• This light is coming from behind you and really helped your shot by lighting up her face - ms4jah
  • Back lighting from behind her - ms4jah
  • Back lighting from behind her - ms4jah
  • Back lighting from behind her - ms4jah
  • This light is coming from behind you and really helped your shot by lighting up her face - ms4jah
  • Do you see the difference with these two different light sources? Be aware of these kinds of lighting in portrait shots to improve your shots - ms4jah
  • There is an opening here that highlight the back of her hair. There is also a light opening at the back of me so it comes a soft light to her nose and lips.

A SMILE

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A smile is contagious!

I like her natural smile. My only regret is I forgot to have the name of this pretty kid. I am visiting with my father and his house was near in a basketball court where there are a lot of kids playing and running around. This girl was just sitting and watching everything around her. When I noticed her and started shooting, he give me her sweetest smile.

To this lovely kid, whoever you are, thank you for being my model free of charge.

juliealicea1947, ms4jah, and 16 other people added this photo to their favorites.

  1. juliealicea1947 32 months ago

    shenis so precious! Such a beauty.

  2. whologwhy 32 months ago

    Thanks Sis Julie, have you tried staring her eyes?

  3. ms4jah 32 months ago

    FANTASTIC! Nice going bro! What a winning shot! A very professional looking shot. I'm in love with this photo. You technique is so good now. But part of what makes this shot so great is also your adorable little model.

  4. ms4jah 32 months ago

    You got great DOF (shallow) because you have the aperture open big at 5.6 AND there is plenty of distance behind the subject to the background. In other words, you were close to the subject and the background is far, perfect! and even better that there is the dappled light (many small points of light) coming through the trees to make those lovely out-of-focus little circles everywhere. I enjoyed viewing this photo in the extra large version, it is amazing Raycoy!

    Congratulations!! This is the shot I was waiting for!

    Also, the lighting is so perfect! Skin tone is right on, perfect, and she is back-lit a little bit... .like look at the shoulders and the lit up parts of her hair. But you know what? I think there was some really nice reflected light coming off the cement that helped light up her face.

    Like look on her nose and cheeks, you can see a spec of shiny light, but you had no flash (good, natural light is better). This is a very difficult to get such a perfect portrait like this and you did it.

  5. ms4jah 32 months ago

    It's very common that pro photographers will use a hand held reflector held by an assistant of some kind to reflect light on to a face... I wonder if you had a white shirt on this day? It seems some light reflected on to her face to help your shot, I really LOVE that part.

    The lighting worked perfect because she appears to be in shade and there is no high contrast bright sun and dark shadows messing up your light. I'm thinking maybe the light colored cement help reflect the light.

  6. motivsucher 32 months ago

    Oh, how cuuuuuuuuute is that! :-)

  7. whologwhy 32 months ago

    I leaped from my chair for an unmeasured burst of joy for your well analyzed comments Mike. It seems I had to shout to the world that I passed for my first assignment, even though I had to make more room for improvement later on.

    Yes, thanks for noticing the natural lighting of this photo.

    The dappled light from the blurry background is caused by the rising sun as that is the east part and the sea is there. This is a covered court but at the back of me there is a light opening those explained the highlights on her nose. Which I read it a perfect soft light.

    Yes I noticed that pro photographers are bringing with them those round portable light reflector to light the face. Photography is about light and shadow. And you understand it very well. Again, a million thanks Mike.

  8. whologwhy 32 months ago

    In this photo I prefer to place my subject on the other side so to have room for the DOF on the left. Yes, I now understand how this works, and the best distance of the background to achieve a better blur. Camera records everything thus cluttering your subject. Thanks for this background blurring technique, we can now super impose our subject more.

  9. whologwhy 32 months ago

    Thanks Doris for your comment.

  10. ms4jah 32 months ago

    And yes yes! the subject to the side of the frame to get that perfect background as well, what a GREAT, GREAT composition, the other little boy blurred in the background adds nice interest to the photo.

    I was wondering what kind of cover was on this place, I was wondering if it was trees or what, but you helped explain. I think you should now be making money with your photography, any time now soon you can start doing that, you are really getting the techniques down!!

  11. ms4jah 32 months ago

    oh and I just love your wording about leaping from your chair, you have a great way with words as well as your camera.

  12. whologwhy 32 months ago

    Yes the boy serves as a scale of distance from the subject and to the fence.

    Thanks to your fave Bong. (Mere Xposures)

  13. jim (hentsch) dell [deleted] 32 months ago

    This is the perfect smile on a child. Wonderful. I can say no more.

  14. thrrrrrr_33 32 months ago

    She's beautiful :-)

  15. jim (hentsch) dell [deleted] 32 months ago

    You need to get this shot to her parents if you can.

  16. whologwhy 32 months ago

    Thanks Bro. Jim, I am planning to print this large.

    Thanks thrrrr.

  17. Counselman Collection 32 months ago

    Such a beautiful little girl with a great smile. So glad to see some happiness.

  18. jozver 32 months ago

    Beautiful portrait!
    She is happy!!!

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