Grandma's portrait

[MLeite]

Hi everyone,
I'd like your suggestions on what I should do to make this picture better and what you would have done different. I placed her right eye in the upper left third, do you think that worked? Should I have put the left eye in the lower third? I did not use any artificial light. This is one of my first attempts into portrait and I can feel her sadness (well...I'm her grandson)... can you feel it too?
EXIF:
ISO:800
Focal length: 70mm
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter: 1/320
No flash
Thanks a lot,
Mauro

[Indigo November]

I think that the crop is a little tight. I don't mind the top of her head cropped off, but the chin bothers me.
Also, the bit of cloth on the right of the frame draws my attention away from granny.
A different crop might be in order. Leaving her chin and getting rid of the bit of cloth.

But aside from the crop, I really like it.
I like the tone that you have chosen, and you did a good job of capturing her emotion.

[carlyfan]

I love it Mauro! I really don't mind the chin crop. It's all about the nice sharp eyes, and I love the DoF too. It really portrays the beauty and wisdom of age! You can just feel that those eyes have seen so much. This is what I love about photography! I can't even put into words what this photo expresses. Great job capturing that! Your Grandmother is a beautiful woman.

Lisa

[perfectoarts]

Ah I posted a similar pose in a different forum sometime ago. And the critique I received was the forehead, where there is minimal hair is the thing that detracts.
The angle works super and the clarity of the eyes of course is great. Otherwise you did very well and the crop is fine in my opinion. She sure is a beautiful lady that has a very kind soul. Treasure her

[MLeite]

Thank you all for your kind comments. As suggested by Indigo, I've tried a different crop including the chin and hiding a little bit of the cloth. I think it worked fine. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Mauro

[carlyfan]

I like the other one much better! I don't exactly know why. Maybe because you can see more of her surroundings. Would you be able to post an uncropped one?

[SusanH1970]

I definitely prefer the 2nd crop. In the first, eyes went everywhere but to hers and the background was very distracting.. Do you have an uncropped version by any chance?

I don't mind chopped heads but chopped chins are a no-go for me.

[melinda.larson]

I like the second crop much better. I wasn't feeling the cropped chin, and I too found the fabric beside her face distracting. It is a beautiful photo and I love the feeling expressed in her eyes.

[MLeite]

Thanks for all your feedback. Bellow is the version without any crop. Let me know if and how you would crop it.
Cheers

[Xmaster]

Prefer the original version to anything croped. Much much better.