Photographing Everyday Girl In Studio #1. C&C Welcome

[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?

Please provide your views and suggestion with composition, frame, crops. I'm confused between the original and the cropped version as i wanted to show the girl going crazy with the jewelry she is wearing. In original i'm able to show asymmetrical shoulders with body dynamics, but in the crop it is more emphasizing on the mouth and the jewel. In the post processing, desaturated look, opened darks and such color toning is deliberate.

Thank You

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

#1 Original Frame


#2 Cropped Frame

[Shadowman]

I much prefer the first composition to the second as it presents all elements (woman, partial limbs, jewelry) equally, yes the second crop does emphasize the jewelry more but why waste her beauty? Also, the crop across the forehead is a bit severe.

[rpcrowe]

I like both shots of this absolutely beautiful young lady. However, I would consider whitening/brightening both her teeth and the whites of her eyes in both images...



If the shot were designed to feature her jewelry, perhaps including the rest of the necklace might be appropriate but, I suspect that this is not aimed at a jewelry fashion shot!

[shreds]

With Richard being in California, it is quite common for the US preference of bright white teeth and eyes to be required. Generally in UK, a slightly more subtle approach seems to be the norm, and to be honest I think her teeth are great, but would brighten the eyes a little. However, I cannot say what the Indian preference generally is? I suppose it all depends on where you intend showing the picture.

Personally I like the way that No.2 emphasises the eyes more. The dress on the shoulder distracts me slightly in no.1

Maybe the light to gain the catchlight in the models right eye (viewers left), could have been marginally better placed?

However, nice shot, great skin tones, I would be reasonably happy with it!

[Manfred M]

The second image is definitely a stronger composition, Raj. This is a beautiful studio shot; really well done!

+1 to some of what Richard has suggested. I'd also work at getting a bit more colour into her lips and would do a bit more work around her eyes (not just the whites) to bring them out a touch more. They are just a touch too dark for my taste. Just be really careful and subtle with these kinds of edits as it is all too easy to take them too far.

[Geoff F]

For me, scenes like this work best when you can either see everything (meaning all of her hair) or are a tight crop, as you have done with the second version.

Because of that, the first image lies between the two alternatives so I much prefer the second.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Raj,

You have some good feedback above.

Like Ian, I tend to find the shoulder somewhat a distraction in #1, with #2 being my favourite composition.

The lower catch-lights in her eyes, especially in her right (our left) eye, actually looks artificial to me, the lower edge is just too sharp, like it has been cloned in because you thought you were missing the upper one in that eye?

I also agree with John when he finds the forehead crop a little tight on #2, I think the eyes would still be 'in a good place' compositionally even if you let us see a bit more hair.

It is still a really good picture though.

Best regards, Dave

[Manfred M]

+1 to Dave's comment on the hair line. It's another one of those "rules of portraiture" where we should avoid cutting the subject's head in a way where there in no continuity of the hair from side to side. The first image is correct if we follow that rule and the second certainly breaks it. I tend to follow that rule as the continuity of the hair generally frames the face and the only time I remember successfully breaking it was with a subject that was both fair skinned and with light hair.

On the other hand, the rule is hard to apply to people that have my hair line, or more correctly, lacking one.