mpeachey

Beautiful, intentionally painterly image. I see and agree with the issue of the sun. I tried cropping the image myself, and what happens (for me anyway) is that the bright reflection in the foreground water takes over, only worse because it is closer to the interesting subjects, and seems to have no source.
I think the composition of the boats and people is spectacular, especially since I assume that the image was not staged. A testament to exgtreme patience, luck, or the patience to make your own luck.
In short, I'm inspired by this image. Thanks.

I really like the composition, with the line of the tree trunk, the arm and the hair creating a sense of movement, bisected by the eyes and smile/dimple.

The bokeh of the tree and the grass in the background give a nice sense of place. Very smooth.

I'm confused about the focus though. It seems as if the focus is just in front of her eyes. The crisp bow on her head is a little distracting, as is her hair to the left of her face. The texture of the front loop of the ribbon is compelling in a way that detracts from her face.

Small criticism though, I love the image.

Michael

I'm particularly interested in thoughts re: this image vs. the

original. The attempt was to create something that was closer to

illustration. The direct gaze and pure smile were so engaging, I

wanted an image that would draw the viewer in. Or am I just kidding

myself?