I don't like tattoos but ...

[billtils]

... or piercings ...

[Manfred M]

My experience with models is that tattoos and piercings of all kinds are quite common with that demographic. They don't necessarily reflect the aesthetic tastes of our generation.

A few thoughts on these images...

The first image feels a bit too cool-toned for my taste and I prefer a slightly warmer skin tone. The other is one of those portraiture "rules" that suggests cuts need to be made above the joints, rather than through or below them. I'd probably change the crop a bit too, as well as taking the exposure down between 1/3 and 1/2 stop.






On the second one, the whites of the eyes are so bright that they almost look a bit spooky. Burning them down just a touch (without making them look too gray) would be worth considering. Whenever I shoot models, I try to get them to pose so that a bit of white can be seen on both sides of the iris; that tends to look better, in my view.

[billtils]

Thanks for the feedback Manfred. Two yesses and a not really - yes to the crop and the eyes but I'm OK with the skin tone in the first one - she does have very pale skin. The first one was cropped to get as much of the tattoos as possible in the image, but as you point out, not the best overall.

[Lovelabradors]

Thanks for the feedback Manfred. Two yesses and a not really - yes to the crop and the eyes but I'm OK with the skin tone in the first one - she does have very pale skin. The first one was cropped to get as much of the tattoos as possible in the image, but as you point out, not the best overall.

Nice portraits Sir.
I agree, I think the skin tone in your first image is more real. She has black hair and pale skin, and that is a striking combination. There is a bit of a "hot spot" on her forehead above her eyebrow tho.
Your reasoning for the first image and getting the tattoos is valid and IMO more important than cropping at a particular point. That's just my very amateur opinion.
Agree about the eyes in the second image.

[DanK]

Of course, I can't know what the model's skin tone was, but I did try using both the whites of both eyes and the side of the dress as white balance targets, and in each case, it warmed the image, though by substantially varying amounts. It also slightly moved tone.

I'm not at all bothered by the location of the bottom crop in the first one. IMHO, rules should be considered guidelines, followed then they help or solve a problem. In this case, it seems fine as is. However, the right-side crop on the second one feels very tight to me.

I find the eyes in the second one problematic for a different reason: there is almost no separate between the iris and the surrounding skin.