Sophomore portraits

[EOBeav]

This is my first attempt at a portrait. Shot in RAW, then processed in Qtpfsgui and GIMP. Just wanted your thoughts about the final product. Two things I don't like: The blown out tree in the background and the single blade of grass sticking up in the foreground. However, I liked the pose so much I thought I would continue on to see what I could do with it.

Thanks in advance for your comments and advice.



PS...I'll have to go back and look for EXIF data. One of those editing programs seems to have stripped that info away.

[Trader]

Yes, that blown out tree really needs to go. I think I would crop this shot somewhere between the back of her arm and her waist and just above her head on the top. That is the subject I see.

[cphoniball]

Might be the vignette and my eyes put together but I see a light halo around her, which makes her look unnatural. You also have more contrast in your background than in the subject, which draws my eye away from her. I'm sure you wanted a desaturated look, but maybe bump it down a notch on her or up a notch on the background.

[imik]

This photo is good and i love the setting and the girl is a beauty... i don't however like the way she's pulling one of her eyelids. i think it detracts from the picture

[har06053@byui.edu]

Beautiful work. I like the "feel" of the image.

One idea for next time is changing the model's pose so we don't see her arm quite so large. It would be a bit more flattering for her.

Nice shot!

[EOBeav]

Thanks everybody for the helpful comments! Good information all around. I'm still learning this, and since I have two in high school, I imagine getting plenty of practice doing portraits for them and their friends over the next few years.

[Dianna M]

A good rule of thumb for portraits - don't crop/frame at the joints. Her feet are cut off at the ankles. I think if you cropped it differently it would help.