Doggie Portrait

[GEli]

I'm looking for some critiques and perhaps suggestions on how to improve the following portrait of my Aunt's dog, which was taken at a Christmas gathering last month. Thanks!



EXIF:
Focal Length: 50mm
Aperture: f/2
Shutter Speed: 1/30
ISO: 400

Not much PP done besides exposure/WB tweaks with the RAW file, then passed through Noise Ninja to remove the very slight ISO noise.

[Sandie]

I am growing to like the shallow DoF on this shot. I like the colors. The eyes do grab my attention, but the cropping is strange to me. I would like to see a square or portrait crop. I keep getting lost in the extra yellow on the ends.

[Ewie]

Originally Posted by Sandie

I am growing to like the shallow DoF on this shot. I like the colors. The eyes do grab my attention, but the cropping is strange to me. I would like to see a square or portrait crop. I keep getting lost in the extra yellow on the ends.

I agree with Sandie, lovely shot great DOF but needs a closer square or portrait crop to cut out the wasted space on either side. Also the in-focus point looks to be around the nose, as a suggestion you might try a little selective sharpening around the eyes.

[FrankenPengie]

I pretty much agree but wanted to reply just for the sake of saying, "A squishy DOF means a squishy crop"

Now I'll probably catch hell from somebody who knows better, but it was phun saying it.


Cute mini BTW. I'd almost say it's grandfather lives just across from me.

[Olivier H]

The point of view is funny.

But the photo seems 2/3 stops underexposed. Looking at the levels histogram in the gimp shows 1/5 part in high values is unexploited.



A little level correction (a bit exagerated in my attached screen capture) would do great
I you shoot raw, it's even easier to correct.

[sukanta]

I am not an expert but can have some critique from a viewer's point of view. shallow DOF is somwthing that I lliked but it seems to be too much for me.... and you can call it personal preference but I like to see snaps of childen, pet shoted from level of their eyes.
but overall a taker i fell

[jiminyClickit]

GELi,

A head tilt is an endearing orientation, less than a diagonal, possible here with the extra background. Same size aspect in a closer crop would work, too. Less yellow in the balance, lighten the eyes, piece of cake.

[peeperita]

i guess i am with the consensus.....a good crop, possibly square.....i like the head tilt idea jiminy had.....and touch up the blue catchlight in the left eye to mirror the color of the left one....

thanks

peeper