Your Opinions on a Photoshoot, please

[Schema Thing]

Help me out with a little market research on a portrait photography business I'm considering getting involved in.

I'd love to get your feedback (especially if you are a parent who has purchased portraits of your 1-6 y/o child) on the following photoshoot: http://steveshow.exposuremanager.com/g/maura (ignore the first few photos with the mom; that's really just reference).


Feel free to speak freely, the child is not mine or a relative, and I only shot about half the photos and another photographer shot the rest. If this is not the type of image you'd spend money on for your kiddo, I'd like to hear that too, and why.

In addition to anything else you might have for critique, I'm curious about two things specifically:

A) Is there anything about the overall shoot/photos that you find unique and unexpected (in a good way) wrt a child's portrait session? (there is actually a very unique technical technique used for this, I'm trying to find out how many people will notice it's admittedly subtle effect w/o me telling them specifically what it is.)


B) How much would you expect to spend if you where purchasing a session like this and prints of the finalized photos?


Thanks in advance!

[Schema Thing]

1. I'll try this in the daytime.... anyone?

[lunatica]

3. I think your idea is brilliant

It's something I've wanted to see in portraiture for ages! Is the effect the neutral black background?

I actually think it can also be taken a step further and have it done outside the studio and in a natural setting.

I've done child portraits and will always try to use photos of children when they aren't aware of the camera, but even being aware is OK. I did a couple where the children have sunshine on their hair and faces with their hair casting a shadow across their face. It's nice to include the lighted hair as the sun shines on it.

Congratulations, it's impossible to pick one or even half a dozen as the best. They 're all quite well done.

I wouldn't know where to begin on how much to spend. I guess it depends on the family's desire for such portraiture. you can always create some large photos and then also create photo albums including the rest of the photos. For some reference I would find out what a wedding photographer charges for working a wedding.

Jeez! You will have repeat customers for life with this kind of photographic portraiture. Even in a bad economy.

[Schema Thing]

7. From your lips to Paul Bernake's ears!

lol. Thanks for the feedback.


This is about 50% art, and 100% business, where I'm concerned. I've never been a photographer who wanted to do the same photo over and over again (much to my pocketbooks chagrin), but if I must, I think this is the way to go.

[lunatica]

9. I hope it helps. I'm a real believer in people making money from their creativity

Unfortunately society thinks that's just a waste of time. Artists are the bottom of the totem pole as far as being appreciated.

[auntAgonist]

2. sorry ........

I'm removing my comments because they may have been taken as a slight against the photographer. I guess I don't understand photo shoots :(

aA

sorry if I offended.

[Schema Thing]

4. I honestly don't think you can get more innocent

...than this.


Sorry, but I think you are seeing something that isn't there. The kiddo was given pretty much zero direction. She was more interested in having her picture taken, and hammy, than most children; but that may be because she has her picture taken a lot, and has had this same photographer (the one I was working with) take her picture once a year for the past 5 years.

[auntAgonist]

5. that's cool. I was just giving my own personal opinion.

As I said I really liked a few of the pictures. She's obviously comfortable in the camera's eye.

I didn't like the photos of her seeming to crawl to the camera, leaning forward etc. But, of course this is only my opinion.

aA

[lunatica]

6. Children natually do that kind of posing

It appears sexualized but it's really all part of the child's fantasy. They see others doing those poses and they do them to imitate what they see. Those can be discarded by the parents, or not.

I have photos of me as a 6 year old making those poses and it was not anything sexual on my part or the photographers.

I've taken photos of people in parks and the children alway do that exaggerated posing for cameras. In order to get the good shot many must be taken. Sometimes the sexualizing is just in the eye of the beholder.

[auntAgonist]

8. thanks for explaining that.

I gave my opinions based on looking at the photos once. I don't know the child or the photographer and I'm sure there was no intent in the photos to sexualize the child. It's just the first thought that popped into my head when I saw a few of what I thought were suggestive.

I gave an honest opinion. The photography itself is wonderful.

aA

[Schema Thing]

10. and in this case, it wasn't even really "posing" on her part

it was merely the difference between her sitting up on the couch, and, having gotten a little restless, jumped over the back of the couch and leaning forward over it.

[auntAgonist]

12. My first impressions

were what I commented with. I understand what you're saying. As I said upthread the photography is wonderful. Now you're making me wish I hadn't commented at all. It wasn't meant as a slight.

aA

[Schema Thing]

14. no problem

I asked for criticism... just wasn't expecting it to take that direction! lol. I sincerely thank you for your comments.


I do worry sometimes that society is going nutz looking for impropriety in what is essentially natural.

[auntAgonist]

15. I understand and I wish you every success.

sincerely.

aA
kesha

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. What I like-the photo is of the child, and only the child.

To me, that captures every nuance of that little girl at that stage of her life; without chairs, bunny rabbits, painted backgrounds or even color. Yes, I would buy a set of portraits from a session like that. My favorite photograph of my son is one of him at 3 months against an all black background... it captures who he was at the time, without distraction.

I don't really care for the B/W as much as the color, even though B/W is so popular these days.
What would I pay? Depending upon the size of a package, I would be willing to spend $150-200 for a decent sized grouping.

Good luck with it. :)

[Schema Thing]

16. Thanks, that's definitely what this technique is about

distilling the picture down to the soul of the child, with no distractions or gimmicks.

We're using a device my friend has patented to get the child to give eye contact with the camera. You'd never get all those pics looking directly into the camera w/o it.

[lunatica]

13. Here's my drawing of a child in sunlight ( from a photo)

[Schema Thing]

17. oh wow, that's wonderful.

[lunatica]

18. I just want you know that my critique comes from an artist's point of view

regarding creativity and artistry. As you probably know that doesn't make much difference in the commercial world sometimes.

[Schema Thing]

19. True that

and your experience is probably why you could recognize that there is something different about these images.


(btw, the "technique" I keep referencing is a device that allows the child to look directly at the lens, but see the photographer (or mom, or even a video of animals playing). It eliminates that problem of the kids being coached by mom or dad close to the camera, but not where the kid should be looking, ie: at the camera lens)

[lunatica]

20. I find it amazing that you got so many different shots.

and their all good ones!

[Schema Thing]

21. Well,

as mentioned upthread, this kid was exceptionally engaged in the process of getting her picture taken. But her eye-contact with the camera in virtually every picture is unique to our way of shooting.

But the good news is that even for a problem child, you only need one really great image, and I think our methodology makes it far more likely that I'll be able to get that great image.

The first time we tested this device for babies, my friend had me use a Hasselblad medium format camera, and we shot a 8 month old baby. She was a sweetheart, but that is never easy. We took two rolls of film, 12 shots each, and got 23 pictures with the baby looking directly into the lens. In the 24th image, she had her eyes closed and her tongue out, so it was pretty special too.