Hi Zach,
Thanks for sharing this happy family portrait.
I enjoy the obvious happiness of the family having their picture taken together. Interesting that the young man in the second step up has so much attitude that it makes one wonder whether or not this is his birthday.
The use of simple clothes without complex patterns brings unity to the picture and this works here.
Issues:
Lighting is great for the front rows for faces, but the last row of adults with darker skin does not appear well illuminated.
This can be simply corrected in a layer in photoshop under a copy of this picture as a layer and erase the darker faces with a brush with a soft edge.
Leg Placement The folded legs pointing inwards of the 2 figures on the left, 2cd row provide wonderful graceful sense of movement. However, the partial display of a similar limb positioning in the adult above is distracting and takes away from image. Perhaps a hand in the right place would have solved that or sufficient room like the girls below.
Cutting off portions of bodies In portraits, this is usual and most often increases the impact.
Here, however, to lose for example, the shoes of the little guy in the lower row takes something away from the picture. Same with the 2 other cut offs at lower left and upper right respectively.
Background The use of the uncropped upper steps is a matter of artistic choice. In favor, it provides context and also flowers which makes the picture fun!
Altogether, this is a very successful picture. Most of the issues with the great portrait can be corrected in Photoshop, including the cut-offs, since other pictures likely have this information.
As it is, this picture will be treasured and deservedly so!
Kudos!
