Tell me I'm not going crazy please...

[bace]

So i did some maternity pics for a friend. She swears they're too dark and she can't see anything in them....

This is the version of the one i sent her....



This is the one she brightened herself because she can't see anything in the first one....



I think she can't see it because of her monitor not being bright enough, tell me I'm not losing it here.

Or is it me?

[TPF Sponsor]

[dxqcanada]

You are correct.

The first image is the correct one, as you are using one frontal key light.

I am thinking that your friend wanted something a little less artistic.

[HeY iTs ScOTtY]

i get comments like that on some of my pictures. some people dont realize what the photographer wants to portray. some not so artistic people always criticize things they dont understand. she might just be one of those people who likes snap shot Polaroids lol. sometimes it pisses me off when people say my photos look like crap because they are blurry or to dark. they think i messed up the picture but what they dont know is thats exactly how i wanted it to look.

[Dwig]

You are correct.

The first image is the correct one, as you are using one frontal key light....

I disagree completely. In my opinion, the original picture is poorly lit with the rim light too weak. It displays poorly on my monitor which is well matched to my printer, scanner, and standardized test files. The clients lightened print is certainly horrible, but it does reveal the body shape and shows the presence of the rim light.

I made a few tweaks in PS using curves to expand the deep shadow area reavealing the rim light without changing the overall low key look. Its quite possible that the image looks good on the OP's own monitor, but professional work done for others to view and print on more modestly performing devices needs to be designed for those display methods.

[Yemme]

She wants to see herself. That's all. Maybe if you used a white backdrop that would make her happier. See if you can do it in Photoshop.

[UUilliam]

ops pic looks PEREFECT on my screen, the rim light isn't too weak, it is just right, the client edit is rubbish, it has far too much gaumit and looks liek all she done was place a white layer at 36% over the original image

[musicaleCA]

Right, this is why I use contact sheets. >.<

You're not crazy. Perhaps the best way to show a client photos would be to use printed media in future.

I agree Dwig though. The lighting does seem a tad dark. I mean, it'd be good if it were intended to be a low-key shot, but that may not be what she wants. You ought to sit down and hash this out with her, so to speak. Find out exactly what she doesn't like (perhaps she thinks the skin tones are too dark), and do the best you can to fix it to her liking.

[Sachphotography]

The first shot is a great low key shot. I looks good.

[Corry]

First shot is perfect.

[KmH]

From a photographers perspective the first image is not far from being good, as has been pointed out by others. Remember, clients are not schooled in the subtlties of the photographic art, but they know what they like, or dislike, when they see it.

When you are making portraits for retail sale it can be helpful to make them more mainstream to avoid these kinds of photographer/client differences of opinion.

I would re-edit the image at the least.