Brooke and Grace

Mary Sparrow · 01-31-2004, 08:42 AM

A lesson in patience...AAAAACK.

Please, please tell me this can work, I don't know if I can take reshooting these two balls of FIRE! Learning to take proper photos is challenging enough, but when you throw in a two year old that absolutely wants to do the opposite of what you ask, well, I'm shaking my head.

I bet we took no less than 300 photos yesterday of these two, and while we got LOTS of cute pics, very very few would work for a portrait.

These are the two expressions that the mother loved, this is the look she wants.

My questions are first of all, would you paint from these at all? Second, is it a problem in your opinion that the lighting is so different and the poses are not similar?

We experimented with all sorts of lighting, and of course the pictures that turned out of each child did not match up.

Here is Brooke:

Mary Sparrow · 01-31-2004, 08:43 AM

Here is Grace, otherwise known as "firecracker."

Michele Rushworth · 01-31-2004, 11:18 AM

I think you would have to do two separate portraits. The paintings could be made to hang together (same size, same style of frame, same background treatment, etc.) but it wouldn't work to have them on the same canvas.

Love the lighting on "Firecracker," it suits her.

Mary Sparrow · 01-31-2004, 11:39 AM

I am definitely doing them separately, but they will be hanging side by side. I just didn't know if different lighting would look odd.

Cynthia Daniel · 01-31-2004, 11:44 AM

Personally, I would find the two different lighting situations bothersome if they are hung side by side. Is the older one easier to work with? I like the lighting best on the younger one's portrait. Maybe if you are working with the older one and alone, without the rest of the family around, that might help. They could be off at the other end of the house or outside doing something non-distracting.

When I worked with Robert Schoeller, I always groved in the parents that it was best if they were not visible in the area during the photo sessions. Children very often act differently when their parents and/or siblings are around.

Mike McCarty · 01-31-2004, 01:11 PM

Mary,

I like them both as seperate portraits. You wouldn't have to paint them with the wide variations of light temperature.

For the first example, I have rotated the image 10 degrees. She appears to be leaning against a railing that you would not include in the portrait, so, her leaning would not be explained.

You have chosen to concentrate (young children) on the most difficult work that any of us encounter. Your approach: come early, stay late, and shoot many, is about all you can do. This is assuming you can herd them into a good light. It's like herding cats.

Michele Rushworth · 01-31-2004, 01:47 PM

Just curious, what kind of lighting and white balance setting were you using on the younger girl's portrait? (I assume you were shooting digital.)

I can see the window light on the right side of her face but was the other light an incandescent table lamp, and was your camera set for daylight white balance, by any chance? I like the very striking and unusual colors that set-up has produced.

Chris Saper · 01-31-2004, 05:04 PM

Mary,

I'd paint from both those images in a heartbeat.

I agree with Cynthia, they should hang on separate walls. I think you should impress upon to the mom that the different personalities of each girl are captured successfully in their respective photos. Suggest she gain unity in framing and give each girl her own wall. Where they hang is less your issue than hers, and people do things like redecorate, move, etc.

I think that you can't be resonsible for the places people choose to put the nails.

Mary Sparrow · 02-01-2004, 05:21 PM

I had Grace in a chair next to a north facing window at about 4pm, The light you see coming from the other side is from a reflector lamp with one of those 'natural' light light bulbs that ge now makes..the light bulb is almost pink.

Chris, I agree with you, all I can do is recommend these hang on different walls. I spoke to the mother again and she understands what Im saying and says she doesn't want to reshoot because she simply loves the two photos we picked. Her plan is to frame them the same, but hang them on either side of a fireplace, so a stone chimney will break them up, I think that will be fine don't you?

Stanka Kordic · 02-01-2004, 07:54 PM

Hi Mary,

I absolutely love your photos. Like everyone said, the differences in lighting speaks to their personalities so well. I think you did great.

I also understand the frustration of reshooting small kids! I have on board an 18 month old (who had a heck of a time giving up his pacifier) and a 3 year old (constant motion) that they want together. I can't begin to even tell you what a challenge this one is! After 300 shots not good enough for either of us, we have scheduled the FOURTH photo shoot for this weekend. Please Pray

Keep us posted on your progress.

Stanka