Diffuse

Thanks.

It is a beautiful, moody, and evocative image. Nicely done. Dan

The eyes really draw you in. Lush, dreamy, beautiful!

Danielle,

 

She is a very pretty girl. Her skin tone is very good. The background is nicely neutral. The compositional balance is excellent. She has very good eye contact with the camera (viewer) and her expression is pleasant. Her make-up is well applied.

 

I know you want this to look dreamy -- soft -- romantic -- sensual. I'm sorry, but for me it just looks out of focus. This just doesn't have the hazy look we used to get with vaseline on a filter in front of the lens.

 

Her nose is even more out of focus than her eyes. You wouldn't have your depth of field that narrow -- there isn't anything in the background to throw out of focus? The chain on her chest looks sharper than her eyes.

 

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 an angle have more apparent motion, interest and grace.

 

Your main light is coming from below her eyes. Notice that the dominant catch lights are below the center of her pupils. The name for this style of lighting is grotesque lighting. It has been (and still is) used in video and still photography to light vampires, werewolves, bad witches and other rather nefarious nocturnal nasties. Unless you are trying to make this girl out to be a very bad person, you probably should not use this lighting.

 

You have two catch lights in each eye. In a portrait one catch light per eye is preferred. If you have multiple catch lights, only one should be dominant. The lower ones are dominant, but not by much. The ideal position for a catch light is at the 10 or 2 o'clock position. To achieve this your main light should be above, in front and to the side of your subject. Be careful of reflections on the end of her nose. Notice that the whites of her eyes could be a little whiter. Your main light coming from below eye level is casting the shadow from her nose into her right eye. Her left eye also has some shadow in it.

 

Be very careful of spaghetti straps and neck chains. If you crop into them at the bottom of the photograph the viewer's eyes will go to them and follow them down and out of the picture. There is nothing on the bottom to stop then. One way to fix this would be to back up (zoom out) to include the top portion of her blouse (dress or whatever) and include where the chain(s) connect. This gives a natural place for the eyes to stop. You want to keep the viewer within the photograph.

 

Be careful of your Photoshop techniques. There are white areas around her left shoulder and around her hair -- kind of a hazy outline.

 

She is very pretty, but looks a little out of it. It sort of looks like a mug shot for the Police Gazette. A number across her chest would not be out of order. She really should tidy up her hair. It looks more in disarray from not being brushed than from being wind blown.

 

Good shot,

 

Mark

While I do agree with Mark in terms of focus (I think it could be a bit sharper) I think you should only listen to the rest of what he said if you want to take predictable, boring photos. His tips have a time and a place, but are not things that must be abided by all the time. Photo.net has enough boring photos. I like that you do things a little differently. Keep it up.

I like this very much just as is. Mark has some points for the tech side of things. I agree with Andrew in regards to you continuing doing what you feel.

Personally, I try to not abide by any rules, and just shoot whatever suits my desire at the time. I tend to think that the so called rules of composition and whatever others there are sort of put limits on one's creative eye.

 

Danielle, continue with what you are doing, it is very good.

 

Kind Regards, Todd