What’s Your Preference?

MargaritaH · #1 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011, 01:59 PM

Hi,

I'm quite new to photography and my main interest is portrait/beauty photography. I'd like to share one of my photos and ask for your opinions and perhaps suggestions. I'd like to know especially what you think of the lighting and shadows on her face.

F5.6
1/125 sec.
67 mm
ISO 100

BigFuzzy · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011, 02:18 PM

Hi Margarita,
Can you please read the forum rules and edit your post to relfect what's being asked of you in the rules, ie only one image, give us exif info and ask some specific quesitions? This will help us help you and will encourage more replies to your post.
Thanks and welcome to DPS.

PS where are you in Holland, I live in Den Haag!

MargaritaH · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Hi Margarita,
Can you please read the forum rules and edit your post to relfect what's being asked of you in the rules, ie only one image, give us exif info and ask some specific quesitions? This will help us help you and will encourage more replies to your post.
Thanks and welcome to DPS.

PS where are you in Holland, I live in Den Haag!

Hi,
Thanks for letting me know. I've changed the OP. I'm from Amsterdam

Margarita

BigFuzzy · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011, 03:31 PM

No worries Margarita, just trying to make it easier on everyone.. someone called me out my first post as well hehe.

As for the photo. Normally I'm not a huge fan of the face/head floating on a black background.. but there's something to this image that draws me in though I can't finger it.

There's something serene about her face that's helped by the lighting and color tone choice. The shadows on her face have a nice depth to them though I'm not a huge fan of the very defined line on her neck. But I like how the light hits her face in general and am happy you got good light into both eyes.

This almost has a album cover. In fact, I'd like to see this recropped with more dead space to the left, perhaps in a square format?

Also, i think the feather in the hair helps because without it there would have just been more black empty space there which woulc have given that "floating head" look i don't like..
All in all, it's a nice shot.
All in all, i like this more than I normally do these types of shots.

MargaritaH · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011, 09:41 AM

Thanks for your reply! Do you mean something along these lines?

BigFuzzy · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaritaH

Thanks for your reply! Do you mean something along these lines?

Yeah, much better. I'd look at how it looks with a Landscape crop as well (simply adding more black to the left) and see which you like better.
For me, it's already a lot better as the edge of the frame doesn't feel that it's pressing in on her face anymore.

One thing that often works for me (of course there are lots of exceptions!) is to leave a bit more space in the direction that your subject is looking/moving than you might have originally thought.. you can always crop tighter if needed, but at times (luckily not with this image) it's more difficult to add space.

graciousness · #7 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011, 10:12 AM

I love it. It's so reminiscent of Billie Holiday. The negative space gave it breathing room, too, so that's great (I'm also a fan of negative space).

Such a wonderful job, really! Can't wait to see more!