NCC3_149_005

Another portrait of this photo

session. Here, I've tried the

85/1.8 to get really tight dof.

Let me know what do you think

a where to improve. Thanks. V

ciao vincenzo, se posso esprimere qualche dubbio su questa foto.... dunque mi sembra che ci sia un problema con il punto di messa a fuoco. mi sembra di intuire che il focus sia sulla spalla e non sul viso, ne risulta che tutta la faccia è fuori fuoco

Vincenzo,

She is a very pretty girl. She has good eye contact with the camera (viewer). I really like her expression. There is a hint of sensuality in her smile. I like the specular highlights on her lips.

I wish the contrast was a little higher. Even the whites of her eyes look a bit gray. The background is nicely out of focus and she is somewhat separated from it.

Her make-up looks good, but a little eyeliner under her eyes would frame them and help to make them stand out even more.

One catch light per eye is preferred.

The pattern and the size of her earring really distracts from her face. It is drawing too much attention away from her.

I would like to see a little more directional lighting. It looks a little flat.

I would have given her a little headroom. Either crop into her head like you really mean to, or give her some headroom. You pretty much have a merger of her hair with the top of the frame.

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. By positioning the tip of her nose in the vertical center of the photograph you not only have her facing into the picture, but you have good left and right compositional balance. This little rule almost always works well. At least it gives you a good starting point from which to subtly adjust your composition to make it visually balanced.

You have focused on the eye nearest the camera, which is what you are supposed to do. Your depth of field is so narrow that her far eye is clearly out of focus. It is not supposed to matter if the far eye is somewhat out of focus if the near eye is in focus. The reasoning is that psychologically the viewer will consider the picture to be in focus if the eye nearest him or her is in focus. I'm not sure this is true.  I don't see a good reason to have any of her out of focus. An out of focus background is very nice and focuses attention on your subject. Parts of your subject out of focus will draw attention away from what is in focus. It is difficult to go wrong with having the entire subject in focus. This includes her far eye, the back of her head and her clothing.

I don't mind a sweep of hair across the eye, but you have multiple loose strands that are in front of her right eye. This being the only eye in focus makes it even more of a problem.

You may want to retouch any imperfections on her face.

It is quite proper to place your name and the date on the mat. You really do not need "Photo by". That is assumed. Outside the US, there may be a reason to put "©" on the mat?

Nice shot,

Mark

Great face first of all! Strong and sensual in the same time, a real Italian woman! That's how she looks to me!

PDE

Thanks Niki, Pierre and above all Mark.
Mark I really appreciate your comment. During this photo session held by the local Nikon Club, I and other photographer have the chance to phtograph some models, but actually wee don't have any decision on their clothing or jewellery.

Unfortunately when we're shooting it's never (or almost never) a single photographer that is working but a group of us, so we're in continous "fight" to get the model's eyes on our own direction.

About this photo I should say that probably it lacks of contrast, but what has hit me is this feeling of sweetness and beauty of that tone, more contrast should give a greater strength and drama, and that wasn't my intention. Initial composition was a landscape crop, but I've decided about this crop to completely fill the frame with her, btw, I was using the 85/1.8 and trying the greatest aperture to get the softest background, but I've realized that too much background was too much.

I'm not aware of the rule you've mentioned, "tip of the subject nose in the vertical center of the frame", I should try, but right now, with her body position, that composition shouldn't work, I'll have lot of room on her left and compo shouln't be so balanced like it seems to me. I've almost put the intersection of her nose with the line joining her eyes in the right upper third ant this is a rule that I usually follow.

Focus is really really tight, I've checked with View NX and strangely it says that the eye in focus is her left, the one that seems (is) soft. I know and try to have always the focus point on the subject eyes; in this light condition a such dof is a "mistake" because as you and Niki say the whole face is not clear and crisp. Again I was trying the lens and due the result I decided to post the photo. I tried the soften skin post processing but I don't like the wax effect I'm able to get, so I've passed it.

Finally about my signature, you're right that it's quite obvious but it's the signature that has followed me in this years and I'm still thinking about a new one. The copyright symbol just completes the signature. Any way, I really appreciate if you'll have chance to look to the other photo of this portfolio or the other and leave another precious comment.

Thanks, Vince

I believe that the 85mm is considered a "portrait lens" so this would be a good choice. I've been criticised and agree, that both eyes should be in sharp focus so I disagree with that comment above. Better to please all of the people all of the time not just some of them.

Beautiful portrait. A skillfully captured shot with a subtle sensual expression. To me, the hairs in front the right eye have enhanced the sensuality of the expression. BW tonality is perfect. I personally don’t want more contrast for this portrait. A little bit smoothness in the image may reduce the undesired faint white patches on the face. That may also enrich her attraction-value. In my opinion also, a little space above her head may help to increase the expressiveness of the composition. I’m not very sure about the thin white border of the photograph. It’s combating with attention-value of the main object. Lighting is good but a bit flat. Highlight is really good. Imho, there is no contradiction between sweetness of the image and dramatic light-effect. There is a difference of sharpness for the two eyes, and the critiques are of different opinion. Equal sharpness of focus for both the eyes – is not a universal rule for portrait making. But in this portrait the difference of sharpness may have reduced the total sensuality, which is an important factor here. On the whole this is a very good portrait to be studied. 6 . Best regards.

Lots of praise and discussions . . . . . . . . to me its just beautiful. Nice eyes, ear rings and the expression. Fantastic and I like it. All the best. Regards.

Dear Vincenzo, it is really unfair to separate this face from such exquisite jewelry. Please re-shoot sharper with an all-inclusive focus.  

Igor,

I shoot this photo wide open to test how the 85/1.8 performs. I'm going to finalize the purchase of this lens. Probably you're right that shooting also at f/8 instead of only at f/1.8 should have pleased everyone including you, but you know, it's hard to replicate photos once the moment is gone...

Cheers,

Vince

Hello

You have created a nice portrait of a beautiful girl.

Paul

I agree. It happens to me very often. The frame with the "best moment" is not the technically best photo and visa versa.