Attempt at glamour style portrait

[The Weird Witch]

Hey guys,
So I decided to have a go at that high-key glamour style portrait and I was hoping if you guys could give me feedback on how you think it turned out?
I would love to hear your opinions on the framing, colours, and focus.
I gotta say I kinda like the way it turned out but maybe you guys think that it could be improved on, or maybe it looks just plain cheap to thrid-party eyes?
Anyway thanks in advance
The Weird Witch



Link

EXIF:
Camera Nikon D90
Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash On, Return detected

Exposure tweaked up in PP

[Sime]

Howdy.

The thing that strikes me right off is the framing - I get the feeling that you're almost dropping out of the frame, there's no room for you almost in the photo... I'd try putting you more in the frame, higher, and off to the left maybe, so that your hand, the one under your chin, led the viewers eyes into the frame onto your face, of that makes sense?

Also the bottom left of the image, to the left of your shoulder, the cloning you've done is a little obvious - (the white on not quite white brush marks) keep an eye out for those.

Of the series (on flickr) I think I prefer 1 the most.

May I ask, how did you light it? I see that you've used flash - was it "shaped" in any way, or was it straight, on top of the camera, pop up?

Hope that helps.

Sime

[The Weird Witch]

Thanks for the feedback Sime!
I can see your point about the framing, I will have to be more careful about that. And I didnt realise the cloning was visable lol! There was a distracting shadow from my hair just there on the shoulder which needed disapearing
As for your question about the lighting, I used a flash that was bouncing up off the ceiling, at mabye a 80deg angle. Hence the shadows under the eyes and nose in the images.
The Weird Witch

[MrJones]

it feels like you're serving your head on a plate. weird... very weird.
like sime said, try including more of yourself in the photo, at least the shoulders.
regarding the high-key style you are trying to accomplish, from my experience with studio lightning - it takes more than one flash to accomplish that or at least the use of reflectors to bounce the light and kill the shadows.
what I do like is the softness of the photo, specially in your hair.. how it just flows.