Does this portrait work?

[TravisL]

I converted this image to B&W because I liked the sense of lonliness that wasnt felt in the color version. I want this critique to be mostly based on composition. But you can throw in some exposure critique as well. I know this isn't your normal portrait shot, but the landscape seemed to be lacking without a human presence.

Nikon d5000
F/5
1/125s
32mm

[MrJones]

I wouldn't call it a portrait.
and to tell you the truth, since the person is such a small fraction of the photo, I really feel it would have been a better BW photo without the model.
the more I look at it, the more I feel like you wanted to take a photo of the trail and this person got stuck in the middle.

[TravisL]

Originally Posted by MrJones

I wouldn't call it a portrait.
and to tell you the truth, since the person is such a small fraction of the photo, I really feel it would have been a better BW photo without the model.
the more I look at it, the more I feel like you wanted to take a photo of the trail and this person got stuck in the middle.

That is sort of true. I had taken this photo with out anyone in it. Then another shot where she happened to walk into it. The human presence was more appealing to me.

[JFSanders]

You have a couple of crops in this photograph depending upon what you want to convey. As for the overall composition, I would say that it is weak based upon your leading line and perspective. It could be made stronger if you were lower and had run the boardwalk on a more diagonal line from the bottom left to the top right. When you look at the full size image and make the girl the subject in a landscape orientation it conveys a message of wonder and introspection. Without the girl and in portrait orientation it leads the viewer into the image and evokes a sense of exploration and discovery.

Jim