# christmas pics



## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 24, 2007)

Normally it's on location outdoors for me but with winter here and the subjects being little kids i am giving indoors a go.  
1





2




3




4






I KNOW THE EDITING ON THIS ONE ISN'T FOR EVERYONE. MOM'S FAVORITE THOUGH - SO I GOTTA SHOW IT. 
5






6.


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## wildmaven (Dec 25, 2007)

Were these supposed to be "Christmas photos", or they were just taken at Christmas?


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## BobEdens (Dec 25, 2007)

1: pulled this one off! Might have been better with a darker background. The shallow DOF makes this one.
2 and 3 are the best of the bunch.  They look like candids, light is good, background on two is great.
4 just another cute baby shot, nothing wrong with it but nothing special either. 
5. does mom like the editing or the expression? There are several spots that are blown completely out. The hot spots need to be bigger or smaller depending on your intention. Mom might love you forever if you put the color back into just the eyes. (yes its old but people still like it)
6. I don't like anything about this except your concept. High key idea is good. Don't like the expression, his eye's look "funny" highlights are blown out in several places and the big aperture works against you here because his ear is out of focus and in a prominant place in the frame.

as far as shooting inside, if you hadn't shown that last shot I would say you "got it" ! 

as always, just what spews out of my little mind. 
[shrug]


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 25, 2007)

wildmaven said:


> Were these supposed to be "Christmas photos", or they were just taken at Christmas?


 

LOL just photos taken for the use of Christmas cards and to give to family at holiday time.  I didn't even think of how you might have thought they had a Christmas theme - my brain is tired.


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 25, 2007)

BobEdens said:


> 1: pulled this one off! Might have been better with a darker background. The shallow DOF makes this one.
> 2 and 3 are the best of the bunch. They look like candids, light is good, background on two is great.
> 4 just another cute baby shot, nothing wrong with it but nothing special either.
> 5. does mom like the editing or the expression? There are several spots that are blown completely out. The hot spots need to be bigger or smaller depending on your intention. Mom might love you forever if you put the color back into just the eyes. (yes its old but people still like it)
> ...


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## wildmaven (Dec 25, 2007)

JimmyJaceyMom said:


> LOL just photos taken for the use of Christmas cards and to give to family at holiday time. I didn't even think of how you might have thought they had a Christmas theme - my brain is tired.


 
Well, the title of the thread is "christmas pics," LOL.


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## elsaspet (Dec 26, 2007)

JJM, my faves are the last few. 
I love the first one as well.


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 26, 2007)

wildmaven - yup, I know, I'm an airhead. 


Elsaspet - thanks  - I'm going to give it another try soon.


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## AprilRamone (Dec 26, 2007)

Hi Kathi,
#6 is actually my favorite from this set!  
I'm not digging #2 or 3 so much because the kids look kind of akward in both.  I like #4 because his eyes are so sharp, but I think I'd like it more in B&W because baby skin is too pink in photos for my taste  I just mean the skin color makes him look a bit cold.  In #5, I like the eyes, but I agree that the blown out highlights are just a bit too over the edge for my liking.  But, yeah, I really like that last one


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 26, 2007)

AprilRamone said:


> Hi Kathi,
> #6 is actually my favorite from this set!
> I'm not digging #2 or 3 so much because the kids look kind of akward in both. I like #4 because his eyes are so sharp, but I think I'd like it more in B&W because baby skin is too pink in photos for my taste I just mean the skin color makes him look a bit cold. In #5, I like the eyes, but I agree that the blown out highlights are just a bit too over the edge for my liking. But, yeah, I really like that last one


 

thanks April - I'll take these comments into consiredation for sure.  I'lltry warming up the skin a bit in 4 maybe?  I hate those frilly clothes on kids and my suggestion was to have them in much less, simpler, or the baby even only in a diaper or better yet nothing but she wanted those big uncomfortable christmas dresses (they match and mom liked that, oh boy)  I'm dying to try some more and I'm glad you like number 6 because its one of my favorite pics out  of all of mine yet altogether,


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## MACollum (Dec 27, 2007)

Number 5 is my favorite. Gotta say, though, it must be easy to get good results when you've got such an adorable little model! She is such a doll.


