First White Background Portrait - What is wrong with this photo? C&C please.

[jwbryson1]

I took this shot yesterday of my older daughter. I used a white muslin backdrop that I lit up with 1 shoot through white umbrella and 2 stand alone YN 560 speedlights to get it really white. I shot them all at full power or the wrinkles on the muslin fabric were mildly noticeable. She was about 15 feet from the wall and backdrop.

I also used two 24x24 softboxes left and right of the model.

Something about this shot bothers me but I can't quite place it. I don't think it's super sharp, but I don't think that is what bothers me. The WB appears to be okay, but meh..I dunno.

Thoughts? Thanks for looking...

http:// TEB Portrait by jwbryson1, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Don't see anything that leaps out at me as being 'wrong' with the shot...

 

[Derrel]

Her pupils are super-big, which does not "jibe" with the bright, light, white background...that's what your brain is telling you is quite "wrong" with the shot. A light, bright, airy feeling is not at all consistent with huge, dilated pupils, and the things that dilated pupils are correlated with...

The easiest way to get rid of those big pupils is to bring in more light to the shooting area. You're probably still set up in the basement, where there is not a lot of light, so that's a factor.

 

[tirediron]

Her pupils are super-big, which does not "jibe" with the bright, light,. white background...that's what your brain is telling you is quite "wrong" with the shot. A light, bright, airy feeling is not at all consistent with huge, dilated pupils, and the things that dilated pupils are correlated with...

The easiest way to get rid of those big pupils is to bring in more light to the shooting area. You're probably still set up in the basement, where there is not a lot of light, so that's a factor.

Good catch! I totally missed that.

 

[jwbryson1]

Her pupils are super-big, which does not "jibe" with the bright, light, white background...that's what your brain is telling you is quite "wrong" with the shot. A light, bright, airy feeling is not at all consistent with huge, dilated pupils, and the things that dilated pupils are correlated with...

The easiest way to get rid of those big pupils is to bring in more light to the shooting area. You're probably still set up in the basement, where there is not a lot of light, so that's a factor.

That is a good catch and that may be it. She asked me to turn off the focus assist beam because it's so bright, and maybe that's why I find this shot a bit soft and why her pupils are so large. You have a good eye for this stuff Derrel!