#BTLcritique
Ok – feel free to bring on the critiques…. I have my thoughts already, I am interested to see what others might think..
Equipment:
Alien Bees B800 x1
44" Umbrella
Nikon D100
85mm F1.4
Feel free to tear it apart….. it will help both me and others learn to be better photographers…
I think the photo is fine! I wonder if you were going for a kind of sad look on the model or one more sexy, sultry type look. To me her face looks sad her dress appears more sexy so I cant tell for sure where your going. Does that make any sense?
What's there to tear apart?
Nice simple and clean, not much to say about the image one way or the other. I agree with +Ryan Thompson, she doesn't look very happy.
Sad could be sexy
+Hugo Paniagua my wife would agree with you!
I think the pose and expression captured are great. Overall the lighting is good, but the angle or exposure makes the face look a little flat – the nose almost disappears completely. The colors don't have a lot of contrast (I wish her eye shadow popped more, but my main issue is the hair and clothes blend too well). The style of the model has me assume this is a head shot or glamour shot, so the detail of some stuff (saliva? lip gloss?) between her lips detracts from the polish.
Overall it's a pleasure to watch this photo, it really is — she's very pretty and the execution is very good.
I agree, though, with +Ryan Thompson and +Hugo Paniagua — there is a contrast in emotion, and that is not your fault. I am not a pro photographer, but even a child can read basic emotions from a face.
Look at that: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/411/mouthd.jpg/ — it screams sexy.
Now look at that: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/820/eyesm.jpg/ — see the difference?
Like you I am a rookie but this shot looks great
+Dameyn Parr thanks….
+Paweł Mucha cropping always can make a huge difference….
+Eric Z that lips issue is one think I have issues with….. its a do not shoot models with chapped lips scenario
+Hugo Paniagua that it can….
+Eddy Bogus not always about being happy…
+Ian Ginzberg there is always something……
+Ryan Thompson I guess a bit of sad or disappointed and still sexy….
Lol… Nicely done, good sir!
+Brent Burzycki — yup, it can. I'm not trying to tell you that you should crop the way I did, 'coz it's simply wrong.
I cut it only to emphasise the difference between what the lips say and what the eyes say, that's all.
+Paweł Mucha Cropping in general is one of the hardest decisions most of us face.. first to crop or not and then to crop to achieve something that was not intended in the first image taken…
Sometimes it will work and other times it will not.. I think most important is getting people to think about what they are doing both before and after taking the shot…
+Chuck Jackson thanks Chuck…
I like the pose and overall lighting(highlights on hair), did you use a white seamless background?
+Subra Govinda this was just up against a white painted wall…
Nice work, that stray bit of hair on the LHS i would clone/fix.
I like this photo a lot, mainly because the pose is very attractive. Your model is very lovely, and I'd like to see her eyes a little better. I think if you have the model give a sultry look towards the camera, that would be a more interesting image. That is, of course, personal preference, though.
The only serious critique I have is the white balance. The background looks grey. I'm guessing this is a white balance issue because the rest of the photo has a bit of a tint on the warm side, which would also make the white background grey. I'd suggest cooling the image just to the point that the background is white and see if you like the resulting skin tones. (I actually tried it in Lightroom and loved it.) The WB is really the only thing I would change, though. Thanks for posting. Nice work.
Thanks +David Wynn – David Wynn Photography …. honestly I have never been a stickler for wb…..probably my own failing….but I do process the heck out of some images and the cast your talking about is from that I assume…..thanks for taking the time to critique…
Shoulder-level headshot probably intended to focus on her expression and physical attractiveness.
This photo says a great deal by what is lacking from the expected (eyes, direct look, expression etc) – Here is what it says to me.
I see about three or more layers of expression and meaning. For one, we see a well presented and beautiful model. She is probably sitting right across from someone who is interested in her, but is not looking far enough (or she is not letting him look far enough). He can see her physical beauty, but cannot access her. But being that she is made-up and dressed to attract, I think that the story is even more layered.
She is looking away from the camera and her mind is far far away from what is happening right now – maybe she is wishing things were different (justification for the lacking shine in the eye or direct look).
If I can venture a guess, the picture tells the story of a break-up. Either her object of affection is breaking up with her and she is still digesting it (or refusing to react), or they are in a relationship but her heart is elsewhere although she is going through the motions in the present.
+Donny Nyamweya ok – that wins for most thought into one of my photos this week….
Thanks for that…. goes to show trying to tell a story can work….
I'm no pro but I think this shot is great!! I do like what Pawel did with the cropping to point out the contrast between what they eyes are saying vs the lips. But overall I have to say this is a wonderful image in my eyes. Great shot.
After careful observation, here goes:
Pro: I love the expression. There's a mix of daydreaming and contentment. The off frame gaze works very well here. Her pose is relaxed as well, lending to her expression. I like the warmer colour too,
Cons: There's something (saliva?) on the left side of her mouth, bridging the lips.
The cleavage shadow looks too "soft", however that may be an artifact of the lighting (I'm assuming it's not natural light? Looks like a gold reflector?), but it may also be accentuated by the bright spot just below her neck, on the collar bone area.
Beautiful model, great shot. 🙂
Is it bad that I feel weird critiquing a photo of yours, when you're so much better than I? 🙂
+Dave Rich not critique away…. there are valid points from all sides and all levels of viewer……
Composition and is expression are good. I would work on lighting a bit. Another accent or kicker would have brought out more depth and the background is over exposed leaving the hair jagged. I would work a little more on post. Remove the spit, color correct and bo a light dodge and burn pass. That is just what I would do 😉 All around good composition, model, and expression.
also I would put your website below the image because it is not readable the way you have it place there.
+Brent Burzycki , I like this natural shot, the lowered off centre gaze of the model (make you wonder what she's thinking) it brings out the highlights of her hair.
Please let me know if I am doing this OK – I have only just joined BTL Critique and really don't want to annoy anyone 🙂
+Peta Warren works for me… as I look at it – if you take the time to put up a critique, I am thankful for the time and effort.. so it is far from annoying… and the items you said are what I am looking for – I like to know what people see when they see an image…..
+J.D. Closser thanks.. yeh watermarks are the controversy of the year it seems – how to show them, etc… – its never easy and sometimes I just throw together the image for the post and forget to select the wht or grey or black version based on the image colors to try not to stick out yet be visible….
I agree with +Jason Wichman on pretty well all points, so consider this a back up of his points as well as an addition of new ones.
I feel that you've done a pretty good job with lighting/exposure and the overall impression quality-wise is great – not amateurish. I do find myself struggling to like the left side of the shot though, and I think that's because it feels unbalanced to me. The left seems overloaded a little and dark. The middle third of that side is quite distracting as it seems to rob the model of some femininity in that we don't see her neck. I think it's important for the neck to look as long as slender as possible (when possible) as it's considered an attractive trait.
Working with what you've got, I'd love to see this shot with about 15% removed from the left and added back on to the right to keep your proportions, include her whole right shoulder, get rid of the dark area and perhaps creating a more compelling portrait by moving the subject further from the frame's center. What do you think?