Cutting off top of head in portraits

[Big Mike]

Sometimes the 'dead space' created by shooting a head shot in horizontal orientation can be a good compositional element. I think this is one of those that falls into the catergory of 'know the rules, so you know what you're doing when you break them'.

Here's one example of mine. Purposely shot/cropped in horizontal and composed to have that dead space. Better than just plain vertical? I don't know...you tell me.

 

[jowensphoto]

Bitter- makes me think of the Seinfeld epidsode with the "close talkers"

Mike- I like that! It's a very dynamic portrait.

 

[jowensphoto]

Just for s**** and giggles, here's one you guys can rip apart for me

-Top of head cut of...check!
-Horizontal headshot... check!
-Selective coloring... CHECK!

...and she's probably facing the wrong way. lol

 

[Geaux]

noobishness or not, it works for me. These are one of those things where "art" can be perceived either way, it's a love/hate thing.

One of my favorite portrait'ers on flickr pulls it off very nicely. Flickr: Markus Schwarze's Photostream

 

[Ron Evers]

Kundalini has a very interesting model to work with.

 

[jowensphoto]

noobishness or not, it works for me. These are one of those things where "art" can be perceived either way, it's a love/hate thing.

One of my favorite portrait'ers on flickr pulls it off very nicely. Flickr: Markus Schwarze's Photostream

Thanks for that link! I especially love Infant | Flickr - Photo Sharing!