Dark self portrait.

[Garbz]

It was one of those dark days again. Cloudy and cold. I decided to try and express how it's been a crap day and I still have assignments to do.

Critique harshly please, I am very new to portraiture.

 

[Sgt_Major]

i like the lighting ... especially the way the eye on our right (your left) is highlighted in the dark, all I would suggest tho is if you could get a little of the white inbetween your pupil and the dark of your face...

 

[AprilRamone]

I like the directional lighting, but I think it's too dark. I'd like to see more of your left eye. It's also so dark that I'm having trouble seeing if you left any space under your chin (I think you did, but my bf's monitor is pretty crappy so I'm not sure). Either way, I think I may have left a little more space under your chin.
Also, it seems you look a little like Matthew McConahey (spelling? I think there's a G in there somewhere ).

 

[Garbz]

Ok so cropping of the chin is bad but cropping the top of the head ok? I did have a tiny space under my chin but there was a distracting bit of my neck showing so I cropped it JUST tight enough to get rid of it.

Is my left eye distracting? I really only see two options either eliminate the left side of my face completely, or show much more of it to get the full eye.

Also Dark is exactly what I was going for. Is it too dark? I fear if I take the brightness up it makes it less dark (well duh) and more mysterious, not the direction I wanted to take.

The dark lighting could also explain why I look like Matthew McConaughey. You never know what you're getting when the lights are off. I'm really very ugly on normal photos

 

[ordinaryday]

I think this rocks!

Anyway, my knitpicks:

To the left, by your chin, theres a line, sort of looks like theres a black rope, or some black thing, that disrupts the smoothness of the surrounding black. I know that was probably worded horrendously, but I have no clue what that thing is, so I can't actively describe it. But if you look, you'll see it.

And the eye on the left, your right eye, has a red vein visible, but the way it's shaped, sort of a backwards "c" makes it look like a red reflective spot since it's right on the edge. Normally I wouldn't say to fix it since it's "natural" but since your other eye is such a clear white I suggest you fix it digitally.

I personally think the crop you did works for the shot. It's a weird hunch, but I think if you crop the chin it'll look less *realistic*. Don't ask me to explain what I mean, cause I'm not too sure, but with the fading AND cropping it would look more like an artsy composition, whereas with the chin in full, it's a more realistic (life wise) portriture. Eh. I hope you get what I'm saying.

 

[Garbz]

It's the collar on my jumper . Well spotted on the vein. It comes from taking photo at midnight.

 

[Bifurcator]

I like it. If I were a girl I'd like it more I suppose. Dark, mysterious, poutish yet serious, rugged yet tender... Holy crap maybe I was girl in a former life or something... <runs away and hides>

Seriously good image!

 

[Early]

I like it, too, except maybe the look. It's like your asking, "WTF are you looking at?"

 

[John_Olexa]

I think it's a great shot! Good job!