Lisa

Mark:

I think this is a very engaging portrait. I might have been tempted to crop the pic above her head (not sure what it contributes) and perhaps the space on the lhs of the pic.

Just my thoughts.

Well done.

Dave D

Interesting thought Dave.

I cropped it as you suggested and I do think it makes it a bit more intimate.

Great tip.

Ironically, I actually think it's more intimate without being cropped. Having a sense of her in the room and in the space seems important here, as the mirror also provides a presence additional to her own. For me, this photo's intimacy doesn't reside just in her as a subject. It resides in her engaging her own reflection while also seeming to engage me, the viewer, at the same time. I think the room behind her, allowing the light to play on the wall above her, adds some presence and some room for thoughts and imagination to wander. That being said, things that often distract others add dimension to a photo for me and I can sometimes definitely be in the minority, so you'd have to go with your own gut instincts on that. As far as cropping, I'm not suggesting this but just noticing that if you cropped away the back of her head, it would be less obvious that she's looking in a mirror and would change our perception of her gaze greatly. Again, not suggesting you do that. It's just another instance of how much a crop can alter a photo and what we might think we're seeing. Photos are so much more about appearances than about so-called reality, at least on some level.