Lesley

Jerry,

Lesley is an absolutely beautiful girl. You have focused very well on her eyes. She has excellent eye contact with the camera (viewer) and a lovely smile -- great teeth! Her skin tone is very nice. Your background is nicely neutral and she is very well separated from it. I love the highlights in her hair -- it looks very good with her skin tone. The composition and color saturation is very good.

Her make-up looks very good. I would have liked a little eyeliner under her eyes which would have made her pretty eyes stand out even more. Eyeliner under the eyes help to frame them.

You have two catch lights in her right eye. One catch light per eye is preferred. The ideal location for the catch lights would be at about the 10 or 2 o'clock position on her irises. To achieve this you want the main light to come from above, in front and to her side. Your main light is so close to the camera that there is very little modeling. The lighting looks quite flat. Judicious use of shadows on her face can help create interest and the illusion of depth within your photograph. You do have very good specular highlights on her lips.

The light hitting the top of her head washes out the color of her hair. I'm not sure it was really needed.

It looks like she is leaning on a posing table (bench). I would prefer a more natural looking prop. Some kind of real furniture would look better. Having her leaning on something, positioned behind it, makes her look like she is sitting at a bar and the viewer is positioned as the bartender. Be careful when having her lean on something. Her left shoulder is quite a bit higher than her right shoulder. I'm not sure I like having her hands cut off. Without her fingers showing they sort of look like stumps. Having her right arm bent that much make it bunch out on the side -- near her elbow.

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 and more feminine, graceful and elegant if turned at an angle to the camera. The lines you see from an angle have more apparent motion, interest and grace.

Your advertising (Photograph by Jerry Plemons) is not part of the photograph. You could appropriately place your name on the mat. Any advertising would be better placed on the back of the photograph.

Nice shot,

Mark