Critique please...

[carseasoncity]

Took these for a friend. She loves this one. I would like some opinions on what I could have done different. I posted the original as well as the photoshopped one. It's midnight sepia. Thanks!
Brandi

[Redfish]

Great pose and PS with the midnight sepia. With this effect I would consider cropping a little tighter meaning not so much of her dress. Your model has done a great job - relaxed and posed like a pro!!!

[cdmonkey]

Great picture, makes me want to have a go at one like it. I agree that something should be done with the dress at the bottom, if not cropping then painting over it with black to fade it out.
Love the light and colour, her face has the feel of a classic painting.

Carl

[thrumyeye]

I really like this! The effect of the midnight sepia is great on this photo. Great job on the original and the PS. The lighting was well done also.

[carseasoncity]

Thank you for the great comments! I was really starting to get discouraged with some of the shots I was getting. I know photography is subjective, being an art form, but it's nice to get some good feedback. I think I'll keep trying.:)
Brandi

[gjl711]

I love the color on the first and agree with others that blacking out the dress would add to the pic. The color, pose, prop, lighting fit so well together and remind me of a old oil painting. Great pic. :)

[MALI]

How do you get the midnight sepia effect?

MALI

[wu_wei0]

i'll agree with the comments on the dress- at least find a way to make it a little less distracting.
Love the photo overall. Has a Mona Lisa-esque/old world painterly feel to it with the midnight sepia and the lighting.
superb

[radloser]

i think it's cute. without more light, the first is my choice. not really my style, but i may have her maybe smile more or even laugh as she's holding it.

[joegolf68]

I am getting better I guess, as I thought the dress should have been cropped out, even before I read the other comments. She sure poses well.

[wu_wei0]

I am getting better I guess, as I thought the dress should have been cropped out, even before I read the other comments. She sure poses well.
I haven't tried it out, but I don't know if I'd do a drastic crop. . . I rather like the idea of there being some anchor, rather than simply a floating head. and torso However, darkening it there some would at least be a place to start. I do like the light on and texture of the fabric

[carseasoncity]

I couldn't crop the dress out because I wouldn't be able to get it to print as a 4x6 print unless I'm doing something wrong. Does this look better? I just burned the dress out up to the bodice. I'm not sure if it looks okay. Here is another of the same shoot. This wasn't a planned shot. I was shooting the mother to give the little girl a rest and she started playing dress up with my props. In the second picture she actually has on an old grey wig.:) When I told her to sit behind the picture frame she struck the pose in the second picture. I really like it but I've never done selective color before, and I'm not sure I like it. Please comment. Thanks!
Brandi

[Hellashot]

No comments on the shot, but the first 2 posted look underexposed.

[MALI]

I couldn't crop the dress out because I wouldn't be able to get it to print ...

No, no, no..... Do not crop it at all.. I have no idea why those who said the dress is distracting and must be cropped. Not at all. Your original crop is perfectly fine. To crop the dress like they suggest would make it look quite strange and completely ruin this otherwise beautiful shot.

MALI

[wu_wei0]

I'm happy you did not crop. THe burning of the dress does it for me. very nicely done!

[Pete]

To my own mind, I prefer the first shot in this thread, with the dress intact, it gives a nice feel for foreground and leading into the frame.

The only thing I'd work on is a fairly obvious scrape/scab on the girl's elbow. Should be fairly easy to clone that one out.

[samsen]

Well done.
Nothing much is needed or to be added.

[philbyuk]

the crop just doesent work for me..i much prefer the original pp with the dress in, fills the frame better and the other one just leaves her floating in the frame

[cdmonkey]

have to agree the crop dosnt work for me, I would still like to see a version with a slight bit of darkening a the bottom but not much, just feels a little clean outside the frame.

Carl