<<< o >>>far from the crowd 23 comments + add yours
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This one was taken a couple of minutes before Saturday's entry. What I like about this one is not our eldest and youngest with their heads together, though it's good to see them having fun, but rather our four year old contemplating the sea beyond the end of the pier. Up until the last few months she hasn't been a particularly relaxed child (despite photographs to the contrary here), so it's good to see her beginning to be a little more relaxed with the world.

And thanks for all the comments on yesterday's shot, which I guess I should explain, at least a little. As I mentioned, my wife thought it was vile, and I can see what she means – it says little about our daughter. But I like it because it steps outside of the way that we normally view children – as cosy, small and relatively powerless creatures – and invites a more imaginative view (if that makes sense). Anyway, if nothing else, it was different.

5.24pm on 18/6/05

Canon 20D

EF 17-40 f/4L USM

17mm (mm equiv.)

f/8.0

1/500

aperture priority

-2/3 (-1/3 FEC)

evaluative

100

580EX

RAW

C1 Pro

no

captured
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?

 
3x2 + children [portraits] + fylde coast [scenic]
comment by Weston Boyd at 08:46 PM (GMT) on 20 June, 2005

I really like how she seems to be in her own little world...

comment by Anon at 09:07 PM (GMT) on 20 June, 2005

It's always nice to see little kids relaxed instead of jumping off the walls.

comment by Cory Simon at 09:08 PM (GMT) on 20 June, 2005

I enjoy this photo very much. Let us hope that she retains this deep thinking perspective throughout her life.

comment by John at 09:44 PM (GMT) on 20 June, 2005

Another excellent photo dave. These are very well lit and very revealing. My only slight observation is that Rowan seems to be ever so slightly high in the frame and I feel as though a slight crop would put her back towards the ground. Only a very minor point and it maybe just the way I am seeing it.

I love the post processing - it is a dream.

John {shots}

comment by Aegir at 10:29 PM (GMT) on 20 June, 2005

I enjoyed yesterday's, even if I didn't want to look at it for long.

comment by aashish at 01:04 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

i don't know what to say. when i took up photography, i thought i ll also shoot something like this. but never got the chance so far. :( all the last few pics are amazing, to say the least!

comment by DNegel at 01:05 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

This is a very pleasant photo. Considering that you did use the fill-flash, the photo still looks so natural. Did you set the power of the flash to auto or manual?
Dave, I've been checking your site (almost daily) for a year now and besides still enjoying it I’m learning a lot from it. Thanks for sharing your work (photos and notes). Keep it up!

comment by Eric at 02:50 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Much more appealing than Sunday, I like the B/W a lot. I doubt the color could get the same affect as this.

comment by jcyrhs at 04:18 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

The empty chair is vying for attention...

comment by matt at 04:42 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

What I find particularly compelling here are the curved lines in the chairs in contrast to the vertical lines in the fense. Great choice for b&w, as well.

comment by KiwiNessie at 05:38 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

I love it and can see it working as two completely separate crops as well.

comment by Adriana at 05:46 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Well I may be not original at all, cause I really like pictures where you can see a child as sweet as yuor daughters here. It looks like the scene of and old movie and I particularly like the fact that, even when your four years is there with the other two who seem to have a beautiful connexion, she looks like in her own world at the same time. Beautiful shadows and composition, One of my favorites so far.

comment by Smallest Photo at 06:28 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

What a beautiful composition! The two together so clearly involved in one another really make the perfect background for the your little one lost in thought.

comment by tobias at 08:42 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Don't get me wrong this is a lovely, spontaneous image and although I really didn't like yesterdays shot this seems to be so tame and mundane compared with that of the "demon spawn".

So fickle and undecided when it comes to my own tastes but yesterdays was just so, out there.

I do not wish to be misconstrued, I did really dislike yesterdays uncomfortable image but it has set a benchmark for forthcoming family shots.

Oh and also, Dave, I saw an image the other day perhaps you would like to try as an experment. The guy had taken a shot of his child and their face was in focus but there were lines all through the background in a diagonal form all around the face (the focus). So we have a static face but with loads of blurred movement around it. I asked how he did it and he said he started at 70mm and then extended the exposure slightly and as he clicked the shutter zomed in on the childs face, thus keeping that in focus and giving it an energy around it. Thought I'd mention it as it would be another good angle for you to try and also I think knowing you, after a little practice you'd undertake take this challenge "textbook" style! I'll try to find the link but I am skiving in work so maybe later, if intrigued that is...

comment by tobias at 08:49 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Hmm, well, what the hell, here is the link:

http://darren.my-expressions.com/archives/2287_1306552296/66449

Not the child shot although I am certain I saw one but this is the technique illustrated.

comment by SteveO at 09:07 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

I really like the lighting in this pic, the contrast is great.

comment by genedavinci at 10:40 AM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

black and white and yet so lively and colourful. this is one beautiful capture. great black and white. just great :)

comment by Paul at 02:45 PM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

What a great, intimate, candid shot!

comment by m at 05:23 PM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Phew, back on track. :-)
hHilst I realsie that how an image is made, captured, altered or whatever is important to those that like to discuss it, the last few images have missed the main event for me. Which is........
IT'S MEANT TO LOOK GOOD.

comment by laurent at 05:58 PM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

I've been enjoying your photos for a while now, I love this shot. It's very appealing to me with the two actions going on. I think if it were just your one daugher contemplating the sea, it would be kind of lopsided maybe? But with your other two daughers touching heads, it's got family together, but doing different things kind of feeling. I really like it.

comment by Adrian at 06:23 PM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Two much different actions, and yet so close...

Great.

comment by djn1 at 09:00 PM (GMT) on 21 June, 2005

Thanks everyone.

John: you're right, I could have cropped this one as you suggest, but I was happy enough to leave this one alone.

DNegel-; the flash was on auto with -1/3 FEC (flash exposure compensation).

tobias: yesterday's shot wasn't one that I expected to be liked, but I'm happy that it made you uncomfortable, if that makes sense. As for the zooming effect, yes, I should probably try it.

comment by Jeremy at 11:23 PM (GMT) on 14 July, 2005

Lovely combination of textures and shapes and that composition is fabulous.