portrait Paula

The guidance on model portraits seems to be to blur everything that would bely age.

In this well-cropped, well-lit, well-composed portrait of a lovely woman I think you've gone just a tad too far - especially in the chest and neck areas. 

Just my humble opinon -

Alberta

Great shot, but way too much blur - it looks like you used a greasy lens on the shot. Remove the smearing and it will be a stellar shot.

Blake,

You have focused well on Paula's eyes. Her skin tone and make-up are very good. I like the contrast and color saturation. The background is nicely neutral and she is well separated from it. She has very good eye contact with the camera (viewer). Her expression works well in this photograph.

It's hard to wrong with such a beautiful girl as Paula. The blurring doesn't bother me as much as it does some others, but I can see some things that could be improved.

Don't tilt your camera. It is usually just a gimmick that some photographers use because they think it makes their portraits look different. It is sometimes used (or overused) in fashion shots to draw attention to something. It is hardy ever used well, or for a good purpose, in portraiture. It also hardly ever enhances a portrait. It just makes your subject look off balance. Unless there is a very good reason to tilt the camera the photograph will look quite amateurish -- unprofessional.

Notice the neckline of her top. The viewer's eyes will go to the “V” formed by the sides of the neckline and follow it down and out of the photograph because there is nothing there to stop them. If you would back up a little (zoom out) you could include where the "V" or neckline comes together. This would give the viewer's eyes a stopping point and the neckline would frame her neck. 

Cropping this far into her head calls for a very tight crop on the bottom to compositionally balance the image. Your composition is very top and right heavy. It appears you were trying to do more of a beauty/fashion/editorial type shot than a portrait. You don't mention that your intent is anything other than for this to be a portrait. It is in the portrait critique area so I must assume it is intended to be a portrait. That said, I would turn her body at more of an angle to the camera. 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.

Paula has two catchlights in her eyes. It is especially noticeable in her right eye. One catchlight per eye is preferred.

She has very nice backlighting -- I really like the highlight in her hair -- and she does have some shadow area on her neck, but the lighting on her face and chest look quite flat. Judicious use of shadows can add interest and help to create a nice illusion of depth within your photograph.

Nice shot,

Mark