The Phantom

Something I really like about this photo is the little actress in the

background. But as taken, is she TOO far in the background and

lost?

 

I like this original, but my judgment may suffer from being too close

to it.

Nice color, great expression, you caught this one just right.

Sam this is a wonderful shot. Maybe to get more out of it you might darken the background in PS or try cropping it on both sides. Thanks for sharing.

Many thanks. Something I take from the ratings and comments is that many people perceive the background as adding very little. I really love the background, but I think I'm going to do some prints that are more heavily cropped and play with the background a bit and have a different version for some uses.

 

Again, thanks for the comments!

I have been back to this photo several times in the last couple of days. I cannot understand the ratings on it. The background just about makes this photo for me. Its the little girl actress with the shadowy background of other 'players' and part of the set for the play. Its all entirely delightful. Did you say shooting through a glass? and so the slight bit of softness. That does not bother me at all either. Its like the little lady is perhaps living a dream of becoming a grand actress. I bet if this girl becomes as famous as Shirley Temple you will have a runaway best seller on your hands. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, this is one of my personal favorites from my own shots for all the reasons you identified, so it has been very interesting to me that for most the shot doesn't do it (and I note that a number of the people who have rated this with 3s or 4s are people whose opinion I respect). I have done a separate crop of just her, without the "phantom" in the background, and I will post it sometime to see how it compares for ratings purposes. Should be interesting.

 

There was a large glass "window" to stage left, and that is what I shot through; I think it caused some dispersion of the flash, so the girl in the back and the set have gotten less flash than they otherwise would have.

 

 

I think it's the left side in the background that falls flat in this composition. I like out of focus girl in the background and think you should keep her, but I don't like the left side and find it too distracting. Cute expression!

I like this photo in that you do a good job of capturing the right moument and creates an even glow across the little girl, and a unique hard-to-capture environment. The background however is just a little... hinky. On the right side the background, with the other little girl is fantastic, although a smideget dark and too in focus, but that OK. However, on the left side the backgrounds seams random, and orbitrary making this photo look a bit like a snap shot. Overll the photo is good, just a little bit of minor cropping is needed. And perhaps next time you could try a wider lens and step in closer to help isolate the girl from the background. But thats just a suggestion.

Keep shooting.