Tunnel Vision

[JohnSmith1990]

I visited Sedona, AZ this weekend with an old friend of mine this week. I took a ton of landscape shots (which is pretty much all I've shot since I got first DSLR in May) and had my first go at some outside portraits photography.

We took a bunch of shots at a place called Tlaquepaque which is full of a bunch of little shops, galleries and restaurants. It was a blast to explore this place and find unique compositions.

This is my favorite of the bunch. I cropped it down, set the white balance with a gray card shot I took on site, removed some noise with Topaz, and added a slight vignette.

Any feedback / cc would be greatly appreciated!

D7000, 18-105mm Nikkor (f5.6, 1/500, 1000ISO, 105mm)

[smcrews]

Love the shot Aaron. Well done. You might try a little tighter crop so that she sits up a little higher in the shot, but really it looks great the way it is.

[Loose Canon]

Hi Aaron!

I just flew in from up around your neck of the woods today! Sounds like you are having tons ‘o fun out in AZ!

Great shot and an undisputed beautiful model! I really like this location and this shot of yours.

From where I’m sitting your white balance looks right on the $$!

I’ll toss out a couple of ideas, and you can toss them right out the window as you see fit!

When I first tapped into this thread and your photo came up, my eyes got a little confused. The reason is I loved the model and her look (pose), and I loved the location. I think she is lit nicely, and the background is very cool but contrasty. And I wondered if it was overpowering her. She didn’t pop at me like she deserves to, or so I thought. Though I like the tunnel framing. And if I may say, I thought maybe a bit of local sharpening would do some justice. Eyes, lips, and the pretty blondish highlights in her hair. Maybe even a tad on the pendant on her necklace.

So what would you thing about a tighter crop removing a bit off the sides and the head space? Making the background more toward white, but yet keeping some of the tunnel framing. Removing the lamp hanger and the shadow under her hair that runs down from her camera right hair to her CR shoulder and generally cleaning up the background to make it white (or close enough to) with the nice tunnel framing.

Then adding the nice subtle vignette to further target her and give her the limelight she deserves?

After that, and regardless of whether or not any changes were made I would print it, matte it, frame it, in duplicate and give her one and hang one on my own wall!

Um, Aaron? I’ll tentatively put up an example only as an illustration for your consideration. I’ll pull it down just as quick if I have overstepped. No worries and my apologies in advance if I have. You have yourself a very nice portrait of your model here and if this is your first shot at this, I can’t wait to see the Future! I wish I had your talent.

Well seen and well done, Aaron!