Mary (printed or no)

took this one yesterday. just wanted to see if it's worth getting printed.

Bill

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RHS of the face looks odd to me, too much shadow and the colour not quite right.

geoffpowell wrote in post #6279232
RHS of the face looks odd to me, too much shadow and the colour not quite right.

I agree, Bill, there is something very off with her right side?( proper left really)

I really don't wish this to seem like a comment on the subject (model) but the shadow on the right (as we look) side is casting some strong shadows across her eye, making it appear "strange", which in turn is affecting the overall feel of the photo.

TJ

geoffpowell wrote in post #6279232
RHS of the face looks odd to me, too much shadow and the colour not quite right.

Flo wrote in post #6279251
I agree, Bill, there is something very off with her right side?( proper left really)

TeeJay wrote in post #6279325
I really don't wish this to seem like a comment on the subject (model) but the shadow on the right (as we look) side is casting some strong shadows across her eye, making it appear "strange", which in turn is affecting the overall feel of the photo.

TJ

thanks alot for the critics really. i guess it's back to the drawing board. at least i'm learning what i'm doing wrong. will keep an eye out for the shadow next time.

Bill

Was the smudge tool or airbrush used instead of cloning? I'm not sure what happened... but there's very little detail in her face, which makes the close up very off to me. I want texture.

I'm going to be the odd man out here in that I do actually like the lighting here. I think it's a little "different", but sometimes different is good. I also like the pose and the framing/composition as well.

The issues I would address here are that first the eyes do need to be a bit sharper...on my monitor at least, they look a tad soft. Also...and granted, this is a little subjective, but I would go in with the clone tool and smooth out those "imperfections" a little, particularly on her chin. Not to be rude and certainly nothing against the model but I find that small "dent" there a little distracting. Every time I look at the picture, my eye seems to wander straight back to her chin.

Peace,
Jim

Walczak Photo wrote in post #6280446
I'm going to be the odd man out here in that I do actually like the lighting here. I think it's a little "different", but sometimes different is good. I also like the pose and the framing/composition as well.

The issues I would address here are that first the eyes do need to be a bit sharper...on my monitor at least, they look a tad soft. Also...and granted, this is a little subjective, but I would go in with the clone tool and smooth out those "imperfections" a little, particularly on her chin. Not to be rude and certainly nothing against the model but I find that small "dent" there a little distracting. Every time I look at the picture, my eye seems to wander straight back to her chin.

Peace,
Jim

For the most part, I agree with Jim. I like everything except the composition. I think a tight crop on her right side would be better. I think, over all, the image is a well-intentioned low-key portrait. Indeed artful

I tried to darken the right side, not sure it worked.
Hope you didn't mind.
Sam

thanks guys for the input. i didn't use any smudge or cloning on her chin at all. and not a problem Sam. you only trying to help me here. any way i went back and clone out those dimple on her chin. am i getting closer yet.

Bill

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The expression of her mouth is what ruins it for me. I have no idea what she's saying, and the rest of her face doesn't portray any sort of emotion to help me figure it out.

I dunno... Maybe it's her make up... but her skin texture looks unnatural to me. Maybe I'm the only one that thinks so, since everyone else is distracted by something else.

I agree with some comments here, i.e. I don't think the lighting is flattering to the (her) left side of the face. Her expression is awkward, but maybe you want it that way. I'd be against cloning out her dimple... since it's her feature, not an imperfection. I would, though, give her a dental cleaning and whiten her teeth.

First thing I thought of when I saw this, however, is that this photo isn't for print... it looks more like a desktop wallpaper.

Sorry... I don't mean to sound like I'm just criticizing (but I a fellow Pham, so I hope you can forgive me)

The shadow from her upper lip which is projecting to the right makes it look like there is an additional mouth to the right. It's an optical illusion caused by poor control of lighting.

I believe that lighting should by controlled so as to contribute to 3-dimensionality or to create a mood or both, but it has to be controlled skillfully and artistically.

There is also too much tonal merger between her hair and the background - again an issue over control of lighting.