Aarti visits us

Is this an effective "family portrait"?

Absolutely

I see elements of love, compassion and family. The only thing I see distracting is the white wood trim(?) in the top left corner. This shot seems more like something done on the moment other than a planned portrait so I think the trim can be forgiven. Very good photo.

 

Jesse

Effective family portrait. I like having the wood trim in upper left corner to contain the portrait.

Nits (and they ARE nits!) would be:

1) close to blowout on the highligts of mother's lower arm&hand, and wood trim (baby's dress still works for me)

2) toning - personal hurdle - I cannot or will not (!) bring myself to like toning

3) somewhat uncomfortable by her "peering around" him

Bottom line = first line: "effective family portrait"

Cheers

Thanks for your comments guys. This was just a spur of the moment shot in my patio as they (my brother-in-law, his wife and daughter) were ready to leave.

 

I agree, the mother's skin, and generally all the whites are blown out. Maybe it should be printed a little bit darker, but her black shirt is a nice rich black, so I don't know. The print has a little bit more highlight detail.

 

This is a C-41 film, so I did not do any toning -- this is as the lab printed it (on color paper?).

 

After reading your reply, Thirumale, I womdered if I was hallucinating, so downloaded and opened the photo in my image editor (PS 5.0 LE) and found saturation >20% just ahead of her little finger on his arm. I've never used this film, so wonder if it's from film, lab, or scanner? Interesting issue? Given that there is more highlight detail in the print, maybe it's scanner.

Wayne, I don't know what "saturation > 20%" means...

 

-Niranjan.

 

"saturation > 20%" means that there is colour. A pure black & white photo would have no (0%) saturation anywhere. Cheers.

Ah. Probably a combination of film, paper and scanner. The print does have a mild "toned" look. I figured that this happens if C-41 B/W negs are printed on color paper. This was printed on Kodak Duralife. However, I see that the posted image *is* more saturated than the print, so the scanner is probably partly to blame.

This is certainly effective, Niranjan! You caught them very nicely, at ease and in a good pose. Although the kid looks a bit grumpy ;) I'm sure they really liked it.

 

Just like Wayne I have some small things. Well, first the tone is indeed odd, since it leaves your brother-in-law look brownish, but your sister blown-out white. That doesn't seem to go together. And second, I think this angle is over the top. I keep turning my head to look at the eyes. Perhaps you'd been better of slightly further away with your camera in landscape mode. Then you'd have included all of his arm and shoulder too, which is only fair since she got to keep hers ;) Above is my (admittedly strange) uncrop suggestion.

 

But come what may, this is a fine portrait! And your loving relationship to them shines through. Well done!

I know I should this on a fresh upload, but I haven't got any for the moment. So there you are (I'll delete this in a while, Niranjan).

 

Guys, would you please have a look at this thread? It's about our circle dying. But since this hasn't happened so far, Niranjan and I have been thinking aloud about some new ways to improve the circle experience. Your ideas and opinions are more than welcome!

Hey Jeroen, you really don't think that the mother is my sister, do you? She's clearly white!

 

Well, yes, actually I was quite sharp yesterday so I noticed that but was admittedly at the same time slightly confused. I'm a bit slow at family arithmatic - but your brother in law's wife must be your sister? Right... Then remembered I never saw a picture of you. So... OK OK, I'll start feeling really stupid now ;)

Very good. Smooth TCN is just right for this subject, the close framing emphasizes the intimacy, these 3 don't need anything more (figuratively and composition/context wise).

 

I'd like to see it neutral not with a slight aubergine tint. The kid could be sharper.

 

Jeroen's makeover made a good picture into an artistic one.

Very effective family portrait with warm affection all over it and behind. Jeroensa ddition is quite clever. Myself I like the faint aubergine taint given by the lab or by the film

Think Jeroen has hit the nail on the head with his composition. The facial expression of the parents is great, but the angle of presentation is a little odd. Jeroen's mod corrects this minor niggle and restores the cut-out/cropped arms which I think are crucial to any portrait composition.

 

Otherwise, would have been nice to have the child looking at the camera and smiling...

very nice composition.. i like how the arms circle the baby sort of a security. would have been more effective if baby was looking ahead or towards mommy. Jeroen is funny!