Critique, please?

[ElizK]

I'm a frequent poster on the community board, and a frequent lurker on the Photography board... I would really like some honest opinions on this picture. Thanks!

 

[YEKCIM]

Beautiful picture of a beautiful girl, but IMO, it would be more compelling w/o the blue in the eyes. Just my $0.02. Do you have a full color version with which to compare?

~YEKCIM

 

[ElizK]

Thank you for your comment! Here's the color version:

 

[boBQuincy]

I like the B&W conversion, the color distracts from her features while the B&W focuses on them. I think the original eye color might work even better.

Good job!

 

[ElizK]

I like the B&W conversion, the color distracts from her features while the B&W focuses on them. I think the original eye color might work even better.

Good job!

When you talk about the original eye color, do you mean black and white, or not quite so intense an blue as I used?

 

[gruZ]

I'm not a big fan of selective coloring - just my opinion. I think pure B&W conversion w/o the colored eyes would e a better picture.

 

[ElizK]

I'm not a big fan of selective coloring - just my opinion. I think pure B&W conversion w/o the colored eyes would e a better picture.

Here it is in just b/w:

 

[Miss Kelly]

How about this -

 

[boBQuincy]

When you talk about the original eye color, do you mean black and white, or not quite so intense an blue as I used?

Not as intense, just a subtle hint of color to make people look twice and wonder "is it tinted or B&W?". I think it really draws people in that way.

No more lurking now, show us some more!

 

[ElizK]

Not as intense, just a subtle hint of color to make people look twice and wonder "is it tinted or B&W?". I think it really draws people in that way.

No more lurking now, show us some more!

Ok, thanks!

Oh, and part of what I wondered about on this one is the composition. Advice or comments? This picture is of my 14 year old daughter, so of course I'm somewhat partial to the subject matter.

I read a thread last week (while I was lurking) about developing "the eye", and taking a very large number of pics of the same subject. I took that advice, and this was one of the results. You really have to think more creatively to take that many pictures of the same subject. I appreciate that advice!

 

[ElizK]

I went back and tried the tinting with more subtle color. You're right. I like this better.

 

[DVC Jen]

I like that last one MUCH better. The eyes still have her very pretty blue color to them but now they look natural and not like they have been intensified.

I agree that you need to show us more.

 

[jann1033]

i like the total b& w ( but then i always like b& w) but i do like the subtle blue eyed one also...it's a cute photo and seems to show her personality...i was going to suggest maybe trying an over all pale tint kind of like before the color film days when they used colors to tint b&w, subtle, pale hints of color, even a little less than the last eye color...just as yet another option

 

[boBQuincy]

Ok, thanks!

Oh, and part of what I wondered about on this one is the composition. Advice or comments? This picture is of my 14 year old daughter, so of course I'm somewhat partial to the subject matter.

I read a thread last week (while I was lurking) about developing "the eye", and taking a very large number of pics of the same subject. I took that advice, and this was one of the results. You really have to think more creatively to take that many pictures of the same subject. I appreciate that advice!

Interestingly, her eyes both line up with the "rule of thirds". If it was a fully head-on photo that might be not as interesting but with her face at a slight angle and tilted to the camera her eyes are slightly different sized, slightly different focus, and not exactly lined up horizontally, making for a more interesting composition (being more the point of focus, our eyes are drawn back to her right eye).

You were obviously thinking about composition.
Me, I try to remember these things when I photograph but when I do something like that (unintentionally but hopefully intuitively) and someone credits me with the fine composition I reply "uhhh....yeah, I *meant* to do that!"

 

[barrie]

I like the B&W one best too. I think she's a great subject, really sweet looking.

Is there a way to soften the upper left quadrant of the photo? At first glance I thought it seemed just a wee bit close in terms of composition. But then I thought if it could just be softened a bit that would take care of it. I think the framing is really nice but I find myself wanting to back up from the photo. I think that is because some of the closer features are a little too harsh.

If that little bit where the light hits her right cheekbone (our left), to the bridge of her nose and then over her right eyebrow could be a little softer I think it would work better as a portrait. Does anyone know how to do that?

 

[ElizK]

I like the B&W one best too. I think she's a great subject, really sweet looking.

Is there a way to soften the upper left quadrant of the photo? At first glance I thought it seemed just a wee bit close in terms of composition. But then I thought if it could just be softened a bit that would take care of it. I think the framing is really nice but I find myself wanting to back up from the photo. I think that is because some of the closer features are a little too harsh.

If that little bit where the light hits her right cheekbone (our left), to the bridge of her nose and then over her right eyebrow could be a little softer I think it would work better as a portrait. Does anyone know how to do that?

Thanks! I tried to do what you suggested, but I wasn't getting a result I was happy with using the program I have (Microsoft PictureIt 2001).

 

[Gdad]

What a great picture! Hope you don't mind I had to have a go at it...

Color...

B&W...

Layered...

 

[barrie]

Beautiful job Gdad - that's exactly what I was imagining. How did you do it? What do you think ElizK?

 

[ElizK]

Hey, those look great! What program are you using for editing? What does "layered" mean? Thanks for playing with them. Part of the reason I didn't like the color pic as much as the b/w is because of the color of her teeth. I kept trying to manipulate it in my editing software, but couldn't make it look right. You did a really good job!

 

[jann1033]

i tried downloading it but couldn't get it to work... but if you go to
http://www.optikvervelabs.com/
you can download virtual photographer for free and they have a glamor shot and some other softening options that might soften the whole thing( tons of other b & w options that make for lots of things to play with)

once again i didn't finish the thread before i posted...well i thought i did but evidently i can't read either

nice job as usual gdad!