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My kids

By SamLS  
This is from my first attempt at a serious studio session with my kids. This picture was my first published, in Digial SLR Photography so I'm pretty chuffed with it.

I told the kids that they could wear what they liked, but to avoid white (as I'd also taken some with a white background) but number one son (him on the left) forgot. THis was the one point that the magazine critique picked up on!

The background was pure black but heavily creased so I blurred it with photoshop ... this makes it look brown for some reason.

I appreciate that the pose is probably a bit obvious but I wanted to echo a posed picture of the kids from their early school days.

Tags: Portrait Studio Portraits and people Flash and lighting

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Comments


cats_123 Plus
19 5.2k 31 Northern Ireland
15 Jun 2007 5:28PM
lovely shot, Sam

nicely balanced...I'm no expert, but if I wanted to behyper-critical I would say that the pic goes a little dark by the side of No 1 son's right ear...and your daughter's arm is a slight distraction.

I would be very pleased with this

so, well done and thanks for uploading

jeff
meadowman 16 1
15 Jun 2007 5:40PM
great shot,well taken...shame we cant vote as worth a click

gary
Mike Gray 18 382 United Kingdom
15 Jun 2007 7:53PM
Firstly Sam, well done for getting your image in the mag.
For me the image works better in the mag as the background appears black , but in this image your background seems to blend in with the girls top. I personally like the way the girls head is slightly tilted the other way to the boys.
Just a little photoshop work on the background, then take it down your local printers, get a frame and on the wall it goes.
Regards
Mike (Critique Team)

PS bet you are really proud.
SuperRoo 16 63 2 Australia
15 Jun 2007 11:06PM
Very nice family portrait... but have to agree with the magazine comments about the white shirt and your daughter's chin being covered by your son's sholder. I also think that getting them to reverse positions by facing the other way would possibly be better.

Paul
Paul Morgan 21 19.7k 6 England
15 Jun 2007 11:10PM
Hi Sam, haven`t seen the mag but well done.

Its not a bad family portrait, it does look a little soft but this could have been down to compression for upload.

I would like to have seen these three posed a little closer together, maybe with your daughter`s chin resting on the eldest shoulder and perhaps your youngest resting his chin on your daughters shoulder bringing them all together. This would have helped a little more with the lighting and less shadow.

As for the background get a length of black velvet, less likely to crease and deals well with stray light.


Paul
francesam 17 3 United Kingdom
22 Jun 2007 3:37PM
i would be chuffed if i had a portrait like this of my kids
rjck692 13
5 Jan 2010 1:38PM
Excellent portrait. Well done
Lovely work
SamLS 17 237 United Kingdom
10 Feb 2010 1:50AM
Thanks for the comments.... this pic is getting on for 3 years old now so hopefully my composition and posing direction is a little more "controlled" (but then again, maybe not!)

A 16 x 20 of this still has pride of place in my living room!

Cheers

Sam
ireland 13 11 Wales
28 Feb 2010 9:44PM
I wish I could take portrait like this well done

Kathleen
SamLS 17 237 United Kingdom
28 Feb 2010 9:57PM
Thanks Kathleen

I bet my kids stay still an awful lot longer than those butterflies in your gallery. I've never managed to get a beautifully sharp shot like that

Sam

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