An image I'm not happy with

[Steve Reddin]

And to be honest I don't know why, but there's something about it that irks me so any help on this one would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[Big Mike]

Her dress fades into the background/backdrop (at least on my monitor), which makes it seem like she's floating...especially her leg.

The lighting is high ratio, but it's too flat. The only shadows we see are under her chin and maybe a bit by her arms. I think that a more dramatic angle would have worked better, but maybe with a softer light and a bit of fill.

People's hands usually don't look good and woman's hands can tend to look masculine compared to their smooth curves. I think her hands are hurting the image.

Even will those changes, I think her expression kills the shot. Is she looking at the camera/viewer? I can't tell because there isn't enough light in her eyes.

 

[Sbuxo]

For me, it's a number of things.
1. Her hands
2. Something in her face I don't like, I think she's maybe trying too hard to be "sexy/modelly".
3. How her shoe just blends in with the black sheet.

 

[SwissJ]

there's something about it that irks me

It could be cause she looks uncomfortable and mad.

Looks like she's secretly giving you the middle finger with one hand and punching you with the other.

The visible wrinkles in the black cloth don't help, cause it also looks like she's clenching the fabric and is about to reveal what's underneath.

The clenching adds a lot of tension.

Some of the skin tones look flat (for example, the foot)

 

[Sbuxo]

there's something about it that irks me

It could be cause she looks uncomfortable and mad.

Looks like she's secretly giving you the middle finger with one hand and punching you with the other.

The visible wrinkles in the black cloth don't help, cause it also looks like she's clenching the fabric and is about to reveal what's underneath.

The clenching adds a lot of tension.

Some of the skin tones look flat (for example, the foot)

Exactly, her face bothers me.:er:

 

[Steve Reddin]

Thanks for the response, should have put in a bit of background on the shot though...

The pose is meant to represent rejection, so she should look mad / uncomfortable / tense etc...

@big mike
I think it is your monitor, there is a distinct difference between the dress and the background on my monitor which has been calibrated to match my printer, with this subtlety in colour it is hard to meet different monitor requirements

Steve

 

[Derrel]

I think the short focal length used, 27mm, is causing some apparent perspective distortion. Her knee looks unnaturally large, and her calf also looks unnaturally large. SInce her hands are extended toward the camera, her hands look quite large in comparison to her face, and the top of her head, the way her hair is styled, gives her a sort of square-headed appearance. I wish her shoe didn't merge into the background fabric. Her facial expression seems,well...like she was going for sultry or smoldering, but she's not able to pull that emotion off. I know what you mean about the image--it has enough good components in it to make a nice image, but something is just not quite coming together.

 

[Jeff Colburn]

Her dress and background should have contrast, through different colors or lighting.

You don't want to bend fingers, arms or legs in a way that makes them look amputated, which the fingers of her right hand do.

Point the toe of her left shoe.

Her facial expression would be fine if used with a more aggressive pose, but with this relaxed pose she should have no expression or smiling to some degree.

I also feel that the cropping on the left and right are a little tight.

Keep at it and you'll get to where you want to be.

Have Fun,
Jeff

 

[Steve Reddin]

Thanks everyone for the quick response on this, I'll see what I can incorporate from them and stay within the spirit of the photograph's remit.

Steve

 

[Ub3rdoRK]

yeah...definetly the leg and face for me

 

[Aye-non Oh-non Imus]

I agree with what has already been mentioned, particularly about the hands, foot and lighting. The look of rejection you were going for turns out to look manic to me. The eyes are too far in the corners. The stray hairs on her left cheek are distracting and once I saw the skin at her waist, I could not help from going there instead of her face.

 

[aprillove20]

I think that a more dramatic angle would have worked better, but maybe with a softer light and a bit of fill.