Dana on a hot day...

[philwms]

The shifted left composition and flash highlight on the column are deliberate. The left shift balances the power of the column with the flash highlight, which echoes the feeling of persperation and heat on the subject's face and hair. That's what I was trying to do with the portrait, create a sense of heat... It's a picture as much about a hot day as it is a portrait.

 

[markc]

I do think that you captured the sense of heat.

Unfortunately I don't care for the use of a wide-angle lens or on-camera flash for portraits. The wide angle distorts her face (her nose looks big and like it's poking out at you), and the on-camera flash is direct on, giving an unflattering light.

 

[philwms]

markc... I'm not sure where the lens was - a zoom, somewhere between 35mm and 111mm, on a Canon SD550. At any rate, I also did quite a bit of post-processing using Photoshop. Below is an 3 second animated GIF comparing the original photo with the final piece. I borrowed some hair from another photo to fix the copped top on the original. The subject and I were just fooling around with the camera, but we both liked the picture in question, so I spent some time on it.

 

[SantosD50]

colors are kind of flat and agree that it doesn't show a hot day. maybe if you captured some sweat drops coming down her face.

 

[nitefly]

colors are kind of flat and agree that it doesn't show a hot day. maybe if you captured some sweat drops coming down her face.

Agree with who exactly?

 

[FAV]

no offence, but I REALLY DON'T LIKE IT .
It looks just like a family pic.
It has nothing artistic...

 

[philwms]

whoa... you folks are tough...

 

[JJP]

Hehe i'm sorry, but I have to agree with the others, it kind of just looks like a family picture that's just been taken, i'm sure if you played around with this idea, you'll get exactly what you're looking for. If you gave another background, maybe something that gives the effect of heat slightly more than the current background, it will point you in the right direction, good luck!

 

[JonathanM]

Eeeek, tough comments, but I agree - you've used Photoshop to rescue a candid family type picture, that wasn't framed very well, and as for the image trying to capture the heat, well i can get that effect from frontal flash on most subjetcs - it doesn't really work for me. lets face it, as photographers we spend a lot of time avoiding shiny skin on portraits.
Also you should be able to get some data from the image file to tell you focal length, exposure etc, its good to know what works/doesn't work to be able to repeat or avoid effects.

 

[Digital Matt]

Hey Phil. I've enjoyed viewing your illustrations through Designerslounge.org for years.

I know you said you were trying to capture "heat", but it just doesn't make a pleasing portrait in this case, imho.

Some things you can do to make it better. Use a longer focal length and stand back a bit from your subject to compress the perspective. Also, it appears that you are above her looking down on to her. I think being eye level with her would be more pleasing for this composition. Also, your subject does not always have to look into the camera. Also, when I think of heat, I think of warm colors, reds and oranges, but due to the flash exposure of this scene, it has an overall cool"ish" cast to it.

The on-camera flash really gives this the look of a candid family portrait, and thus, does not give this viewer any feelings deeper than that.

Good luck and keep your chin up. We are all trying to help