Gold Five to Red leader...

[graphite]

Seeing as the only willing subjects I have to model for me are my kids, here is another shot I was sort of experimenting with. What are peoples thoughts. I have adjusted the colors and contrast slightly, and cropped it a little from the original.

[Raskill]

I like it. The expression is priceless to say the least.

I'm not sure about the bright sun in the top left corner, but seeing it reflects off the helmet and becomes part of the image, I don't think you should clone it out.

I think that one should be printed and displyed.

Nice shot!

[avkomp]

cute shot.

from a compostional point of view though. having the main subject in the centre of the fram isnt very strong.

not sure if you have heard of a thing called "the rule of thirds"
worth running a google search to learn more, but basically it suggests that you divide the frame up into thirds and if possible arrange subjects along those lines.

steve

[graphite]

I have heard (and read a bit) about the rule of thirds, I just sometimes find it hard to think that way when composing a shot. I agree that the composition is not strong.

Regarding the sun, that was the main thing I was experimenting with in the sequence of shots. Unfortunatly I ended up getting the branches of one of the trees in the same corner as the sun. Which means I would have a hard time cloning them out without also getting rid of the bit of flare there. I may try editing another shot and post it with a different composition.

[graphite]

Here is the shot I took after the previous one, with a bit of moving around of various pieces. Would this be stronger compositionaly? I dont have a lot of tree to work with on the left hand side.

[owen]

I like the second one better because the girl takes up more of the frame. In the top one there is a lot of blue space which seems to make the girl less significant.

[Alpha_7]

I like both but the second is an absolute classic, I'm still looking for the X-Wing though

Was this using the D50 pop up flash as the face seems very nicely exposed (also were you shooting raw or jpeg?)

[ABG]

Second image is much better. Cute daughter you have there. It must be great having such a photogenic and willing subject. Make sure you make the most of it, 'cos they get less and less willing to stand in front of the lens as they get older.

[graphite]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

The second is better compositionally, but I still like the face in the first picture. I suppose I could try and edit the first one a bunch to get the same effect as the second.

I have been shooting in RAW+low on the D50. That way, my wife can just pick and choose the jpgs she wants to print from the camera, and I can play with the high res ones when I want to edit things.

It was taken with the built in flash I believe, although I am unsure how to tell if the flash was actually used. Where in the raw shooting info does it tell you?

[Sheila Smart]

I like both shots. If you have a problem with composition on the first, you could chop off a bit of the sky on the right.

Cheers
Sheila

[ABG]

It was taken with the built in flash I believe, although I am unsure how to tell if the flash was actually used. Where in the raw shooting info does it tell you?

Assuming you have PS CS2 - File>File Info>Camera Data 1

[graphite]

Wow, I never knew that was there in Photoshop.

In that case, Yes the built in flash fired, (I didn't think that it did.)

Thanks Shelia for the comments. I will try and crop the first image closer, and get rid of a bunch of the sky on the right hand side.

[ABG]

You can also see telltale signs of a flash being used in your daughters eyes.

[Alpha_7]

 BTW she needs an orange jumpsuit and a breathing appartus to look the part, or am I pushing the title too fair

[graphite]

ABG - True, I hadn't noticed the telltale signs of the flash in her eyes until you pointed them out. then again, unless I was useing some alternate source of light, her face and front would have been quite shadowed, as there would not have been a lot of indirect light hitting her.

Craig - As much as I would have liked to have her dressed up in star wars gear, I dont think it will ever happen with her. When my twins are older I may have a slim hope of dressing them up as Luke and Leia as a way of my wife compensating me for not allowing me to name them that.

[Alpha_7]

Excellent I'll be involved in that, we can get little Jedi Suits and light sabres I'll have my camera of course too.. I can think of someone that might make a good Darth Vader by then too

[Dug]

The helmet and Expression are just wonderful ( she is cute too) but I find the trees and sunlight annoying. If you include background make it part of the photo, if not then just clear blue sky works well.

it is a simple shot a simple background would help it.

cheers doug

[Alpha_7]

I was bored so tried to do a B&W conversion, I think it probably looks better in colour a bit more fun. I thought this was crying out for a little thought bubble above her head..... "Daddy can we stop now?"....