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Sorry, PT, but for me this one really does not cut it. Theme fit I don't see - it's not because we got some kind of eyes in the shot that I like or see the theme fit.

 

Photographically the blob top left is distracting and needs cloning out. The shadows, particularly under the chin and ear, are disturbing. The framing of the head is too tight on top and left - I can see a composition where you cut off some top and left but then you need to cut off a lot more.

 

If I were to do this (which I would not, but heck...) I would try diferrent light. If this is like in a museum where you can't set up your lights I would use some fill flash to ease those harsh shadows. Compositionally I would leave some breathing space above and left - but that's a personal choice.

 

Sorry for being harsh - perhaps I am missing something obvious here? If so, my apologies. Certainly no harm intended, and thanks for posting anyway. And feel free to disagree!

 

Regards,

 

Tom

I have to agree with almost everthing Tom says. The only thing I don't mind is the crop. It's nice to see a "less traditional" crop on a portrait.

Onyo-

Onyo, yes and no on the crop. I agree with you that it's nice to se something less traditional. But in my book, if you go for non-traditional, one should go all the way, not just a little, like is the case here.

 

Just an opinion of course, feel free to disagree,

 

Tom

When I first saw the thumbnail for this photo, my gut reaction was "Ooh, nice." My gut doesn't usually say things like that without some reason, though the reason isn't always apparent to me on further reflection (and sometimes I decide my gut is just plain wrong). In this case, I think my gut was responding to the color, texture, and, yes, the composition. I don't actually find it to be all that unconventional--just a little more off the bottom and right and the focus of this portrait falls just about on the old rule o' thirds grid. I'm not big on rules as a rule, but it works for me in this case.

 

I agree about the blob and the shadows (I like where the shadows fall, I just wish they didn't fall quite so hard). To add one more picky thing, Is that nose a little soft?

 

The theme fit seems clear enough to me, though I wonder if perhaps I'm being too literal about it (I just discovered PT this afternoon, so I don't have much experience judging theme fit).

I do like the crop of this photo. Maybe that I would even have went with a tighter crop on the top and left.

 

Regarding the theme fit, the only fit I can see is the fact that this statue has eye but they see nothing. Maybe a little too much literal, but the theme this month is so hard.