Reply To: ok, flame suit on…

[cameraclicker]

Interesting handle!  I don’t know if you are mother of 8 kids (or 7 kids plus a husband), or a 28 year old mom.  Or, just kidding.

No matter.  Your photos are too small and have no EXIF data.  They are also a little too bright and lacking a little contrast.  However, those are all pretty picky points.  Your family is correct.  If everything you are showing them is as good as these, keep doing what you are doing.  I looked at the third and last ones in Photoshop, I would pull exposure down about a quarter stop and add a little more contrast.  The first two look a little bright too.  Framing on the second could be better, the baby has half a foot (the right half of the left foot).

If you wanted to take the student photo another level, you might have under exposed the ambient a little more and added a small amount of flash for the student.  Doing that might mean more equipment and set-up time so you have to decide if you want to go down that road.  It would possibly pull a little more colour out of the stained glass window.

For photos of children, try getting even lower, though the twins at the farm is a nice environmental portrait.  Just add a little contrast and it should look great.

I’ve had that last baby looking at me while I’ve typed all of this!  I love the clear, bright, wet eyes.  It’s my favourite of the group.  The forehead and hat are too bright but not by a lot.