Close-up portrait

[DavideV]

Hi all!

This is my 1st post in this forum, but it's a long time since I've been following DPS newsletter.

I would like to get some feedback on this portrait i made some weeks ago. It's one of my favourites (ok, maybe because I'm emotionally involved as the lady portraited is my wife!), so I posted it in many photo sites, but I didn't get what I expected: do you think it's too close, or what else?

Thank you!

Davide

Sony DSC-V3 | 136mm@f/4 | iso 100 | 1/60 | built-in Flash


Here is the link to the flickr page of the picture.

[Wooglah]

There's one thing bothering me - a lack of detail in highlights and shadows. Did you use flash for this? There's no EXIF...

[DavideV]

Sorry, I forgot to write EXIF... post edited.

I used a Lightroom 2 preset for the B/W conversion.

[zona5101]

agree with wooglah, I think the high contrast doesn't work well for this particular image...
the crop is rather tight but I don't have a problem with it.

[WooD]

I don't mind the head crop, but when you crop the head, and chin it just doesn't work for me personally.

I think the main problem with the shot is you used the on camera flash. Other than the catch light dead center of her eyes there is no other detail. Then again thats just my opinion. I'm kind of a freak when it comes to eye detail.

[Christian Michael]

Sometimes the overexposed look can work well, but in this photo, it looks flat. I would have tried it without the flash (if you used one) to keep the detail. Then reworked it in lightroom of photoshop to lighten it, but still keep depth by keeping the contrast.

The eyes also look way too dark.

Nice try thou

[Wooglah]

Well, since you have access to the model (), ask her politely to pose for you again, and try it without flash... If you don't know how, search the site/forum for tips, there are more than enough here, trust me. Use the light from the window if you are inside, or even better, go outside