Kit lens softness or Post processing corrections

[digitmstr]

Artistically speaking, mom doesn't really belong in the picture. There is no interaction between her and the baby and they are on totally different planes.

 

Images benefit from having one focal point (no pun).

 

So, IMO, it doesn't matter that the sky is a bit overexposed and/or that mom is oof. The subject is the baby, that's what should be in focus and properly exposed.

 

Having the background oof actually help the main subject. If everything was in perfect focus it would be a total distraction from the main subject, in the foreground. For example: the complex texture of the leaves, if in perfect focus, would be a distracting mosaic in which the eye would get lost instead of focusing on the baby.

 

There are times where all-in-focus is good but, it seldom helps when taking portraits.

 

That's only my opinion of course.

[thomas_hardy1]

When you have that dynamic range problem you can sometimes combine two or more images to reflect more of what you eye sees.

 

I used a program called photomatix (it combines images) and attempted to bring down the sky. Using levels and brightness controls on one image did not work. See what you think.<div></div>

[dogbert]

If you are coming from a point an shoot digital, I can understand the confusion. P&S use teeny sensors with very short focal lengths with huge DoF. This is great for the average snap shooter becasue it is really hard to have any part of the picture out of focus. Bigger formats have less DoF and the closer the focus point the less DoF in the background again. In all of the shots, the background softness to me looks purely like a DoF issue. When you focus on a closeup object/perosn the DoF fades away very quickly, even at F9-11. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as others have pointed out.

[ibcrewin]

Thanks Dan and everyone else.. I still have alot to learn about the art and technical side. I appreciate the input and I'll apply it to the next time I go out!