family portrait 2

thanks for your time

This is an innovative idea, executed in a mediocre fashion. I think there are too many distractions/focal points built into the picture - firstly, why so many toys?! Also, this soft look and lack of a powerful contrast doesn't help the shot to be as striking as it should have been: it took me a few precious seconds to notice the syringe. The kid's face is also too camouflaged in the lower left corner. The woman's left foot also seems to be burned out - if this was intentional, I don't follow; if not, it needs to be corrected and the viewer's eyes need to be lured to the syringe.

Anyhow, I think you could take this and make it more powerful, if you would sit down in front of it for an extra half an hour. :)

I think the clutter speaks to the discord created by addiction. The fact that the child is lost in the clutter only reinforces it. This woman is in her own world. Completely disconnected from reality. Even though the highlights on the woman are blown out, they help to separate her from the rest of the scene. And the whole face-disconnected-from-her-head thing does a pretty good job of steering focus toward the syringe.

 

If I have one complaint, it's that, compared to the fist Family Portrait, the processing in this one feels a bit muddy, with a slight green cast. It doesn't feel quite as crisp.

 

Otherwise, you have a great series here. I hope you're working on a third.