Official royal baby/family photos...

I think they're just a taster to get the PR going etc. But you are correct, the DOF is slightly out as the dog and baby are sharp but the faces are soft :D
 
Tee hee. Grandpops take the snaps, thinks he is the new Mario Testino. Doh! Pics for the mantlepiece but not for public consumption, methinks.
 
Mind you, they're better than those stupid iPhone snaps you see of celebrities posting on Twitter - However, the ones Scarlett Johannsen did of her rear are stored on my NAS :D
 
Ah the middleton's never miss a chance to make a few quid where they can.
 
What on earth is wrong with Kate's father enjoying some family photography? Does every image taken seriously have to be a top-of-the-line professional photograph? Of course not, we're forgetting that photography is actually a hobby for many people. I like the fact that they've done some simple snaps like this.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of professional images to follow some of which might be worse.
 
Lindsay D said:
Meaning? I think you'll find they still have to make their living, not that that has any relevance to this conversation.
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I still don't care, about anything they do or ever will, and would rather not hear about them on a photography site. But since someone brought it up, it is the photography angle people are going to talk about ...
 
A bit of fill-in flash would have sorted out most of it surely, getting the background to not look over-exposed? I'm no expert, but when I saw them I thought they looked terrible. Certainly family snaps only and not to be touted as "official".
 
I'm looking forward to reading the comments when dpreview run the story.

For what its worth, I quite like them. Typical family snaps rather than some over engineered set piece.
 
Family snaps are fine, but it just seems wrong to publish these as official. I am not a portrait/people photographer, but got roped in to shoot a family member's wedding recently and my shots came out much better than those using a 450D, Sigma 30mm f1.4, Sigma 17-70 and Canon 430EX flash. That was my first ever 'proper' attempt at people shots.
 
I think there are far to many getting hung up on "Official" these have just be officially released, e.g. Authorised to be shown...good god almighty what's the issue I don't get the impression anyone was trying to make out that they were done to professional standards, like any grandad I'm sure he only wanted so nice family memories, it just so happens that the country or at least a section of society is champing at the bit to see photos and any photos at that no matter the standard..plus a lot of people don't look at photos in the same way as a photographer would
 
MWHCVT said:
I think there are far to many getting hung up on "Official" these have just be officially released, e.g. Authorised to be shown...good god almighty what's the issue I don't get the impression anyone was trying to make out that they were done to professional standards, like any grandad I'm sure he only wanted so nice family memories, it just so happens that the country or at least a section of society is champing at the bit to see photos and any photos at that no matter the standard..plus a lot of people don't look at photos in the same way as a photographer would
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Those are the first officially release portrait photos of a future King.

They are the official releases. They aren't family happy snaps that have accidentally slipped out into the public domain.

For the former, they are complete and utter crap. For the latter, they are rather cute family snaps.
 
DemiLion said:
Those are the first officially release portrait photos of a future King.

They are the official releases. They aren't family happy snaps that have accidentally slipped out into the public domain.

For the former, they are complete and utter crap. For the latter, they are rather cute family snaps.
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I'm not saying they have leaked out, to say they are "complete and utter crap" all I can say is that's just charming, most photographer will see all the technical faults but I'm sure the vast majority of the general public wouldn't in fact I know they wouldn't because I see what the vast majority of my non photographer friends post to Facebook every day of the week

All they've done to my mind it taken some family photos better than a lot I've seen (from non photographers) but these photos are of interest to the public so they have decided to show them now they get ridiculed because they've not spent a fortune of a photographer...I can imagine it now "In these economic times how can they spend £25,000 for some baby photos" :bang: some people will never be happy, personally I say yes there are faults but they're nice enough and show what the public want to see
 
:bonk: I don't get the fuss either to be honest, they are family snaps - ok, the 'family' concerned has a far higher profile than most of us has, but seriously, does it matter if they are not 'perfect'? Half the nation spends its time moaning that the royal family aren't like us, then when they do something the rest of us do, the other half are berating them for it. :shrug:
 
Yv said:
:bonk: I don't get the fuss either to be honest, they are family snaps - ok, the 'family' concerned has a far higher profile than most of us has, but seriously, does it matter if they are not 'perfect'? Half the nation spends its time moaning that the royal family aren't like us, then when they do something the rest of us do, the other half are berating them for it. :shrug:
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Exactly :thumbs: I'd be happy if I had a baby photo of me that looked half a good as that
 
MWHCVT said:
I'm not saying they have leaked out, to say they are "complete and utter crap" all I can say is that's just charming, most photographer will see all the technical faults but I'm sure the vast majority of the general public wouldn't in fact I know they wouldn't because I see what the vast majority of my non photographer friends post to Facebook every day of the week

All they've done to my mind it taken some family photos better than a lot I've seen (from non photographers) but these photos are of interest to the public so they have decided to show them now they get ridiculed because they've not spent a fortune of a photographer...I can imagine it now "In these economic times how can they spend £25,000 for some baby photos" :bang: some people will never be happy, personally I say yes there are faults but they're nice enough and show what the public want to see
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Do try reading what's actually been written, rather than what you want to reply to.

