Selfportrait

[Cherokee Maiden]

I would like your opinion on this picture. It was taken this morning. I desaturated it a little with photoshop. I think it might look a little better if the background was black. What do you think? Go ahead and give it to me, I can take it. Thanks a lot!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22429918@N07/2266632423/" title="Anna by wylie_coyote_6_AT_sbcglobal.net, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/2266632423_90c5ddd672.jpg" width="500" height="329" alt="Anna" /></a>

[Cherokee Maiden]

I think it is worth mentioning, that I am fairly new to photography, and Photoshop so speak using "laymans" terms. Thanks for looking at it, I'm here to learn! If you can tell me how to change background to black in Photoshop I'd also appreciate it.

[wulf]

Firstly, I've fixed the image. You don't need the [ img ] tags surrounding it if you use the HTML code that Flickr provides. The HTML was also being broken by the email address in the photo's title. I've taken out the @ symbol although you may not want to make your address quite so easily available.

To the picture... is that a great big piercing sticking out of your lip or just a reflection on your hair? If it is the former, you might want to turn a bit to make it more visible; if the later, a quick comb with your fingers would sort it (or you could paint over it when you make the background black).

Onto the background, it can be done but is a bit fiddly. In this case, it might be easier to find a darker background to take your picture against.

Wulf

[Cherokee Maiden]

Wulf, thanks for the tip bout the addy, its now changed! I'm a *Dork*! Yeah, that's not a piercing, I'll try and fix that! THanks for the input!

[Digidave]

Apparently you deleted the original photo. You need to reembed to get more critiques.;)

[Cherokee Maiden]

I'm not sure if this is what you mean, but here is the original. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks Dave<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22429918@N07/2267153123/" title="Anna by Cherokee Maiden, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2033/2267153123_2ef744273f.jpg" width="500" height="329" alt="Anna" /></a>

[peeperita]

i am a fan of a three quarter pose in this instance...the piercing's impact is lost as it is in question as to what exactly it might be in your image.....

also, i feel that the crop is a little in the tight side.....i would like to see the lips..(yours, dave?) not kiss the edge of the frame so tightly....

thanks for sharing

peeper

[jiminyClickit]

Cherokee Maiden, Welcome

20/20 hindsight for your black b/g: stand in front of something black, or move further away from wall and let the light fall off naturally.

Your eyes are too lovely to not be in focus: try experimenting with string. Tie a length (whatever approximate distance you are from camera) onto tripod. Focus on a card with writing on it, stretch string to card, mark string. Set camera on timer, move bridge of nose to mark on string, smile or not and plink! you have eyes in focus.

Can you picture that? It's old-school and it still works, as long as you hold still after dropping string.

[Sela]

Cherokee Maiden, Welcome

20/20 hindsight for your black b/g: stand in front of something black, or move further away from wall and let the light fall off naturally.

Your eyes are too lovely to not be in focus: try experimenting with string. Tie a length (whatever approximate distance you are from camera) onto tripod. Focus on a card with writing on it, stretch string to card, mark string. Set camera on timer, move bridge of nose to mark on string, smile or not and plink! you have eyes in focus.

Can you picture that? It's old-school and it still works, as long as you hold still after dropping string.

Hey, great idea about the string! I agree about having the eyes in focus.

There are many (easy) ways to remove the background of an image in photoshop, I don't have time to type it out step by step here but a simple google search for 'removing background in photoshop' should bring up plenty of tutorials.

[Cherokee Maiden]

Thank you all for your advise!
Peep, this is a "hold your arm out and shoot" type of pic, so granted, it's gonna be kinda goofy! haha
Jiminy, I can't wait to try that tip! THank you to all of you for your time! I know it's hard working with a newbie, and I appreciate it!