Portrait #2 - Oct 4, 2014

[fotugraphy]

Hi, going forward on my photography venture I stopped and clicked another shot. Can you please review it and let me know what exactly is missing for it to make it much better?

Light Source : Direct strobe with 30 degreee honeycomb grid.

Please provide your views and suggestion with composition, frame, crops and processing.

Thank You

PS : Please click on the image for lightbox screen view (Highly recommended)

[Shadowman]

Beautiful lady, nicely focused but the glance looks a bit vacant, lacking in emotion. Perhaps a slight smile or a lift of one eyebrow for a bit more animation from your model. Nicely captured.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Tejal,

As you know, I am no portrait shooter myself, but have seen a few in my time, so here are my random thoughts on this one.

I find the neckline of the black dress attracts my attention, not sure whether the answer is to crop some of it off, or if a paler colour/lighter shade would have been better. Or just tone down the brightness of her neck above it.
I find the specular reflected dot in the corner of her right eye a big distraction - easily cloned out, or significantly reduced in brightness.
I'd have her a little further left in the composition, perhaps achieve this by taking 5% (of image width) off left hand edge.
There's a bright reflection above her top lip which isn't a good look - in fact there are bright spots all over her skin, I'm not sure if it just her complexion, or glitter make up, or she's just too hot and beginning to 'glisten' too much.

That said, she's a very attractive lady and there's a lot you have done right with the capture.

Good effort, Dave

[rpcrowe]

Beautiful lady snf lovely portrait! IMO, the lighting seems just a bit harsh resulting in the distinct shadow next to her nose and on her neck...

[Wandjina]

Like Dave, I'm not a portrait photographer, but I agree with all the above comments. I would probably crop the neckline of the dress, as that is a bit of a distraction. The white pixel in the corner of the model's right eye is also a distraction and should be cloned out.
I realise that you are trying a "style" of portrait photography where the model has a distant, vacant look, but I would prefer to see some interaction between the photographer and model. I would like to see eye contact with the camera, or as John mentioned, a slight smile from the model.
I might have asked the model to turn her head slightly to her left so that the shadow of her right nostril is not as pronounced.
None the less, it is a lovely photo. Well done

[Manfred M]

Another really nice photo, Raj. I like it very much and the points I'm going to make are extremely niggly. Unfortunately, Lytebox is not working (Sean is trying to do something about it), so the usual close examination by the members can't be done right now.

1. Crop at the top of the head - usually it is best not to cut the crown (except perhaps when shooting someone who is balding). I would crop this shot and ensure that there is hair all the way across the top of the image. I suspect this will result in a stronger composition (it usually does).

2. I find that your model's lips are pressed together too hard, and this in turn means that the jaw is clenched together too much. I tell my models that they should just be able to blow air through their lips. This loosens that tight jaw and generally results in a more pleasing look.

3. The eyes are just a bit forced looking - the beginnings of a squint (the well known head shot photographer Peter Hurley refers to it as a "squinch") will results in your model not looking like she is staring. What I do like is the way her eyes are centred and the whites of here eyes are balanced on either side of her irises.

4. There are specular highlights on her eyelids. Some minor spotting should clean this up quite nicely. The one in the camera left corner of the camera left eye is particularly noticeable. The is a bit of a highlight on both upper eye lids; I wonder if these are just specular highlights or catch lights from a secondary light source. I do like the catch lights in the pupils.

5. I'm not sure about the bottom crop. The collar and parts of her dress are cropped a bit too tight for my liking. I suspect being a bit more generous with the bottom crop will improve the image as well.

[fotugraphy]

Beautiful lady, nicely focused but the glance looks a bit vacant, lacking in emotion. Perhaps a slight smile or a lift of one eyebrow for a bit more animation from your model. Nicely captured.

Thanks for your kind review and suggestion. Will try my best to work on the expressions

[fotugraphy]

Hi Tejal,

As you know, I am no portrait shooter myself, but have seen a few in my time, so here are my random thoughts on this one.

I find the neckline of the black dress attracts my attention, not sure whether the answer is to crop some of it off, or if a paler colour/lighter shade would have been better. Or just tone down the brightness of her neck above it.
I find the specular reflected dot in the corner of her right eye a big distraction - easily cloned out, or significantly reduced in brightness.
I'd have her a little further left in the composition, perhaps achieve this by taking 5% (of image width) off left hand edge.
There's a bright reflection above her top lip which isn't a good look - in fact there are bright spots all over her skin, I'm not sure if it just her complexion, or glitter make up, or she's just too hot and beginning to 'glisten' too much.

That said, she's a very attractive lady and there's a lot you have done right with the capture.

Good effort, Dave

Thanks for your valuable review and suggestion. I will try to work with the makeup just as suggested and will try to reshoot with better expressions

[fotugraphy]

Beautiful lady snf lovely portrait! IMO, the lighting seems just a bit harsh resulting in the distinct shadow next to her nose and on her neck...

thanks a lot for your kind review and suggestion. I will try to work on it. I tried a harsh light only. But will diffuse it.

[fotugraphy]

Like Dave, I'm not a portrait photographer, but I agree with all the above comments. I would probably crop the neckline of the dress, as that is a bit of a distraction. The white pixel in the corner of the model's right eye is also a distraction and should be cloned out.
I realise that you are trying a "style" of portrait photography where the model has a distant, vacant look, but I would prefer to see some interaction between the photographer and model. I would like to see eye contact with the camera, or as John mentioned, a slight smile from the model.
I might have asked the model to turn her head slightly to her left so that the shadow of her right nostril is not as pronounced.
None the less, it is a lovely photo. Well done

thank you for your valuable suggestion and review Will keep your suggestions in my mind for my next photo shoot

[fotugraphy]

Another really nice photo, Raj. I like it very much and the points I'm going to make are extremely niggly. Unfortunately, Lytebox is not working (Sean is trying to do something about it), so the usual close examination by the members can't be done right now.

1. Crop at the top of the head - usually it is best not to cut the crown (except perhaps when shooting someone who is balding). I would crop this shot and ensure that there is hair all the way across the top of the image. I suspect this will result in a stronger composition (it usually does).

2. I find that your model's lips are pressed together too hard, and this in turn means that the jaw is clenched together too much. I tell my models that they should just be able to blow air through their lips. This loosens that tight jaw and generally results in a more pleasing look.

3. The eyes are just a bit forced looking - the beginnings of a squint (the well known head shot photographer Peter Hurley refers to it as a "squinch") will results in your model not looking like she is staring. What I do like is the way her eyes are centred and the whites of here eyes are balanced on either side of her irises.

4. There are specular highlights on her eyelids. Some minor spotting should clean this up quite nicely. The one in the camera left corner of the camera left eye is particularly noticeable. The is a bit of a highlight on both upper eye lids; I wonder if these are just specular highlights or catch lights from a secondary light source. I do like the catch lights in the pupils.

5. I'm not sure about the bottom crop. The collar and parts of her dress are cropped a bit too tight for my liking. I suspect being a bit more generous with the bottom crop will improve the image as well.

Once again thanx a lot for your detailed and very informative review and suggestion. Will surely work on all the points you have suggested.