I shot these last Saturday in our local downtown park.
My wife was kind enough to go and take care of Leah while I did the shoot.
These are the only shots I had in mind when we went there so of course, they are the fisrt to be completed. I shot ~ 200 pictures in a hour and have ~ 50 I like.

Done with my S3 with Nikon 24-120, flash on strobo-frame.

How can I improve these?/

thanks

I shot these last Saturday in our local downtown park.
My wife was kind enough to go and take care of Leah while I did the shoot.
These are the only shots I had in mind when we went there so of course, they are the fisrt to be completed. I shot ~ 200 pictures in a hour and have ~ 50 I like.

Done with my S3 with Nikon 24-120, flash on strobo-frame.

How can I improve these?/

thanks

Hello Chris,

I like these, especially the first one. Your daughter appears especially elegant in that one. Both compositions appeal to me and the execution is good.

I am wondering if the flash isn't too strong in your second picture. The glare on the fence is too much for my liking but I don't think I would say that your daughter is overexposed.
Perhaps a little burning would help, or maybe just a slight decrease of the luminosity of the whole picture in post-processing.

regards

Seb

Thanks Seb!

I appreciate it.

I think you have technical issues on both. The first one has too little detail in the dress (overexposed on the whites) and the second one has too much flash.

At a reaction level, I'd like to see some of the other pictures you took -- perhaps some "happier" ones. I think these are different, but it seems a little too different to shoot a child in what seems like a cemetary. Makes it memorable, but a little off-putting.

Also, I'm not sure about having the shirt off in the second photo. As the parent of a boy and a girl, I've taken many photos of them - sometimes without shirts, but always as candids, rather than staged shots. Maybe she took off her own shirt, but it looks kinda posed and the whole thing with the expression on her face, the bars, the darkness, and the shirt off is a bit disturbing.

Just one opinion. I hope you'll note that I'm trying to articulate my opinion of the photo and the reactions it may generate, I'm not trying to attack you personally or anything like that.

Lava..thanks.
I agree with the technical issues, still trying to learn the S3 with attached flash.

My wife had the idea about the removal of the shirt..go figure.
She wanted her to look like she was trying to escape..guess it worked.

I appreciate you honest feedback and here are a couple of the happier shots..Leah IS a happy girl!!

Regards

Like those so much better...

Dear Chris
I was also very uncomfortable with the child being topless in this situation on a public forum but was reluctant (possibly afraid to be the first if I'm honest) to say it. The reasons I feel this way are not necessarily photographic and this is not the forum to air them. I am also the Dad of three young daughters and Lava Lamp, who has articulated his feelings very well, has made this posting easier for me.
It was totally unnecessary for this particular shot. To me your beautiful daughter looks uncomfortable and does look like she wants to escape; but to escape from the position she has been put in. Thats what her eyes are telling me in this photograph. I may be wrong but thats what I see.
Your latest photographs honour the obvious beauty and innocence that your daughter possesses and I would say that the third of these is unimpeachable and as good if not better than any childrens pictures I have seen.
Sincerely
Tom

Great photos CB on the 1st and 2nd post, besides the technical issues on #1 & #2 (summed up nicely by LL and Seb).
I really like the second photo for the fact that it makes me feel uncomfortable and has a disturbing tone to it. Would the picture have been as effective without the shirt off...probably not. I like photos that challenge my way of thinking (what is she scared of, is this right, why is it wrong...etc.) and conjure true feelings.
Happiness is just one feeling and for the most part is over done in photography...this was a great creative shot and I think you should be applauded for it. (unless your daughter was uncomfortable with the shot - somehow I don't think you would do that to her)
My 2 cents.
Cheers.

Dear Chris
I was also very uncomfortable with the child being topless in this situation on a public forum but was reluctant (possibly afraid to be the first if I'm honest) to say it. The reasons I feel this way are not necessarily photographic and this is not the forum to air them. I am also the Dad of three young daughters and Lava Lamp, who has articulated his feelings very well, has made this posting easier for me.
It was totally unnecessary for this particular shot. To me your beautiful daughter looks uncomfortable and does look like she wants to escape; but to escape from the position she has been put in. Thats what her eyes are telling me in this photograph. I may be wrong but thats what I see.
Your latest photographs honour the obvious beauty and innocence that your daughter possesses and I would say that the third of these is unimpeachable and as good if not better than any childrens pictures I have seen.
Sincerely
Tom

Brendan
Thanks for your input, this is why I like this forum, everyone can and should speak their feelings. The goal was to create an uncomfortable feeling and it was a success...I certainly hope not at the expence of my daughter...I respect your feelings and appreciate your post. Best Regards

Chris

Great photos CB on the 1st and 2nd post, besides the technical issues on #1 & #2 (summed up nicely by LL and Seb).
I really like the second photo for the fact that it makes me feel uncomfortable and has a disturbing tone to it. Would the picture have been as effective without the shirt off...probably not. I like photos that challenge my way of thinking (what is she scared of, is this right, why is it wrong...etc.) and conjure true feelings.
Happiness is just one feeling and for the most part is over done in photography...this was a great creative shot and I think you should be applauded for it. (unless your daughter was uncomfortable with the shot - somehow I don't think you would do that to her)
My 2 cents.
Cheers.


Thanks! Leah was okay with this...she has 3 older brothers and she does not understand why she can not be like them and go without a shirt. In this shot, she was actually looking at her oldest brother and telling him to shut up because "she could have strawberry ice cream after the photo shoot" but it sure made for a moody shot!
I would never do anything to harm my children and i was thinking about it today...if ever questioned every negative, print and digi file I have could be viewed by any person at any time.
Regards

CB

Nice shots, Chris. The first and last being my favorites - I wonder if we could see more detail in the shadows of the first if it would improve it or maybe take away from your subject...

As for the discussion on the side regarding the second shot I can offer some reference. Sally Mann is a fairly famous photographer who stirred up similar controversy with her shots of her three children. http://www.art-forum.org/z_Mann/gallery.htm is one site that shows some of those images.

Tuna

Nice shots, Chris. The first and last being my favorites - I wonder if we could see more detail in the shadows of the first if it would improve it or maybe take away from your subject...

As for the discussion on the side regarding the second shot I can offer some reference. Sally Mann is a fairly famous photographer who stirred up similar controversy with her shots of her three children. http://www.art-forum.org/z_Mann/gallery.htm is one site that shows some of those images.

Tuna

Thanks Tuna.
I worked the first shot pretty hard in PS to place the focus on her; however, there is little to see in the background in the original file anyway so I converted it to B&W.

I actually saw some of Sally's work (although this was not in my mind when my wife did this) at a book store in Asheville NC some time back. Thanks for your input!

Nice shots, Chris. The first and last being my favorites - I wonder if we could see more detail in the shadows of the first if it would improve it or maybe take away from your subject...

As for the discussion on the side regarding the second shot I can offer some reference. Sally Mann is a fairly famous photographer who stirred up similar controversy with her shots of her three children. http://www.art-forum.org/z_Mann/gallery.htm is one site that shows some of those images.

Tuna

Yeah, I've seen Sally Mann's work in museums and it is very compelling. I almost referenced it in responding, but thoughtit might clutter the discussion. Mann is more candid and the shots without shirts reflect more of a summer swimming hole kind of feeling (with swamping dark textures, sometimes) that feels close and sort of intimate, at least to me.