I stitched together 15 images and tried going for a filmy look. What can I do better?

Awesome user name!

I'm going to start by thinking that stitching (stacking?!?!) 15 images to get this sounds like a lot of work to go with this composition that is not compelling or strong. There's lots of dark, murky negative space in the background and behind your model that doesn't add to the image. Your model is not "doing" anything to engage us. I can't see that she is doing anything interesting...nor is she engaging the lens with her eyes or smile.

So, I don't see the value in the 15-image effort for this piece. Maybe, as your FlickR writings report, you're just not feeling the creativity and you're just pushing through these days on your 365 project. I really liked the fortune cookie shot and how you are writing about each picture in the project.

I hope to see more of your model engaging with the viewer. Thanks for sharing your concepts and welcome to POTN!

cpam.pix wrote in post #16623462
Awesome user name!

I'm going to start by thinking that stitching (stacking?!?!) 15 images to get this sounds like a lot of work to go with this composition that is not compelling or strong. There's lots of dark, murky negative space in the background and behind your model that doesn't add to the image. Your model is not "doing" anything to engage us. I can't see that she is doing anything interesting...nor is she engaging the lens with her eyes or smile.

So, I don't see the value in the 15-image effort for this piece. Maybe, as your FlickR writings report, you're just not feeling the creativity and you're just pushing through these days on your 365 project. I really liked the fortune cookie shot and how you are writing about each picture in the project.

I hope to see more of your model engaging with the viewer. Thanks for sharing your concepts and welcome to POTN!

Haha thank you! I thought I was very clever when I came up with the name. Hard to make something creative when so many people share the same name!

This shot was more as a test shot.. Before when I would try the Brenizer, I would take like 50+ shots, which was ridiculous to process.
I don't know what it is about this picture that I like so much though.. I think it's just the lighting that I really dig.
Do you think I should have cropped it a bit more to adhere to the rule of thirds and to take out some of that empty space?

Thanks for the warm welcome!

The background is very grainy.

I don't see that it adds to the image, & you could have had room to use a bounce card to fill her hair a little. Or maybe a hair light, so that you didn't have to use a (crappy) halo to separate her from the background, but I don't think that would work as well as a more subtle bounce from a card.

don't see the need for 15 shots when 1 would have done it nicely..I like/don't like the halo effect around her. looks neat and makes her stand out but looks "fake".. still a cool shot.

I'm not sure what the image is trying to say. First thoughts were someone mourning, or maybe someone sick on drugs? Not enough in the composition to tell me a story. I'd like to see less negative space on the right side and more of the model. Maybe she's holding a photo or memento of a loved-one, or something else that adds to the story.

The halo makes me think bad dodging in Photoshop; agree that a bounce card to give some separation to the back/inside hair would have looked more natural.

I assume you used Brenizer because you didn't have enough room to get the perspective you wanted. Technically, that seems to be well executed. And I don't mind the grain, I think it adds drama to the image. I think you're on a good track here and I'd love to see another attempt.