Nora 9580 (cropped)

I'm wondering if cropping this portrait was the right choice. See the

first comment for the full frame image. Any other observations or

comments are welcome, too. Thank you.

In my opinion, the cropped version works better than the original. You are dead on about the arm being strangely cut of in the origina.. I'm also liking this one more than the one with the black sweater. I think this has better and more interesting pose and the lights are way better. Cheers!

This works better for me than the other. The full frame is my choice on this one but I needed to be given the full frame to see how much better it was. She actually looks a little tentative in these studio shots which is not the look you were getting in the previous series. Is there a story?

Thanks Markus. Jeff, I think you're right. She does look tentative. I wouldn't call it a story, but it could be her inexperience, meaning that she doesn't have a wide repertoire of expression yet, or maybe I'm just choosing those images that just happen to look this way. Or, I could be a bad director. I do tend to keep fairly quiet during the shoot, letting the model do her model thing while I fiddle with the camera and lights. It will be interesting to see how she models if she's still doing this in four or five years.

Jeff, I think it's my editing. I'm building a web page so she can view her shoot, and, as I look over all the shots, I appears that I have passed over equally good shots in favor of those that have that tentative quality to them.

One thing that bothers me about the cropped version is what photoshopdisasters usually refers to as 'bobblehead': the head seems disproportionally large.

The uncropped version suffers less from this, which is why I would prefer that one. The arm doesn't bother me.

For the rest: good picture, nice expression. Light on the face could be a bit less harsh, but that's just nitpicking.

Nit picking is good. Thanks. The photoshop disasters page is fun. Nora is thin, so turning her shoulders one way or another tends to promote that effect.

 

I have to temporarily delete the original picture, and my first comment, pending parental objections. The first comment included the full frame version of the original, which I will replace, hopefully, when things are ironed out.

 

 

I guess this would be my favorite among your studio pictures of her. I might still prefer your best outdoors with this young girl, but I like this one here too... Now, you wrote: "See the first comment for the full frame image." I must be dumb, but I couldn't find it ! Help ! I suppose I'd like a crop with a little more shoulder and a bit more hair at the bottom (square as well), but I can't be sure till I see the full frame... With that said, lighting is perhaps indeed just a tad too harsh, but ok. Question: what was the light's accessory here ? Beauty dish, umbrella...? Why not simply a softbox...?

Hey Marc,

 

the light was two umbrellas. I spotted one of the catchlights from her eyes. And, I had to delete the comment with the full frame version because it was a little too mature for her mother's taste. That made me quite angry, but seemed like the right thing to do.

Ok, I understand. Umbrellas with white reflecting material ? Or translucent umbrellas ?

Photek Umbrellas. They alternate. Sometimes I shot through them, sometimes I used them in the regular fashion. As I recall, I spent more time fussing with the lights than shooting.

Ok. Well, the light is quite ok here, in fact. A softbox would just be a tad softer, more gentle - and much easier to use. Regards.

I know. I have 6 or 7 soft boxes stored in my garage, but they didn't fit the portable lights I was using this day. Only umbrellas. After 10 + years of not using those lights, I was surprised at how well they still worked.