The Dancer I

happy to receive any comments, positive or negative, on this available

light portrait .... shot was rotated 90 deg. for effect.

Robert,

You have beautiful contrast. There is very good detail in the whites and blacks (it is a little difficult to see much detail in parts of her hair). I love the detail in her dress!

You said the "shot was rotated 90 deg. for effect." I wonder what that effect might be? What was once thought to be unique or “cutting-edge” portraiture is now so common as to be considered as trite by many. Think how often you see tilted (or shot at an angle) subjects or recognizable use of HDR. The more photographers try to be different, the more they become the same. Some photographers want their images to be unique -- to be different from what other photographers shoot. They try to move away from conventional composition and design elements. The elements of design or composition can influence how we perceive the picture. They have a predictable affect on viewers. The further you move away from the conventional, the further you move away from what is known to work. We get the term “ compositional rule” in photography because it is a design element that has been shown to consistently work.

If you want to do a profile, I would suggest you don't have her face turned so far from the camera. A profile looks best when you can see the eyelash of the far eye. 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. Of course, at the moment she looks like she is going to fall over or out of the photograph.

Interesting shot,

Mark

Thanks for the comments Mark. Just to explain that the effect I wanted by rotating 90 deg was that of her flying out of the frame. I think i was influenced by 'crouching tiger, hidden dragon' or something like that.

Regards, Rob