One step back and another forward

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Bear Country - perfect for a photo shoot with a family from Julia's school. I haven't decided if this is a keeper yet (can't tell if I like the people so dark or not and can't figure out how to lighten them properly) but it illustrates my point perfectly. It was time for me to take a step back and tell more of the story in my photography.


I tend to get up close....too close. I miss part of the story as it unfolds. Take the above picture for example - if I only got their faces it still might have been a nice portrait, but in this wide shot, the story of taking her kids for walks in the preserve is missed.

Or in this one...
If I had cropped out Mom's hand, you won't know that G is still practicing his toddle and likes a hand to hold on to for support.


Leaving some room around the subject allows that invisible wind to become visible through big sister, F's hair. I can almost feel the warm Spring breeze on my face again when I look at this one. My hope is that their family will too.


Ok, so that covers the step back, but what about the step forward? Thanks to The Pioneer Woman's free Photoshop actions and some Photoshop Action's I've picked up from MCP*I've been working on improving my post production skills.

Photography is a work in progress.

If you can call it work.

*Check out the contest over at I Heart Face for your chance to enter to win some great actions for yourself.