Faraway Eyes

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I like the photo. The tone gives it a softness and a serenity, and truly captures that faraway look.

 

Good image.

The title goes well with this image. I understand the need for softness in this portrait however I believe it's a bit overdone. I would keep it but reduce the over glow.

You emphasize this pretty girl's worst features in the most unflattering possible angle and lighting. The tonality is good, but this is a very unfortunate portrait.

I like the head and her left arm and the jewellery looks exotic. I can see from a composition pov why you have her right arm as it is but somehow the body language looks to me like she's worried about something. I am not sure what the alternative is though! I would crop a little down from the top too to make her hair fill the top right corner. I like the softness.

Beautiful shot ! I like it! Best regards !6/6

Great Shot!

It reminds me of the famous photographer Lartigue and his muse in the 30's. Your muse looks very similiar to her. They sell books of his work at Barnes and Noble. Most of the fashion shots on PN are so poorly styled, she has great accessories that give a lazy elegence to the image. I would just watch over whiten the eyes and did you and the blur or is that natural DOP?

 

Scott

Thanks for all the comments folks and the range of responses the image evoked whether good/bad/constructive.

 

Marco, thanks for your comment and for starting the ball rolling. I think you got what I was aiming for.

 

Eddy, the line is sometimes a pretty thin one when it comes to this stuff. I sometimes wonder if I overdo it with the softness. Personally it works for me here. It lends to the dream like state I was trying to capture. On the other hand when I learn a new technique I tend to go overboard and don't observe the boundaries, sometimes intentionally and sometimes absentmindedly. However some time later, I may look back and decide to modify the image and bring the softness down a notch or two. It's about restoring balance I guess and to know how to do it.

 

Mike, thanks very much for your opinion and having the courage to express it. I actually don't agree with you in the least about the angle or lighting being unflattering but I respect your opinion.

 

Colin, thanks for suggesting the lowering of the top border, I had considered that but wanted to some feedback on it. One of the things I like about the new series of images with her is the use of the accessories and ear rings she has been wearing.

 

Interesting you mention about the reading of the body language. On a different image of the same model, Amal Sircar and I had a dialogue about how tense or calm she may have been based on the her expression and body language. Turns out after asking her what she felt she said she was calm. Here, I don't recall that she was tense either.

 

The fact is though it doesn't matter whether she was calm, tense or otherwise - it matters what possibilities you can read from the image. The Faraway Eyes can convey tension and apprehension about things yet to come or a calm longing for something. Either way, I love to hear what people think about how the body language speaks to them.

 

Tina, thanks for stopping in. I always appreciate your visits.

 

Scott, I shall check out Lartigue's work at our version of BN up here. I am curious to see his work now. The original was likely shot at a low f-stop but I did do some added enhancements but didn't think I had over whitened the eyes. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

 

 

 

Good capture, did you use neat image or similar software?

Just PS Ray, thanks.

Amar,I echo Colin about cutting the upper part, and I wish the palm of her right hand was more present. light is nice and soft, and her look looks as if she is in her own world. Pnina

Thanks Pnina. I agree about the crop, I'm not sure about more of the palm showing - it's an idea. Thanks as always for stopping in.

I have two opinions about this one, Amar. I like the way the right forearm follows the line of the nose. This image flows for me...starting with the left shoulder, down the arm, up the other arm, and all around the image..., or vice versa, depending on whether you start from left to right or right to left. And again, the jewelry works for me. I see no "worst features" on this young lady...she is lovely and I wish I had the opportunity to photograph her. I like the light, too.

 

On the other hand, I sort of have to agree with some others regarding the blur/glow effect. I see what you're doing, and understand your reasons, I think, but I see this as a sort of introspective portrait. Introspection can be intense, dreamy, sad, dangerous, happy...many things to many people. I think with the blur/glow thing, you have limited this to only the "dreamy" interpretation...but that's just me.

 

 

 

Kim, thank you my friend for sharing your thoughts. I think you make an excellent point about the blur/glow thing steering the image more to the dream domain. One of the things I like about some images is the option for multiple interpretations. Perhaps bringing the blur down a bit would assist in that. Thanks for giving me something new to consider.