Require feedback - Child with balloon.

[arpanganguli]

Hi,

I clicked this pic at a function recently. My main focus was on the child wanting to grab her balloon that she'd just hoisted in the air. Now, there are few considerations. When I clicked the pic, there was a black curtain at the back (only slight light peeking through the cloth). So, I darkened the background, I Gaussian blurred the people in the foreground. Here are the exif data:

1. Camera: Nikon D3200
2. Shutter Speed: 1/320
3. Aperture: f/5.6
4. ISO: 100

However, I am not too happy with the product. Can you please let me know how to make the pic look more "natural"? Should I have left the background as such??

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arpanganguli/8462895530/



Thanks!
Arpan.

[Shadowman]

Change the balloon. The color is off.

[Donald]

Arpan

The first thing I would urge you to do is study this thread (HELP THREAD: How can I post images here?). You will attract many more comments if you make your images visible in your posts rather than provide Flickr links to them.

I think the idea behind your image is excellent.

[pnodrog]

Great capture but I would have liked to see a bit more of the girl or maybe in less shadow and the highlights on her hand reduced. Balloon colour is fine by me.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Arpan,

I would add that the balloon and the girl ought to be similar sharpness - and they aren't.

Definitely went too far darkening the background, we cannot separate the girl from it now either.

If I were doing this, since there are people at three distinct distances into the image, the ones nearest the girl should be less blurred than the ones foreground.

Cheers,