents loved this one. After this shot, the parents "lightened up" on posing the boys.

essence and joseph, good point on the lighting. I have to admit I'm not very comfortable with the dodging and burning --one more thing to learn and this might be the project to do it on.

Naja, thank you for all the nice words and pointing out the details. The boys also picked this spot-- it's what they referred to as "the wilderness" (it's 5 ft from the house!)

And Joe and Naja, these boys are as different as night and day with probably the usual sibling rivalry.

And like Pete said, "if you let it happen, it'll happen". A point to remember with kids. Sometimes they DO know best. This was a sensational family to photograph . . . had a great time and learned tons!

Thank you for your comments and suggestion.

Best Regards

Great shot Helene. I echo the other sentiments and would like to add one. Although the tree branch in the middle of the image might distract some, I think it acts as a physical and psychological barrier between the two boys. It's as if the branch divides the scene into two separate, yet cohesive images. It forces you to look at each kid independent of the other. Excellent job.

Great image and capture. I wouldn't worry too much about lightening the face of the boy in the back. It is a natural light shot. Did you crop this? The reason I ask is that the missing foot in the foreground is a bit distracting to me.

Kenneth, thank you for your perspective and comments. I halfway thought about photoshopping that branch out, but a "little voice" talked me out of it.

Eduard, the photo wasn't cropped. I looked at the "missing foot" also, but was hoping the rest of the pic would make up for it. Couldn't back up any more and couldn't change angles. So it was one of those "sacrificial things".

As always, I appreciate the feedback from all --certainly helps me see my photos through someone else's eyes.

Best Regards and Happy New Year!