S2

Janus,

This is in the portrait category. I will critique it as a portrait.

I think you could have focused a little better on her eyes. They are not in critical focus. You have a nice catch light in her right eye and a small one in her left eye. With the split lighting and little fill, I assume you wanted a dramatic effect. I think the way you have used eye contact and expression does give a very dramatic effect to her portrait.

Her right knee and left hand is brighter than her face. This draws attention away from her face. I do like her skin tones. The specular highlights and skin tone on her face is especially well done. You have done a nice job of using the rim light to help separate her from the background, but perhaps you should have used a small hair or backlight to her separate her even more. Her hair is really lost in the dark background. You have lost detail in her lace blouse. This might have worked better as a nude -- or apparent nude.

Do not pose your subject straight on to the camera. This is not a very feminine pose. Showing your subject’s widest areas (shoulder to shoulder or hip to hip) makes those areas appear wide. Your subject will appear thinner, more feminine and more graceful if turned at an angle to the camera. The lines you see from the side have more apparent motion, interest and grace.

It appears you want to show the shape of her bottom and hips. The way she is sitting back on her bottom with her legs drawn up to her chin makes her bottom and hips look very large and out of proportion to the rest of her. The lines of her hips are bulging out to the sides. It is not very complementary.

Avoid having the flat of the hand towards the camera. An open hand with the edge of the hand towards the camera is thinning, feminine and graceful. The little finger side of the hand photographs best because the smallest finger is towards the camera.

Be careful of foreshortening. Watch for anything closer to the camera than the body. Feet, knees, hands, elbows and shoulders will look out of proportion (larger than normal -- foreshortened) to the rest of the body, if they are in front of the body.

You have cropped very close to her toes at the bottom of the photograph (I do like her toenail polish). She needs a little more toe room. You need greater depth of field. You do not want any part of her body out of focus in this portrait. There is no reason for this. On the left sleeve of her blouse there is some sort of small bright reflection. You will want to get rid of it.

Nice shot,

Mark

Thank you for very good comments on my photos. They are very deep, and very straight. the problem is, I am not very straght photographer. And this is not fashion, or clasik portaits. In art photos, everything is about breaking the rules, knowing them in the same time :)

Thanx anyway,

Janus

Lovely model and very elegant composition. Regards, Frédéric.

I really like how you use light . Very good work and picture .

Regard Dan