Any critiques??

[cgipson1]

The crop at the head isn't a major problem imho.

I don't care for it... it seems to be becoming an accepted norm with a certain class of photographer (you know, the ones with Facebook PRO pages, huge watermarks, bad WB and lot of wide open aperture fuzzy "Bokeh" shots). Same for bad horizontal framing on portraits...

Like this class of photographers?

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Maybe by the class of photographers that pay attention to this kind of crap! lol! Since I don't use makeup (or watch TV, or read Chick Magazines), I guess I don't see this stuff too often (thank goddess!)! Nice to know that you do, though! lol!

 

[Ballistics]

I don't care for it... it seems to be becoming an accepted norm with a certain class of photographer (you know, the ones with Facebook PRO pages, huge watermarks, bad WB and lot of wide open aperture fuzzy "Bokeh" shots). Same for bad horizontal framing on portraits...

Like this class of photographers?

Volum' Express® The Rocket? Waterproof Mascara
Clean Express!? Classic Eye Make Up Remover
Revlon Products: Makeup, Fragrances, Hair Color, Nails, Beauty Tools
P!NK | COVERGIRL Talent

Maybe by the class of photographers that pay attention to this kind of crap! lol! Since I don't use makeup (or watch TV, or read Chick Magazines), I guess I don't see this stuff too often (thank goddess!)! Nice to know that you do, though! lol!

The wife's a makeup artist.

 

[slow231]

The crop at the head isn't a major problem imho.

I don't care for it... it seems to be becoming an accepted norm with a certain class of photographer (you know, the ones with Facebook PRO pages, huge watermarks, bad WB and lot of wide open aperture fuzzy "Bokeh" shots). Same for bad horizontal framing on portraits...

Like this class of photographers?

Volum' Express® The Rocket? Waterproof Mascara
Clean Express!? Classic Eye Make Up Remover
Revlon Products: Makeup, Fragrances, Hair Color, Nails, Beauty Tools
P!NK | COVERGIRL Talent

heh heh.
i personally like the fill the frame look. chopped heads don't bother me and I do it a lot.

i think cgipson1 was fine in mentioning his preference, but I think one should be careful with just reasoning with a negative stigmatization of the opposing opinion. as photographers we should be careful about tastes becoming purely cultural and losing touch with true aesthetics. i fully and wholeheartedly understand that this does naturally bother some, and can be a bit of a pet peeve. but i really think a whole lot of people don't care about (or never even notice) head chops, and it's actually quite common among "good" professional shots. so i'd venture a guess that those who it really bothers are in a minority...

that said, imo you can chop heads, but OP's crop is too tight on the top. and there's like half a dead space to the left and right. if you want to leave dead space (for contrast, environmental ties, to address a gaze, etc.), give more of it and leave it on one side. the space on both sides only makes the top crop seem that much tighter and unbalanced.

a general rule of thumb is to also shoot people at slightly below nose level. the downward perspective can give an overbearing type of feeling. but i think in this case this "rule" is broken well. the warmness of her expression into the camera pretty much negates any overbearingness, and it almost gives a trusting kind of a feel.

 

[texkam]

^ and this... http://www.cacchioli.co.uk/core/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Royal-Wedding-Portrait.jpg

 

[texkam]

For a non-formal snap it's very pleasant save the fall of the shadow on the cheek. I know you shot this in the "golden hour", but you may consider removing a bit of magenta. Easily done if you shot in raw. The crop and horizontal framing works for me.

 

[ronlane]

There are ways to diffuse the pop up flash but that is not idea. Something like this with just the diffuser placed between the sun and your subject would have helped.

Ahah... you did learn something! lol!

I've got this AWESOME teacher, so of course I learned something. I may have trouble putting it into practice but I have learned.

 

[cgipson1]

Good! I have an image from your first post.. that I did an edit on. Would you like to see it?

yeah that would be great!

Original on top

 

[Ballistics]

For a non-formal snap it's very pleasant save the fall of the shadow on the cheek. I know you shot this in the "golden hour", but you may consider removing a bit of magenta. Easily done if you shot in raw. The crop and horizontal framing works for me.

It's easily done no matter the file format. You can edit Jpegs in Camera Raw.

 

[brookiepictures]

Its a beautiful edit! Is it just an air brush? Did you use photo shop?

 

[Ballistics]

Its a beautiful edit! Is it just an air brush? Did you use photo shop?

Airbrush? There's no airbrushing anymore lol. It's ALL​ photoshop. Anything you see in magazines is all down in some form of photoshop.

 

[brookiepictures]

I use light room.

 

[cgipson1]

Its a beautiful edit! Is it just an air brush? Did you use photo shop?

Yes, Photoshop! I did some "virtual" airbrushing to even out the shadows and highlights, with some light cloning. Then ran the image through portraiture for some soft skin smoothing. Then added some light to the eyes with the gradient tool and paintbrush. Glad you like it!

 

[Ballistics]

I use light room.

Which is an element of photoshop.

 

[The_Traveler]

It's Sunday night, I'm not busy so I can't pass by without saying something so I will say two things.

Don't spend a huge amount of time, editing a photo that has really basic things wrong, like all the space on each side and chopping so much off the head and the big shadow.
Go back and get some of it right in your concept and in the camera.

And

but I think one should be careful with just reasoning with a negative stigmatization of the opposing opinion.

Isn't that redundant?
What would a positive stigmatization be? "You're a miserable monstrous fat ugly person with bad breath but you hardly smell when you sweat."

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

 

[Ballistics]

It's Sunday night, I'm not busy so I can't pass by without saying something so I will say two things.

Don't spend a huge amount of time, editing a photo that has really basic things wrong, like all the space on each side and chopping so much off the head and the big shadow.
Go back and get some of it right in your concept and in the camera.

Besides the fact that the picture is composed well, whether the picture is flawed or not, telling someone not to edit due to the flaws is telling someone to waste a massive amount of time.
Why not learn how to edit and take quality pictures at the same time? A picture shouldn't have to be worthy of an edit, in order to learn how to edit. That's silly.

You older members need to get with the times. This whole anti-horizontal portrait and anti-head cropping ship has set sail and isn't coming back. As I've already shown 4 examples, this style of photography
is extremely popular among high end portrait photographers.