Opinion on digital background with image

[brians_lady]

I know that there is a blotchy spot on the baby's ear, actually, my 4 year old pointed out (gee, thanks) I really want one of the pens, but do feel I'm doing pretty decent with the mouse on the background stuff.

but I want someone's opinion on this background with this picture from someone who isn't my spouse, parent, or child. Cuz we all know how "accomodating" they can be.

Basically, just the background/pic combo but any advice would do as well.

Thanks. Oh, and please, don't be nice b/c this is my first request. I'm a big girl, be honest. Not mean, but honest, :-)

From A Legacy Exposed: Portraits by Kana Clark

[low-wattage]

I dont like it. Its not calm and inviting like the child, the center of the b/g takes away from the yellow of the ducks lessening them. It may sound cliche, but if thats a boy, then a nice mottled blue would have worked. A girl, then a rose or dare-I-say pink mottled would have worked.
As for the 'pen', I have a Wacom tablet, and there is a world of difference that only use will show. But like any device, it does certainly take a while to get accllimated to it. The one I have, a Graphipre, even came with a mouse so that you can switch from one to the other effortlessly.

Good work, with the portrait.

[brians_lady]

thanks. yeah, it doesn't work for me, but at a request, combined it. I want to use the photo in my portfolio, but i'm not excited by the background, and all the "it looks good" ideas from family just were not cutting it.

I'll try to blue, I have a few different ones. I'll try them when I don't have a little guy begging for icecream, :-)

thanks again

Kana

[lputman]

What doesn't work for me is that the baby seems to large for the background and I agree a different color might work better, something not so bright.

[ocnsprt]

I am curious what the original looked like??? Mind posting?? I think this doesnt work, basically all the reasons stated, and a soft light blue background, maybe textured and blurred with a light filter thrown in the center would look great imo. Id say try a few things and see if you can get something better YOU like. If your interested I would love to work on it and see if I can get a good bg for you (thats become my new hobby, I find it so much more enjoyable editing other peoples work bc its easier to be objective and unbiased) if not, no prob, and we cant wait to see what you try.

Best wishes

[brians_lady]

the only pp was cropping and background change. The original background was a beige/brown marble type. Very "old" looking for a baby, imo.

I don't mind it if you play around with it, ocnsprt.

I changed it to the blue clouds and it's a lot cuter to me, and I think works better.

OH, and that ear, I went back to the original and it was like that. I looked at all the shots of him and it's not my editing, it's his ear. He has cleft ears. I didn't smooth as much with the blue background, once I realized it wasn't me, b/c I'm not sure if I should fix it or not. I mean, a pimple is one thing, but not every photographer they'll use, or they themselves, will fix it, and I'm not sure it would be a good thing to have that one portrait (or portraits, from this shoot) with it corrected when all his snapshots wouldn't be. I guess it's a touchy subject, and I wouldn't want to ask the parents.

anywho, this one is working better with me, what do you all think?

From A Legacy Exposed: Portraits by Kana Clark

[lputman]

A world of difference! Much better.

[brians_lady]

Lori,

does the blue make his head look smaller to you? or is it just me?

[t blanchard]

The blue background is much better - but to me something still looks a bit off. Maybe it's all of the competing textures and colors - the blue, the yellow ducks, and the white rug/blanket/towel. Something too about the size and scale of everything does not match. It's almost like there is too much going on and that detracts from the adorable baby!

You definitely did a great job in the second version with your editing and placing against the background, but overall I think all of the work detracts from the portrait when he is the real interest. What a great face!

[ocnsprt]

Ok so I played with it in pse, and this is what I came up w, part of what I think the prob was is its such a tight crop, and his head looks to large for the picture to be cropped in so close, it make it look even lager than it is in relationship to his body (and babies heads tend to be larger than their bodies so its important to get enough other stuff in the shot, whether is more of their body or background) So I tried to extend the picture and give the head a smaller portion of the picture, (sounds funny to say that) I think it helped but would love to know what everyone thinks.


I also have it wo the vignette if you want to see that