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## wildmaven (Dec 27, 2007)

JimmyJaceyMom said:


> wildmaven - yup, I know, I'm an airhead.


 
Admitting it is the first step to recovery. :lmao:

I love the last picture. He looks like an angel who fell to earth for a nap. Love that hair!!! :heart:


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 27, 2007)

MACollum said:


> Number 5 is my favorite. Gotta say, though, it must be easy to get good results when you've got such an adorable little model! She is such a doll.


 

Oh yay! I am glad that someone likes number 5.   And yes she is a gorgeous child.


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 27, 2007)

wildmaven said:


> Admitting it is the first step to recovery. :lmao:
> 
> I love the last picture. He looks like an angel who fell to earth for a nap. Love that hair!!! :heart:


 

hello my name is Kathi and I have been an airhead for about.... 28 years. lol  

Anyhow thanks for the comments and you want to know what is really funny about that last picture?  That kid is actually very...hmmm, how do i say it... mischevious?  lol.  Always into something he shouldn't be.  Yet in this picture he looks like you said, like and angel.  His mother said... 'Well, Satan was the fallen angel.'  lol


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## heip (Dec 27, 2007)

Nice work Kathi. 
I too like the over exposed look that is so popular today, especially with children. 
Remember...beauty is in the eye of the buyer. You have made your client happy because you captured the expressions that she loves. She doesn't give a rats ass if there is an ear out of focus!
Keep doing what you're doing!!


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## Christie Photo (Dec 28, 2007)

AprilRamone said:


> Hi Kathi,
> #6 is actually my favorite from this set!



Absolutely!  It's a real stand-out.  I like the overall warmth, the composition, expression....     And, I'm sure glad his ear isn't in sharp focus.  I mean, you're not photographing ears here, are ya?  It's more about the eyes.

Yeah...  with just a bit more work on the eyes, this would be truly over-the-top.

-Pete


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 28, 2007)

Heip - well thanks.  Even though do love when the parents like certain ones I still do like to hear what others think too.  Only being as good as the parents like isn't too hard since it's their child and to them almost every picture is priceless.  I have to keep that in mind so I don't get stuck in a standard and get lazy, but I also have to keep in mind what youa re saying because I have a tendency to toss out certain pics and not even show a client because I notice one thing is off even if it might not matter to them.  So yes, they may not care about that ear all the time, not in this case anyhow.  Good advice I will keep in mind.


Pete - thanks for showing me more with the eyes.  I just got photoshop elements and it's really like learning to edit all over again since I was using a very simple program before and I'm always in fear that with all elements offers me, I'll overdo it.  I have to stop that because yours is cool and I already gave mom the prints my way - crap! lol


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## Sweetsomedays (Dec 29, 2007)

I LOVE that last one. Whoever said it makes him look like an angel I totally agree!


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## Stacey (Dec 31, 2007)

I LOVE #5!  How do you get the eyes to pop like that? I'm struggle (badly) with post processing in the eyes and can't get anything to work! LOVE the photo! Super adorable!


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## emogirl (Dec 31, 2007)

nice shots....really love #5 despite the blown out forehead, however.....most clients dont know that it is blown out and that in the photographic world that is a no no...they just see their child and a great shot and that is all that counts....i like the pp on it too, btw....


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Dec 31, 2007)

sweetsomedays - thanks. 

Stacey - hi.  Although I did use the unsharp mask on thsi picture I did it on the whole picture, I didnt do anything extra to the eyes.  I learned the hard way that if you want the eyes to be very sharp you have to get them in camera best you can so I always focus right on the eyes and then recompose. 

emogirl  - yes, sometimes it;s cool to throw one or two different ones in there to see what they think.  Last time I did it was with a highly contrasted image that I added grain to and though I thought the mom wouldn't be the type to liek it I threw it in anyhow and it turned out to be her favorite! Go figure!


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