Portrait

John,

She is a very pretty girl and you have focused well. Her skin tone is quite good and she has a natural looking smile. The colors in your photograph all go together very well (the greenery doesn't bother me much).

It does bother me a bit that this wagon with the wooden wheels is next to a brick building. There is some kind of juxtaposition there.

If you want to include her legs in the portrait, I would shoot this with a horizontal format. At any rate, move in closer. The girl is what is important in a portrait. Think face, then move out to include what is useful to highlight and accentuate her face. Include what is necessary to tell her "story". If you move in closer you can get rid of the plant, too. An extra added bonus.

Notice her hand and feet. The side of the wagon has "cropped" her hand and feet at a joint (wrist and ankles). Never crop at a joint. Always crop between joints. Cropping (or making is look like a crop) at a joint often has the effect of making your subject look like an amputee.

You want to have catch lights in her eyes. Even at a distance this will make them come alive. Watch your background. The brick pattern is very busy. You would want a narrower depth of field so that you could have the brick very out of focus. Watch the vertical line on the wall that appears to be entering her head just above her left eye.

The nice soft lighting works very well with the muted colors in this portrait. You have done well to pose her at an angle to the camera and position her knees at different heights. She does seem a little uncomfortable leaning on her hands -- maybe more awkward than uncomfortable?

Good shot,

Mark