ShowcaseCritique please! First 'real' family session for a friend

So my friend asked me to do her family's fall photos at Zilker Park (two kids, a dog, and a husband who hates photos lol) and I said yes before I could think about it. I used the R8 with the 85 f/2 almost the whole time and the 50 for a couple of wide ones, and we went about an hour before sunset.

The ones I'm unsure about: the main family one, everybody on a blanket under the big oak, the light is coming through the leaves and there's some dappled spots on the husband's face which I kind of hate but my friend loves it?? Then one of the little girl running toward me which is a bit soft I think, I was at f/2 and 1/250. And my favorite, the mom and the baby at the end with the sun right behind them, all hazy and glowy, but I honestly don't know if that's nice haze or I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing haze lol.

Be honest you guys, but maybe not TOO honest lol. I'm thinking about doing more of these for friends.

jenna_whitlock said:

there's some dappled spots on the husband's face which I kind of hate

Trust your gut on this one. Dappled light on faces is the number one thing that gives away a newer shooter, and it's the first thing I look for when I scout a park. Next time move the whole group a few feet into full shade, or turn them so the sun's behind them like you did for the mom and baby. Spots of light on a shirt are fine, spots on a face pull the eye every time.

1/250 is too slow for a running kid at 85, go 1/500 minimum and let the ISO float. An R8 at ISO 1600 is cleaner than a blurry kid at ISO 400.

The glowy one sounds like the keeper. Haze is fine as long as the faces still have some contrast, so check it on a dimmed screen. If it looks washed out, a little dehaze or a curve on just the faces sorts it. If the lens hood was off, put it on next time, it'll keep a bit more snap without losing the glow.

For a first session this sounds solid. Shoot a few more for friends before you think about charging.

mike_shoots said:

1/250 is too slow for a running kid at 85

ugh ok yes that makes sense, she was FLYING. thank you this is so helpful!

jenna_whitlock said:

I'm thinking about doing more of these for friends.

Since you mentioned doing more: decide now whether you're charging, and tell people up front. The minute money changes hands, people expect a pro's results and a pro's turnaround, plus a contract and some idea of what they're getting. Free favors are how people end up doing twelve sessions a fall, editing every night until midnight, and hating every one of them. Pick a number, even a small one. It's easier to say no to a stranger than a friend's friend.

cdalton_photo said:

Free favors are how people end up doing twelve sessions a fall

lol this is literally already happening, two more moms asked at pickup today

85 at f/2 for a family of four on a blanket is going to put someone's face soft. f/4 for groups.

I was wondering why the dad was a bit blurry in that one!! he was leaning back on his hands and I focused on the mom. I just figured it was me being shaky lol. f/4, got it. Writing all of this on a sticky note on my camera bag

For a first session that's a really good outcome, honestly. The fact you can already see what's wrong with the dappled one is half the battle! It took me years to stop shooting birds in dappled light and I still do it when I get excited. And a husband who hates photos showing up at all is a win. Mike's advice on shutter speed is spot on, kids and birds have that in common, they're always faster than you think.

If the friend loves the dappled one, give her the dappled one. It's her photo.

Thank you so much everyone, seriously. Sent her the gallery with the dappled one in it (she cried lol). Doing the next one at 1/500 and f/4 and in the SHADE