Which picture of boy?
 

I took pictures today for a commission - I haven't gone through all of them, but one really struck me. What do you think of the first one rather than the second two. I have many I haven't really looked through, but I am sure that most of the rest of the pics will look much like the second two. The little boy didn't really have a smile - it was either all out teeth or sad looking. This is the second shoot. (By the way, I realize this first one is kind of dark, but I think I can play enough with photoshop to get decent information). (I will also have to fix the problem with forshortening on the third if I use it - I couldn't get back quite far enough to not have a little distortion)

I agree that the third pic seems alot more appropriate for your work. It's a lot more balanced.

I'd go for the first one without a doubt, it's more moody, has more feeling to it, but the last one is very traditional and symmetric.

All depends on personal preference I suppose ;)

I think you have the boy in a good position as far as lighting. However, I'm not a big fan of the pose. The boy seems a little old to be clutching a stuffed animal, but that's just me.

I fooled around with the background some, trying to square things up. And, I eliminated the light colored vertical supports on the chair back and I think I would eliminate the horizontal support as well.

Hope this helps.

I think what Mike has suggested works.

I had this dilemma with a shoot once. The best pose I had of a little girl was of her clutching her favorite doll, the doll was an old, ugly, pink plastic doll with a one remnant of ratty hair clinging to it's head. It was more in the horror movie genre, think "Chuckie"rather than quaint. She would not let go of it and had a fit every time it was removed.

I later photographed a teddy bear in front of the dress she was wearing and substituted it.

Unless the parents are hung up on this amorphous stuffed animal, does the boy have a dog or cat that could be substituted and photographed in the same light, level and angle?

Also you could make the boy a tad bigger so his head does not 'kiss' the lower part of the curve of the back of the chair. In other words his head could come a little higher.

Jane,

I like the first image the best too, but I concur with both Mike's and Sharon's observations. A real pet would be marvelous. How old is this boy by the way?(he does seem too old for that toy), he may appear older by the perspective distortion. His legs are so big in relation to his head. If you get another chance, take the picture from all the way accross the room, if not further. The farther the better, to reduce distortion. I love what Mike did to the background.

I did some crude and clumsy perspective editing experimentation for you.

Garth

Thanks for the great advice eveyone. Unfortunately I could not get any further away to take this picture - I knew there would be some distortion - we were going to take more pics outside, but it was 112 that day. The father wanted him in the rocker - and the boy wanted his favorite stuffed animal - (he is in second grade) The only light area was in the kids room by this window. I finally talked him into a smaller stuffed animal, so there are other pics with that animal. I would like to take more pics but am stuck with what I have. I think your idea of substitution is a good one Sharon - if I use this pose.
I like the way you cleaned up the background and took part of the rocker out, Mike. I think that works well. I also agree that decreasing the size of the legs works much better Garth.
Here is a picture from the first shoot which was totally out of hand. The dog kept jumping in the pool and the father had to manhandle the dog to get him to stay in one place. The father was determined that the dog would be in the painting with the boy. In this photo I took the father out with photoshop - this was the best one we got with the boy and the dog that day. The dog looks kind of scary -

Geez, 112 degrees! I did not know it was possible to have such a hot day. It's a pleasant 53 degrees back east right now. How does that grass stay green?

The boy does look more like a second grader in the outdoor shot. His legs look the right size. I guess that dog is too big for the chair pose!

Garth

Hey, Jane,

You have a gorgeous subject. I think you should reshoot under lighting conditions you control.

I love the light quality in play in your intial images, but the distortion is really challenging, as is the fact that his face is pretty evenly divided between light and shadow.

Shall we try to play in Prescott this weekend? My family is coming up Friday to help me set up - we'll stay with my father-in-law, then my sister in law comes up, and one of my dearest friends. Let me know where your booth is located. I am at the NW tip of the courthouse. And are you doing the quick draw?