C&C on Senior Portrait

[thrumyeye]

I'm pleased with this photo, taken for a senior portrait. C&C please!!!

[Croasdail]

The image feels very neutral... and I think it is in part because of the lighting and the expression. One has to give in my book, and since you can't change his expression, perhaps a little more pop would bring it up for me. Overall it is good, but just feels like it needs that little bit extra umph. My 2 cents worth. Cheers.

[cgratti]

Add some contrast..

[thrumyeye]

The image feels very neutral... and I think it is in part because of the lighting and the expression. Once has to give in my book, and since you can't change his expression, perhaps a little more pop would bring it up for me.

That was my thoughts exactly. Does anyone have any suggestions for edits I can make to change this from just ordinary to a little more interesting? I know there's only so much you can do, once the photo is taken.

I like the increase in contrast by cgratti.

Anyone else wanna give it a go?

[joegolf68]

Seems to have too much wasted space, background, not sure that can be changed thouhg.

[Benji]

It is awfully wide for a head shot. With his arms spread so wide you need to crop this horizontally, but I think a horizontal head shot looks kinda strange, eh?

Benji

[Shutter22]

He looks disproportional. This needs a vertical crop badly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/dnllpg/Image1-1.jpg

Horizontal portraits can be good, but usually not for senior portraits. He looks a little bored, we need a smile! These are the best years of his life.

[StoopidGirl]

This might be one to convert into B&W, I suggest this because the warm tones are teetering on too much. The shirt, skintone and hair are all in the red family so I think B&W would benefit it.

[thrumyeye]

He looks disproportional. This needs a vertical crop badly.

Horizontal portraits can be good, but usually not for senior portraits. He looks a little bored, we need a smile! These are the best years of his life.

Good point. I'll try a vertical crop for it. I like what you did with the cropping. I do have some of him smiling. I'll try to post one later tonight to compare to this.

This might be one to convert into B&W, I suggest this because the warm tones are teetering on too much. The shirt, skintone and hair are all in the red family so I think B&W would benefit it.

Ahh, not something I noticed! THAT is why I post for C&C - another set of eyes (or 5 or 20 :p) to take a look. Thank you for this observation!!

[Hellashot]

It is awfully wide for a head shot. With his arms spread so wide you need to crop this horizontally, but I think a horizontal head shot looks kinda strange, eh?

Benji

I was going to add the same comment. How the original was posted made him look 4 feet wide with a small head. :)

[thrumyeye]

Here is one of him smiling, cropped portrait. I agree on the cropping.

C&C on this one?

[goforphoto]

Maybe a touch of masking would bring the focal point to the face , My eye is drawn to that terrible pattern of his shirt instead of the face.

[dmp-potn]

Hello,

I agree. Just say "no" to plad!

We always have our customers change if we see them step out in plad.

Nice photo besides that. :)

[Croasdail]

I like the smilling shot very much. I wouldn't loose the plad is that is who this kid thinks he is, just minimize it like shown. If I had to pick between the two, the second offering is much more warm to look at.

Why did you hold the smiling one out? I know he would prefer the tough guy look, but it is likely mom who is paying and they love to see their kids smiling.

[thrumyeye]

Why did you hold the smiling one out? I know he would prefer the tough guy look, but it is likely mom who is paying and they love to see their kids smiling.

Because it's the one moms and everyone else would pick. :D

I tend to lean towards the non-typical or non-popular type of photo.

That, and I felt the smiling one was nice and it's not as difficult to "pull off" a portrait where the subject smiles at you, as it is to achieve a serious look, along with the right tilt of head, look in the eye, etc. That's my opinion I guess, but that's why I originally wanted some C&C on that first photo.

And it's funny you say it's likely mom paying and wants to see her kid smiling. This mom called me with 2 wks to the school yearbook deadline for submitting senior portraits. She had to choose only one shot out of the 40+ proofs for the rush order, and she chose that very shot I posted of him smiling (after I had chosen it and posted it here.)

Thanks all for the advice and comments!