The photos are the first official portrait of a future King. Ergo, they should have been shot to a professional standard.
Happy snaps can be released later, but the official shots should have been done properly.

As for a £25,000 cost of taking the portrait...

It wouldn't have costed the Royal Family a penny.
 
He's happy with the shots, their happy with the shots, Kensington Palace are happy to release them as official shots.........what's the problem.


We have all taken shots like that at some point in our life!
 
DemiLion said:
Do try reading what's actually been written, rather than what you want to reply to.

The photos are the first official portrait of a future King. Ergo, they should have been shot to a professional standard.
Happy snaps can be released later, but the official shots should have been done properly.

As for a £25,000 cost of taking the portrait...

It wouldn't have costed the Royal Family a penny.
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Says who? You?

Wouldn't have cost the royal family a penny? Your not suggesting that a professional photographer would do something for free are you? :D
 
I'm tempted to feel sorry for Mr Middleton. He takes some pictures of his new grandson, which almost anyone would do and before he knows it people are queueing up to say how awful they are.

That's life in the public eye, isn't it? One of Prince Andrew's daughters turned up to Kate and Williams wedding in a hat she thought was O.K. and look what happened then.
 
Yv said:
:bonk: I don't get the fuss either to be honest, they are family snaps - ok, the 'family' concerned has a far higher profile than most of us has, but seriously, does it matter if they are not 'perfect'? Half the nation spends its time moaning that the royal family aren't like us, then when they do something the rest of us do, the other half are berating them for it. :shrug:
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Exactly, damned if they do, damned if they don't
 
MWHCVT said:
Says who? You?

Wouldn't have cost the royal family a penny? Your not suggesting that a professional photographer would do something for free are you? :D
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Who says they should have been shot professionally? A tiny little thing called protocol.

As for the costings - all the Cambridge's needed to have done was give the photographer copyright and a full editorial release.
 
I'm just surprised Mr Middleton didn't post his photos on TP first for constructive critique and advice! :)
 
DemiLion said:
Who says they should have been shot professionally? A tiny little thing called protocol.

As for the costings - all the Cambridge's needed to have done was give the photographer copyright and a full editorial release.
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:lol: Oh Mark I am sorry, but protocol? Seriously? The whole point of the younger royals is that they are trying to break down some of the less needed protocols and 'traditions' that are out dated and unnecessary. Yes, there are some procedures and protocols that have to be kept and we would like to be kept but the first officially released pictures [as opposed to the first official portriat shots done by a professional] really needn't be one of them for a young more modern family.
 
I thought we weren't supposed to comment on people's pictures if they weren't here to defend them? Not seen the pics under discussion nor do I have enough interest in them to look for them - I dare say they'll be thrust in front of me on the news at some point...
 
Yves Geza said:
I'm just surprised Mr Middleton didn't post his photos on TP first for constructive critique and advice! :)
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I think you can exchange constructive critique for flamed.
Mind you there would still be the usual
"Great photo"
"Love it"
for accelerated classifieds access :D
 
i dunno - some poor pro has got to explain to spouse and kids tonight that no food on the table due to "Uncle Bobs..."....:exit:
 
as a side thought, there is also the possibility [and I do mean 'possibility'] that they don't want to do the formals yet, especially if sleeping isn't high on his agenda and rather than risk another pap with a long lens episode at any point, it was deemed easier to release a few family snaps now so there is little or less value in anything capture through the rear window of a range rover, or whatever. Like I say, just a passing thought that might have no relevance whatsoever.
 
stupar said:
I think you can exchange constructive critique for flamed.
Mind you there would still be the usual
"Great photo"
"Love it"
for accelerated classifieds access :D
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I'd expect someone to say "nice shot" and someone else to come back with "yes, they would be!" :D
 
Saw these pictures today and listened to the (positive) reactions of a few famous portrait photographers on the radio and lunchtime news. Then I wondered if, perhaps somewhere, there would be more critical opinions....

Bingo! :D
 
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Yv said:
:lol: Oh Mark I am sorry, but protocol? Seriously? The whole point of the younger royals is that they are trying to break down some of the less needed protocols and 'traditions' that are out dated and unnecessary. Yes, there are some procedures and protocols that have to be kept and we would like to be kept but the first officially released pictures [as opposed to the first official portriat shots done by a professional] really needn't be one of them for a young more modern family.
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You are missing the point Yv. That is the first official portrait!
 
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