Silvia

Ciao Carmen.

Ottimo lavoro.

Carmen,

I will critique this as a portrait, not art, beauty or fashion photography because it is in the portrait category.

Silvia is a pretty girl. You have focused well on her eyes. She has applied her make-up very well. I like the evening make-up. It is appropriate for her apparel -- it appears to be an evening gown.

This almost looks like a photograph of a dead bush with a pretty girl behind it. The bush is in the foreground and takes up so much space that it has become the subject of your photograph.

The skin tone is too light. You need to warm it up.

The contrast is too high. You have lost detail in the lights and darks.

Sleeveless clothing in head and shoulders portraits can cause problems. You want the viewer’s eyes to go to the subject's face without constantly jumping to her arm or shoulder. You do not want her face to compete with any other light areas in your photograph.

If not making eye contact with the camera (viewer), the eyes should follow the line of the nose. It is natural to look where your head is pointing. Silvia appears to be looking to the right of where her head is pointed. If looking off to the side you should show what she is looking at or provide a reason that she is not looking where her head is pointing.

Her light toned right arm is at the edge of your frame. The viewer's eyes will go to it and be taken out of your photograph. It is usually best to have darker tones at the edges of the photograph to keep the viewer within the photograph.

Silvia is posed almost straight on to the camera. 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 subject should have more room in front of her than behind. This allows her to be facing into the picture, not out of it. You want to compositionally balance the left and right sides of the photograph. The compositional "rule" for this suggests that you position the tip of the subject's nose in the vertical center of the photograph.

The lighting looks rather flat. Judicious use of shadows can add interest and an illusion of depth within your photograph.

Her eyes need catch lights to give them life. To me, her expression gives me the impression she is a little tired or bored. She certainly appears to be thinking about something other than the viewer.

The advertising that has been printed all over the photograph (a web address) is not part of the photograph. It does not belong on it. At best, it draws attention away from Silvia.

Nice shot,

Mark