portraiture One Already?

I had a shoot this past Friday to do some shots of a boy turning one

year old. The parents had a slew of ideas and so most of the time I

was just along for the ride. Most things didn't really work all that

well thanks to a cranky child but we did manage to grab a few shots. I

devised a series of shots like this with a single off camera strobe

and umbrella. I liked many pics from this series but this one

intrigued me because of the balloon placement in the foreground. The

client loved it and I guess that means something but the real question

is, does it work? Does the balloon overpower the shot or does it act

to sort of frame in some of the attention of the viewer. Questions and

comments are greatly appreciated.

This is probably the one area of photography where I have zero experience, but I can at least give you my impressions as a viewer.

The balloon in the foreground doesn't over power the main subject in any way,but what it does seem to do is introduce the party mood right from the beginning. I think you have set the shot up brilliantly, it appears that the one year old is staging his own disco and orchestrating events from his own podium.  I think if you had managed to get a bit of eye contact, that would really have cracked it, but I can only imagine how difficult that would be!

The lighting looks good and falls just where it is needed, and to summarise, yes it does work!  The combination of colour, light and composition works well. Another aspect of the image that I like, is that although the image was staged, it looks just the opposite, uncontrived and quite natural and I think that also is something that very difficult to achieve.

Well done Joe!

Best Regards

Alf

Hi Alf, Much thanks for the feedback. For every shot I got like this I got 4 more with a sad face or with him crying but that is the nature of working with children. Some days you eat the bear some days the child beats you into submission. :)

I felt the same thing about the eye contact and my idea of the balloons had this downside. He was more interested in the balloons than he was in any rattle, bell or other device we could think of to get him to look up. Probably a more experienced child photographer would have grabbed that element but at least this leaves me something to strive for.

Sometimes impressions as just a viewer are the most important. The average person who looks at a photograph knows very little about photography, they just know that they like or don't like an image. Sometimes photographers forget that when we make our art. I have been thoroughly impressed with myself at times when everyone around me kind of ho-hummed at a shot that I thought was an award winner.

Thanks Alf for the input, it is most greatly appreciated.

I think it works very well, especially because you have several others in the frame so I don't have to wonder for a moment what I'm seeing.  Also, the red balloon is largely hiding some blinds that wouldn't be nearly as attractive (IMO), so in a sense it is doing double duty.  Nice work.

Hi Joseph,

It has been awhile since I visited and I have to say you are improving. Children have to be the most difficult to shoot, for the most part. At times you get a very 'jolly' baby that makes it all so easy, but that does not happen all that often. "One' is still very young for 'some kids' and at times they can only take so much stimulation. I think you did a great job of this one and I agree basically with Alf's comments. You must have a lot of patience!

cheers for now,Gail