First attempt at child portrait, C/C please!:)

[say_cheeese!]

Hi all, I attempted my first child portrait today in the garden with my new D90 and my daughter. First picture is straight from the camera and the second has been retouched using Coffeeshop Perfect Portrait. I wanted to keep it as close to the original as possible but couldnt resist brightening her eyes.
Please let me know if it is any good or what you would have done differently. Feel free to edit the original, thanks in advance for any comments.

#1

#2

 

[reznap]

I think it's a nice picture but I prefer the first one. The edit it too much. Especially the edge burning, which also increased the saturation of the greens, etc..

I also think that what this pic needs more than anything is some warmer tones in her skin. Did you use the popup flash?

Here's an edit I did. I also cleaned up around her nose and mouth and blotted out a white mark on her chin which is probably from a hot pixel on the camera's sensor.

 

[sjconner]

I have been using the Coffee Shop Perfect Portrait quite a bit lately (have 80+ school portraits I volunteered to do). Do spot healing before using the plug in. To get rid of the vignette (brownish coloring around the edges) click on the eye to the left of the vignette layer. That turns the layer off. Or you could mess with the opacity. I usually turn it off. I would lower the opacity of the bright eyes layer. Check your levels, etc. I love this plug in! Very cute picture - my DD won't let me practice on her.

Susan

 

[white]

I'M GOING TO EAT YOUR SOUL!!1!

 

[LarryD]

I would go ahead and clone out some of the blemishes around her lips etc... Photos last forever and are nice to look back on, so they don't have to show up every blemish but can be a bit more "perfect" representation........

As to composition.... Notice how the child is leaning to the left......... with this position, there should be space in the frame for her to lean into, so using that criteria; there should be slightly more space on the left of the frame rather than on the right....... the right becoming "dead" space.. yours is just the opposite.

If this is a crop of a larger shot, try recropping with her eyes just slightly right of center and her back shoulder at the edge of the frame... If it's not a crop, then perhaps it would be more pleasing just cropping off a little bit of the right dead space.............

 

[AlexL]

Seriously, the #2 photo is super creepy. That is probably because of the artificial feel.

 

[cutestguy]

I think Paul's edit gives it a lively touch but I would 've gone for a bit more red...slight touch red since it is a baby and wish to see babies a bit more lively pinkish..):meh:

 

[Raizels]

I like the edit, it brings out more detail in her hair and warms up her skin.
She's a real cutie, and those eyes are amazing

 

[say_cheeese!]

Thankyou for all the comments and advice, i like the edit by Reznap, definitaley needed warmer tones. I like the vignette when i see it in other pictures but i dont think it really works with this one. The blemish by her lip is a birthmark so although the flawless look is nice, i wanted a picture of my daughter, and it wouldnt be her without it. That said, i will follow your advice and remember to clone out any other imperfections, remains of dinner etc. Thanks again for your help.