Is this over done high key?

Personally I think it's a little too much. Maybe high key but not so blown out!?!

I like the eye contact and the pose/walk

I need sunglasses to view this pic! Agree with reef though, the pose and contact is nice.

Yes. High key is more than just cranking the brightness up to 11.

Thanks for the responses. His right face was blown out so i just thought to change to B/W. Here's the color version.

I loved the pose and the eye contact so much that i wanted to save the photo by making it somewhat artistic and presentable.
And here's one where I got him away from the harsh afternoon sun..

Love the color version, it isn't distracting.

IMO , critiques can only improve your skills or drive you further into the things you like .with that said ,to me the picture is just overexposed .To lit a subject by the sun sideways can work if you have control over the light , not the case here .With film you could control the highlights in processing with digital you have to get detail there and consequently control or create your high key from there .The second picture is a better version since the boy is back lit .That creates a nice feeling that could be improved by a fill flash creating a very nice high key .That's only my opinion .

I'd crop it, bump the black point up, see how that looks.... I think the distracting part is the amount of surrounding space. But, warning, I'm no pro, so, that opinion is worth exactly what you paid to get it. (zero!)

JIA333 wrote in post #16575341
Love the color version, it isn't distracting.

Thanks!

ederphoto wrote in post #16577120
IMO , critiques can only improve your skills or drive you further into the things you like .with that said ,to me the picture is just overexposed .To lit a subject by the sun sideways can work if you have control over the light , not the case here .With film you could control the highlights in processing with digital you have to get detail there and consequently control or create your high key from there .The second picture is a better version since the boy is back lit .That creates a nice feeling that could be improved by a fill flash creating a very nice high key .That's only my opinion .

I agree with you and take all critiques to heart. For a paid shoot with assistant, I would totally have either a reflector or flash fill. However, it was just me and my son and we wanted to recreate a similar shot exactly a year ago. I appreciate the comment though.

S.Horton wrote in post #16577263
I'd crop it, bump the black point up, see how that looks.... I think the distracting part is the amount of surrounding space. But, warning, I'm no pro, so, that opinion is worth exactly what you paid to get it. (zero!)

BTW, the color shot is fine. Pose/framing etc matter more than some blown-out area, IMO.

I like your b/w version too, thanks!

Welcs ;}

Like the crop version really seems to bring down the bright light. Great pics though.