Fantasy photoshoot, ney?

I did a recent photoshoot and I wanted the theme to be "butterflies" but I wasn't really sure how exactly I wanted the end results to be, so I just clipped paper monarch butterflies on her hair. (in this pic only 2 are visible, the other 2 flying around are photoshopped.)

While editing I came upon this shot and I thought it would be fun to have it be a fantasy shot & edit it to be that way, but I don't know if I did a good job...It feels like it's missing more.

I think for this to work the background needs some dramatic lighting as well, maybe try dropping exposure and upping sat some one the BG? No clue as I've never done anything like this. To my eye the BG doesn't lend anything to the surreal nature your going for.

The mixed lighting of the location is troublesome for this... and I agree with Chubbyone that the bg is distracting. A lower angle would have maybe helped as I think the trees are more interesting than the ground at her feet (which is what most of the background ended up being)

To me, the photoshopped butterflies are too fake looking

As to the question about sending the model the original or imagined shot, I would always send the original. You have to remember, these shots are supposed to be for her portfolio. I don't know a lot of models that would want the fairy dust and PS butterflies in them. It does nothing to show her which is the point of the portfolio.
Or you could just send both and let her decide if she wants the fantasy one for fun.
The image itself does not do much to lend itself to a fantasy feel. If you want to go fantasy, why not just scrap the lackluster background and go full on composite. You already did it with the butterflies and the sparkles. Why not go full on and make it whatever you want. The pose is not bad for a fantasy shot, just the background has no impact in that regard.

Good advice from above. It looks like she has a tattoo on her left wrist and maybe on on her right too. If the right one is some kind of processing artifact then I'd fix that. Also it looks like she might have a gap in her front teeth, if so then fine.

The pose could be better if she had separated her feet a little and raised her right heel and turned it outward. There's an old saying for posing - if you have two of them make them different.

The butterflies should be much larger if you want to go fantasy.

Qbx wrote in post #16800841
Good advice from above. It looks like she has a tattoo on her left wrist and maybe on on her right too. If the right one is some kind of processing artifact then I'd fix that. Also it looks like she might have a gap in her front teeth, if so then fine.

The pose could be better if she had separated her feet a little and raised her right heel and turned it outward. There's an old saying for posing - if you have two of them make them different.

The butterflies should be much larger if you want to go fantasy.

They're both tattoos on her wrist, and she doesn't have a gap between her teeth, I think the compression has made it look that way maybe?

I see what you mean about the pose, I didn't that about her feet aligned and looking the same. Her right heel is raised, but it would have looked much better to have her feet separated and one heel turned out like you said.

I used to not give posing directions at all, then I started understanding about arm placements and body, and now I will pay more attention to the feet .

I now understand what you all mean by the background not lending itself to turning this into a fantasy photo. I really liked the top of the trees and I didn't notice the ground was probably what I felt needed something, I think it's holding back the whole background from fantasy potential. For now I will leave it as original and send it to her like that, then when I have some time I will play around with changing the background and seeing if my vision will come true of what I had in mind!