# Christmas card photo



## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Well the wife wanted to xmas card done. What the wife wants the wife gets. Lot of logistics when your the phtographer and in the picture too. I had the camera on a tripod and 2 flashes setup with umbrellas at 45 degrees to the wife and I.
I don't particularly care for how it came out. It's okay but i wish i could think of a way to make it a little more wintery or something. Also the flash shadow is killing me but cropping it out looked bad.

What do you guys think. Tear it up.


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

I would almost flip it and go portrait. Too much dark negative space on the right, and then you might also be able to get a bit closer and still get most of the tree in. I know portrait doesnt really do well as cards, but it might be worth a try. you might also consider using a wide open aperture to give it some bokeh with that lighted tree instead of having it in focus, this will draw the viewers attenting wholly to the point of the pic, which is your family, and give you a nice blurry lighted background, this might give you a more wintery feel as well.


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Shaky,
You know your thoughts are exactly items I tried. I attempted a tighter crop and your right. I couldn't really find a card that would allow me to use the picture as a portrait. I shot this picture with a 24-70 f2.8 shot at 24mm and wide open. I tried to use my 70-300 3.5-5.6 but didn't have enough space behind me to get the shot. There was creek behind me. Lastly to try and get at least a little separation i brought the family forward to get to focus more on them. I would have to try and find a better spot to be further away and distance myself to get the lights to blur out more. 
To me I feel like I threw to much light on us but i also have had a tendency to underexpose because i think there is to much light.


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## jfish87 (Feb 15, 2010)

I think it looks pretty dang good, but I'm not picky. If anything cut a little off the right side, and you're golden!


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Any Ideas on how I could have avoided the shadow?


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

The only thing I would've tried for the shadow is to move the lights behind and above the camera so the shadows would fall directly behind the subjects and not be so noticeable. With that said however, I really didn't notice the shadows until you brought it up, lol. You might also try a little more saturation in the grassy area, darken it up and it might hide the shadows a bit.

But honestly, its not a bad photo at all.


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## BlueWaveEd (Jan 3, 2007)

Shadow Smadow Who Cares. It is an Xmas card. Unless you are looking to charge people to make their cards, Enjoy the season. Years from now you will be glad you have the picture. Sometimes people get to wrapped up in the details and perfection to enjoy the moment. If anything I would have shot from the waist up and closer to get a bigger picture of the child. Christmas is about the children after all.


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

True. Doesn't mean i cant be better for future pictures.


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

BlueWaveEd said:


> Shadow Smadow Who Cares. It is an Xmas card. Unless you are looking to charge people to make their cards, Enjoy the season. Years from now you will be glad you have the picture. Sometimes people get to wrapped up in the details and perfection to enjoy the moment. If anything I would have shot from the waist up and closer to get a bigger picture of the child. Christmas is about the children after all.


And that would have really blurred the lights in the background to give a really nice backdrop of Christmas lights.


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## FishNFul (Apr 27, 2010)

I think its a great pic overall, couple of things i would have done is to change your WB to flash or dialed it in to match the warmth of the christmas lights, also would have shot one at 70mm 2.8 to get a better bokeh on the lights in the background and of course that would have resulted a tighter crop maybe waist up. but overall dont beat yourself up i think its nice and its touqh setting everything up and being in it. just my opinion


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Thanks for the input guys im going to tweak a little and ill repost the result.


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## cajunautoxer (Aug 10, 2011)

Where did you take this


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Out in Richmond


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## cajunautoxer (Aug 10, 2011)

If your close go out there this weekend and reshoot it. So the pic you posted was shot at 2.8? I would expect more brokeh in pic


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

I just cropped a bit on my iPad and nothing else here and brings in family closer and reduces other background that takes away from mood and still keeps the Christmas message with tree. Can do more if needed to change mood or message with changes as felt needed. This was only a simple enlarge and screen shot to show how a simple mood change of expression with a simple crop and puts more emphasis on subject. Changes in white balance and more could help if thought needed, but photo wasn't bad either way. Still, simple cropping can change photos drastically with no other changes.


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

I had cropped it tight like that at one point but the wife had wanted a particular card design with stuff on the right. Ive convinced her otherwise now though.


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## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

Looks great! 'If' you shoot it again, see if you can find a starlight filter. It may look 'too busy' with all of those lights but worth a try. gb


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