Pint-sized Cowboy

[ScapeGrace]

Model: My son Kaden
I'm not very familiar with sharing my photos online but I would appreciate any and all feedback and/or critiques. I want to improve so be as critical as you want. Thanks in advance!

[ksbryan0]

Welcome to PR, glad to see you jumped right in with a post!

There are many folks on this forum better suited than me to offer technical advise, but I will offer some of my thoughts on your image. In general, I like what you are trying to capture here, and I think your choice of B/W is appropriate. However, some aspects of the set seem to be working against you. When I first looked at the image, my eyes were drawn to the brightest area, which is Kaden's shirt...probably not what you intended when you took the picture. The white areas of the shirt are almost blown out, which multiplies the impact. If you had dropped the exposure -1 EV, that would have kept the shirt from being so bright, but would further reduced the contrast between the hat and the back wall, making it even tougher to separate the subject from the background. A little bit of lighting behind Kaden to brighten the wall would have helped make him pop out from the overall scene.

It appears that you may have straightened the image along the line where the wall intersects the floor planks. Because you didn't capture the image at a 90 degree angle to the back wall, the image would have been more appropriately straightened using the post he has his hand on. Without it and the planks on the wall being parallel with the edge of the frame, the overall image feels awkward.

You've got a good model there, and I'll bet he works cheap - so keep practicing and posting!

[jetrim]

I really like the idea here! I like the fact that we don't actually see Kaden's face.

If you use photoshop or paint shop pro, there are 2 quick adjustments I'd consider. The first is perspective correction - in photoshop it's under edit>transform>perspective, in PSP it's under image>perspective distortion. This will get all the vertical lines straight up and down and if you want, all the horizontal lines going straight across making for a very strong geometric background.

The other is to use the quick select tool to select the background wall, copy/paste as new layer and set the blend mode to "screen" which will bring the darkness of the back wall to +1 EV giving the hat more definition.

These are both easy and fast adjustments that will really make this one pop!

[LeeIs]

Nice pose, love that I don't get to see the kids' face. the only thing that takes away from this is the hat and how it blends with BG. other than that, it looks just fine.

[n8]

I like the idea, but I think it would be neat to see him with his back against whatever his hand is on, still with his hat down, and maybe shot from a lower angle to give that "classic cowboy" shot look.

[ScapeGrace]

Ah...so refreshing to find comments that are more than just "nice shot!"...As for the angle of the post, it was actually pretty warped so I had to make do. But I will definitely take yours and jetrim's advice on the darkness of the bg. Thank you so much! I have so much to learn on photoshop, it can be overwhelming at times lol.

[ScapeGrace]

Thank you jetrim for explaining how to go about making those changes, photoshop is so extensive! I get so lost. Thanks everyone for your feedback, it is hugely appreciated! n8, I have just the thing you're looking for haha!

[ScapeGrace]

Ok edited version. Please let me know what you think!

[jetrim]

Nice shot! :lol:

Seriously, I like the edit much better.

[ScapeGrace]

Thank you!

[gahspidy]

Another nice work here. i prefer the edit for the tonal changes by having less contrast, but i do like the crooked door frame of the original.
I think that his eyes are hidden is a big plus in this shot and lends to the charm of a child.
Once again, i do think the framing can benefit from having more at the top to play up his child size with the big atitude.
nice work

[ksbryan0]

Good job on the edit!

[ScapeGrace]

Thanks ksbryan0!
Gary: I agree with about the tilt of the post, it kind of lent to the "bad boy" swagger of the shot. Plus, he doesn't look quite as lean as in the original. But overall I'm happy with the edit. I DO wish I'd gotten a lower vantage point though...ah well. Thanks again everyone!

[spiraleyes]

Great work on this shot. My suggestions mirror most of the others (blown out exposure on the shirt, hat/background blend, crooked post) and you fixed those things very well with your edit.

Photoshop is incredibly powerful and versatile, but difficult to learn - especially at first. Keep up the good work!

[ScapeGrace]

Thank you spiraleyes! I've been crunching tutorials on phtshop for at while and I'd like to take a few workshops on it as well, but at least have the basics down.

[draymorton]

The edit is fantastic! Congrats on the feature!

[ScapeGrace]

Ooooo so THAT'S a sticky : Wow what an honor! Thanks to whoever gives out the sticky! Thanks dray!

[ksbryan0]

With a sticky on your first post, you've set the hurdle pretty high for your future work! Good job - keep'm coming.

[PhilF]

congrats on the sticky

[NKP68]

Congrats on the Sticky. Nice work.

Ed

[ravencrew]

I like it gives you the notion of "Who is that cowboy??" Congrats on your sticky, and welcome to the board.

[ScapeGrace]

Thank you so much everyone! I never expected it and am proud, but at the same time, those were really some of the best I've taken so far. It makes me feel really good though seeing all these talented photographers who I think are ultimately, better. Gives me confidence, so I reiterate, thanks!

[arne saknussen]

Congrats on the sticky!!

[ScapeGrace]

Thanks arne! This site is now my ultimate favorite! Hehe

[hminx]

Great shot ScapeGrace, I think all the main points have been covered, nothing to add but congrats on feature.