Please Critique

[Got Toast?]

I want to start off by saying this site is fantastic and has given me so many ideas for my new found passion.

This is a portrait I took of my son with my new X-mas gift a Nikon D40x. I played around in Photoshop CS3 by converting to black and white, then brought the color back to certain parts. I am open to suggestions and tips.

[xxpinballxx]

I think the idea is nice but the bringing the eyes out in a selective coloring technique and then adding a dominant selective colored spot really defeats the purpose. With the pacifier in color and so bright and vivid it makes the eyes less of a focal point and it appears the eyes are spot on and would really stand out without the pacifier in color.
Did you try it with just the eyes emphasized?
Also one of the common rules in photography is not framing the subject dead center in most circumstances. the better placement would be to the left then flip the image horizontally so the viewer stays in the frame. I say to frame the subject left and ten flip since the baby's face is angled just a bit to the right.
Did you crop much off? If there is room play around with it a bit and see what you think.

Welcome to the forums and enjoy!

[oriolhdz]

Hi Got Toast?:
Welcome to the forum. As you said this is an incredible place to share and learn from others. Your portrait of your son is really cool. The way you managed the DOF is great and even you are not using the rule of thirds you got a well balanced and centered shot! The port processing you did is creative although I think it has a little problem. When you use selective color if because you want to bring the attention of the viewers to a specific point. That's the problem you have, there is a fight between your son's eyes and the orange thing in his mouth (I don't know how to say it in English...sorry). Both colors are fighting for my eye attentions and in this case the orange things calls it more because of the huge saturations in comparison with his eyes. I will try to focus on one thing only. Hope it works. Great portrait as I already said and thanks for sharing it!

[oriolhdz]

Originally Posted by xxpinballxx

I think the idea is nice but the bringing the eyes out in a selective coloring technique and then adding a dominant selective colored spot really defeats the purpose. With the pacifier in color and so bright and vivid it makes the eyes less of a focal point and it appears the eyes are spot on and would really stand out without the pacifier in color.
Did you try it with just the eyes emphasized?

Welcome to the forums and enjoy!

LOL, xxpinballxx, we were thinking and posting at the same time. I learned now that the orange thing I mentioned is called a PACIFIER. Thanks for the English class =)

[Got Toast?]

Thank you for your advice. I took it back into Photoshop and made the Pacifier black and white to draw attention to the eyes as well as cropped the image so it is vertical and to the left. Is this what you were thinking?

[xxpinballxx]

I think its a much better image now. The eyes are great and do not stand out like a sore thumb but a great focal point. Some use selective coloring and really overdo it but this is great. Did you try a horizontal flip?
This one I say "frame it"

[Amira]

I love your second version. I was too late to comment on the first, but I agree with the other comments and like the changes that have been made. Your son's beautiful eyes really stand out now and the crop makes the photo feel much more personal. Great job! =)

[wulf]

Much better... but did you ever read The Midwich Cuckoos

Wulf

ps. it helps if you can come up with a more descriptive title - we already know you want critique because you've posted in this section!