High key (I think)

[RedGoblinz]

EXIF: 50mm f1.8 @f2.8, 1/200, ISO 100
Flash camera left, DIY reflector camera right, wall behind.

What i want you guys to critique about:
Lighting.
Pose.
What you like about it, or nothing special.
General things that i can improve.

Thanks for your feedbacks!

Large here:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6...1516f3e2_b.jpg

[wulf]

It isn't really high key, although certainly not underexposed. Do watch out for stray hairs - they can be part of the image but here they look like a bit of brushing before taking the photo wouldn't have gone amiss.

I would recommend including the image directly in your post rather than just giving a link to it - you are more likely to get a reponse if you don't force people to make another click (although by all means link back to a larger original so folks can choose to look at the details if they want).

Wulf

[RedGoblinz]

The messy hair is an exception in this, was only testing my lighting.
Not high key because of the hair? But still gives that clean feeling to me, dont you think so.

[wulf]

I think high key work is defined by an absence of mid-tones, more like this:



High key work is often in monochrome too, which makes even more of the contrast.

For a child's face, I think your original, softer lighting works much better.

Wulf

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by RedGoblinz

[IMG]Lighting. Pose. What you like about it, or nothing special. General things that i can improve.

It is a nice start. Lighting is nice and soft, but maybe a little too far to the side for my tastes. I'd bring it around to a more frontal position. Camera left side may be a little bit too hot. Where the image really falls apart for me is the crop and expression.

I never mind cropping the top of the head, but cropping at the chin just doesn't work in my opinion. I think the information from the chin to maybe the collar bones is far more important than the information at the top of the head. I do like the horizontal composition, though.

The expression is the weakest point. She looks completely blank, and maybe a little apprehensive that she's having her picture made. Work with your model so they give something to the camera.

[carlyfan]

I'm with Mike about the crop; I don't mind the crop at the top of her head, but the cropped chin bothers me. It just feels too tight I think.

And her expression doesn't do anything for me either. But, seeing as you said you were testing lighting I completely understand. I experiment on my little sister all the time when she doesn't particularly want to be photographed or when she is doing other things; so I run into very similar expressions often.

That being said, I think the light is just lovely! It's soft and beautiful. I don't think it's too far to the side, but that's just me. I love the catchlights too. Great job with the light!

Lisa

[RedGoblinz]

High key is the lack of midtones? I didnt know that...
Monochrome = something like B&W?

Thanks for your inputs, esp about the composition, i find myself often taking pics with the wrong composition and really regretting later.