Informal Shot (Part II)

[Digital]

C&C welcomed. Bruce

[tomdinning]

What a great shrub.
What's that standing in front of it?

[tomdinning]

Just kidding Bruce.
She's lovely. What's her phone number? She looks about my age.
I was half serious about the background. Next time get her to take a couple of steps forward and set you camera on a lower f number.

[Digital]

Just kidding Bruce.
She's lovely. What's her phone number? She looks about my age.
I was half serious about the background. Next time get her to take a couple of steps forward and set you camera on a lower f number.

Tom, thanks for your comments. I believe she is married; however I will ask her if I can give you her phone number.
I do not know if she willing to move to Australia????

Bruce

[Smudger]

Hello Bruce.

In addition to what Tom stated, I would also advise to crop off some of the wasted image at the top and side.

With head and shoulder portraits, anything above the head in the shot is a waste of canvas space.

Try to bring those eye into the top thirds of the frame. This might indeed involve cropping off some of the head (top bit - not all of it obviously) but it works perfectly well.

Of course, if we were discussing a full body shot (head to toe), then that would be different. We wouldnt crop the head at all on in that occassion but we would aim to bring the head into the top thirds.

Speaking of the eyes. It appears that you have good focus on the eyes and they are sharp.

These eyes would look much better if they were bigger ont he frame, which can be achieved by cropping off that wasted space I mentioned earlier.

Typically when I am processing portraits now, my workflow involved clarity to hair, eyebrows and very gently to the eye lash but only gently. This can very easily be overdone...

I also add a little shaprness to the eyes, lips and teeth.

With women and children, I will then either add a Soft Skin brush or as minus clarity brish to the skin.

If I was on my PC at home, I would play with the cropping to give example, but I am at work and I cant do it properly in paint.

Good shot though because those eyes are good. One more thing. I think it is always useful to focus on the closest eye to the camera.

All the best.

Edit: If you do play with the crop, maybe start from the top right corner and drag that side down by keepking hold of the shift key also to maintain ratio (depending of software)

[Digital]

Nigel, thank you so much for your comments.

Bruce

[Smudger]

Nigel, thank you so much for your comments.

Bruce

Bruce.

Just returned from work and thought I would demonstrate what I was trying to explain.

I would probably make the crop something like this:



What do you think?

[blakemcguire]

I don't think anyone else has mentioned it, but I believe the white balance is a little cold and possibly a little magenta.

[MrB]

I don't think anyone else has mentioned it, but I believe the white balance is a little cold and possibly a little magenta.

I agree - she looks like a lady who is glowing with good health! E.g. -



Philip

[Digital]

Thanks Blake, and Phillip for your comments. The WB was set for auto.
Nigel, thanks for sharing how you would crop this photo; however I think I will keep the original crop.

Bruce