Colleen 4233

I don't think a vertical crop works for this picture. At least not with the

amount of torso shown. The horizontal format offers more environment,

more landscape. A vertical crop (within the vertical dimensions given) is

too confining. Opinions?

I think that the crop is fine. The distraction for me is the timber behind her. It's too sharp - hit it with a bit of blur perhaps? She looks great face on.

A very attractive model, caught with an almost wistful, slightly enigmatic look. About your choice of crop alternatives, did you think about a square crop? It's a pity that the woodwork (although with lovely colours and detail) is so close behind her and thus completely in focus, for it is a distraction for me too. Anyway, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words.. forgive me for attempting to say what I was picturing with a picture..... best wishes ~ mike>

 

Please feel free to delete this entire post if you so wish. I did this on a laptop just using a mousepad, so the edgework is not quite there.

Mike, don't worry about deleting your comment. I won't do that, at least not for reworking one of my pictures. If someone writes something obscene, slanderous or otherwise objectionable, that's different, but the reason I put the picture in the critique forum is for feedback.

 

Regarding the boards, I see what you both are saying. I hadn't really considered the wall that objectionable. The pattern is busy, that's for sure, but its sharpness is an illusion (see above). Mike, your rendition works powerfully to put all the attention on Colleen. Maybe, for a more subtle solution, I can change the color of the boards and that would do something as well? I'll play around and report back.

 

I'm surprised the square crop did not come from you, Jeff.

Here are a couple of options, above, with reduced color in the wood work. I only used a little blur. I think I'd rather reshoot it with Colleen a little further away from the wall than try as much artificial blur as we see in Mike's rework. At least right now. I may change my mind in 20 minutes. But, again, I don't really object to the original, although the colors seem to compete more than the depth of field... which is why I'm trying this color replacement option, first.

Note: there's nothing wrong with your monitor. The bottom two aren't that much different from each other.

Nothing wrong with the original though I tend to favor a more square format. When in doubt I seem to move to a square. One of nature's safest formats. Simple and nice background for a lovely face and hair and coloring. gs

Doug, it did occur to me that a square would be nice but I resisted the temptation to mention it.