Girl with Balloon

Hello, Brooks! This is a very nice portrait, the face and the smile. Maybe this version could be useful (blur on the bottom of the picture is a little distracting), but...you will need a different title...:-)

The balloon seems too bright somehow...

I think you should keep the balloon. Maybe a little more space to the right would be better and maybe not. Regards, Baldur

Baldur,

 

I agree with you; there should be more space on the right side of the print. The problem is her 6-year-old brother who pushed into the frame just as I snapped the picture. I have only about 1/3 of him in the frame. So, I cropped him out in the print that I made in the darkroom. You can still see just a little of his dark jacket in the very lower right hand corner of the photo.

 

Here is a scan of the full negative. As you can see, I have done extensive cropping.

 

A candid photo taken as this young lady and her brother were at play.

This was my first use of Ilford Pan F+; I like the tones this film

gives. This photo was taken mid-morning on an overcast February day.

Brooks,

 

Thanks for the email!

 

In the uncropped version of the photo you just posted, the balloon actually looks just right. I wonder if it's an optical illusion stemming from the balloon now being in the middle rather than the edge of the picture?

 

If you get a second, check out my stuff. I'd like to know what you think.

 

- Erik

Usually there is a good reason for photographer´s framing or cropping like in this case. Nice image. Regards, Baldur

Brooks, nice tonality and a lovely expression. I think, however, that she could do with a bit more space; not just to her left but at the bottom as well. The cropped fingers are a bit distracting. A shame about the little brother...I know just how you feel ;).

Brooks, I think removing the brother a little more would really work. There isn't anything wrong with an off center image or parts of a body being trimed out of the shot but its your call. great pic and by the way I also like GS's suggestion as well.

 

Lovely expression. The lack of space on the right is preferable to the uncropped image. The balloon looks OK to me.

No Cropping. Nice shoot.

I'm with Lei, no cropping. Great separation of tones and the young lady is beautiful. Your shot is so sharp for 1/60 hand held at only f4 that I am starting to suspect I have Parkinson, or something like that. It could be Pilsner.

Lovely girl with an unique smile. Sharpness, DOF and tonality are just great!. Excellent work.

nice subject & sweet smile. however, a higher shutter speed would've eliminated the distracting blur. also, definitely go for a tighter crop; my eye doesn't know what to do with the extra space. great photo for a candid shot.

I'm with the keep the balloon gang and with the cropping fellows. So in resume I think you did a very fine enlarging job with your negative. It is true, as you and others said that it needs space on the right (maybe if there wasn't too much on the left). On your cropped version it is visible that there is "something" which forced you to the crop.

 

I find the blur and the slight overexposure on the balloon appealing.

 

Sweater wool and wooden door (uncropped version) rendered very good. Have you tried a version with a tight crop on both sides but with more space on the top. Regards, Cristian.

 

I think you made the right choice when you cropped the picture as show. The detail is great - I particularly like the look of her hair. Capturing natural expressions like this is wonderful.

Perosnally I like the crop without the baloon. The pic is good as well as the tones.

excellent !, If you study it long enough you get used to the empty space top left corner. I think hands must stay in the shot. Great smile from the girl, you caught her just right and looks very natural !

I think your use of cropping is great, and the lighting on her hair and left side is fabulous. Wish Michigan weather was like that in February! :) Great capture!

The cropping could be tighter, and I feel the photo would have been more technically proficient had you taken it from the same height that she was standing from. alternatively crop it so she is on the left. However that would require replacing the background.

Lovely smile. Thanks to her brother this is a photo with the highest number of cropping comments.

I like all ofthe sugestions but in the end I think stay with the original but darken the botom half of the ball and her hands I like the blur.

Brooks ... I appreciate your visits to my portfolio. This is my favorite ... and it sure resulted in a lot of discussion. My first photography involved a lot of time in the darkroom ... good to see there still are some purists out there!

Lovely!

Lovely smile. You should take more photos of her.