The Dark Side

[voltageek]

Was trying to go for a low key, sinister feel. Do you think the light and composition work together to produce that? Also, do I need to go for a tighter crop?

Edit: By the way, this is a self potrait.



Details:
Taken with a Rebel XS + 50mm f/1.8.
Shutter speed: 1/60s, Aperture: f/2.8, ISO: 200

Used a diy spiderlite placed in an old noodles cartons, camera left.

[Lightwriter]

Looks pretty sinister to me! 2 things, though. 1) crop the dead space off the right side. 2) I would prefer to see a little more definition on the other side of his face. Not a lot but enough to make in fade into the background instead of plunging.

[windrider86]

In order to offer you a good critique there are guideline to follow. The guidelines include all the information you'll need to include the information required.
We're not being mean here. Just the opposite. By including the info asked for it helps everyone else to know where your mind set is at and where to offer suggestions.

Please take a peek at them, get familiar and then edit your post accordingly. Be sure to holler if you need any help!

[Niresangwa]

disagree on removing the negative space. if you place it in a square crop, you're going to remove the compositional interest, even if the only question asked is "why is that space there on the right?" for me it works.

I don't mind the harsh fall off on the right either, but i would have liked to see maybe a little rim lighting, especially on the model's right shoulder, or to see some, even just a hint, of a neck...

..maybe its me viewing it on a laptop...

...maybe its not though. to me, it looks like a floating head which kind of disconnects me from it.

overall though, nice job!

[Sistereinstein]

I like the floating half face and the dead space. If it was in the middle it would be too confining.

Makes me think of Queeg from Red Dwarf - an older BBC show

List of Red Dwarf characters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Karenas]

Sorry, but I don't get sinister out of this. It's like you're trying to be sinister, but you're just about to laugh. I would re-shoot this (with your head raised a bit--maybe?) with more of a scowl on your face.

[BigFuzzy]

Personally, I think you're close to what you were going for. If it weren't for the bit of upturned lip/smile, I would have said you got it fully.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of the "floating head" thing.. just doesn't do much for me, and many people are doing it. I'd have added a rim/back light to make yourself jump out of the frame a bit more instead of fading into it.

Also, looking at the bigger size, it doesn't seem the eye is the sharpest part of the image which i think should be. Maybe it's because of the 1/60th of a second exposure which will catch any movement in the subject. Seems to me you were using the central focus point and got the nose in focus.

I like the placement of the face in the frame.. heck, I might have considered putting it even higher in the left of the frame to really take it away from the center.. or higher up in the middle as if you were above the viewer looking down..but i don't mind the dead space on the right.

[jpel3500]

hmmm. I don't think I like the dead space on the right... But I do like the "plunge" effect of not seeing the other side of the face. All in all, a great shot to me. But I think everyone sees something different. All you can do is learn from everything you read, and then do what you like. Smile.

JDPelfrey

[voltageek]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll hopefully be getting my lighting kit next week and will be redoing the shot. You've given me some ideas I'll like to try out.