Is this any good?

LaFoto · Feb 20, 2006

Portrait-wise, that is?
I posted it in the "Snapshots" because that is what it really is, but I quite like the double light effect: my desk lamp (making her hair shimmer this red) and the on-camera flash. I only meant to show her the effect of flash, out came this photo (she was quite willing). I know her head's cut off.... like I said: it really only is a snapshot (I hope it may be in here, too, now, since in the snapshots I don't get the response...)

PlasticSpanner · Feb 20, 2006

What a nice red glow on the other side of her face. It has removed the shadows quite well and the light catches her hair nicely too! :thumbup:

Aside from the composition the only thing I notice immediately is the shadow under her nose which might be cured by placing the desk light a little lower?

LaFoto · Feb 20, 2006

Oh. True.
Next time she sits on the window sill to look at photos on the computer screen with me, I shall think about it

.

Taralyn Romero · Feb 20, 2006

I like this picture! I've said many times before that you have a beautiful daughter and I really like the smokey-ness of this photograph.

LaFoto · Feb 22, 2006

OK, let's just imagine once more that this were not a spur-of-the-moment-seize-the-opportunity-snapshot-of-a-portrait (which it is), but a portrait.

Would it qualify as it is?
Horizontal picture.
Head cut off.
On-camera flash.
Second, totally different (casting red-yellow tungsten light) light source from a little above and the side? (Chris has pointed to the shadow of her nose before and how it could be avoided next time).
Chin resting on knee.

Is it any good?

PlasticSpanner · Feb 22, 2006

I'm no portrait professional but I think it just needs to be shot in a portrait aspect (as opposed to landscape). Give a little room just over her head and remove the distracting shoulder so the main focus is her face and the pose.

So are you thinking of trying a re-shoot Corinna?

LaFoto · Feb 22, 2006

I'm not sure I'll be able to recreate the situation. She had only just returned from here class trip and we were studying the outcome of her first photography attempts with my little Powershot (yes, I let her take it along!), and that's when we got to talking about the use of on-camera flash (she was sitting on the window-sill in my study) and I took this one quickly as an example photo. Later I began to start liking it for the highlights in her hair (her hair is not naturally this copper!) and in her eyes. (But I don't want to make it too obvious that I like it, for I want some honest opinions - a pity that only Taralyn and you are talking to me about this...)

craig · Feb 22, 2006

I love this shot!!! The cunning/a little shy look is A1. The light although a little unnatural goes well with her hair.

To answer the question I would say that it is a good photo. The shot shows style. We can consider the "rules", but it is also important to break them.

photo gal · Feb 22, 2006

craig said:
I love this shot!!! The cunning/a little shy look is A1. The light although a little unnatural goes well with her hair.

To answer the question I would say that it is a good photo. The shot shows style. We can consider the "rules", but it is also important to break them.

I concur 100% ! I think this is a beautiful shot of your beautiful daughter! : )

One other thing I would like to say about this.......I can really see her essence in this one........and isn't that the best part of a portrait.....It is for me! :thumbup:

markc · Feb 23, 2006

I think the horizontal is fine and works with the head cut. I cut into the head all the time. I think a slightly lower camera position would work better. With her leaning over, looking down on her, even slightly, doesn't feel right. This mainly shows up in her eyes, with them looking a little bit up.

I'll just touch on that a bit. The level you put the viewer compared to the subject has an impact on how that subject is viewed. Looking down on the subject can put the viewer in a place of power and make the subject seem submissive. Looking up at the subject places the subject on a pedestal. It very much ties in with the connotations that the phrases "looking up to" and "looking down on" bring. Being on even level is just that.

So back to the photo, with her leaning over and looking up, it's almost like a puppy who's just been bad. No offense to your daughter, but that's just the mood it brings to me, even though it's slight.

Her looking down at the camera would be as if she were leaning over you instead of cowering, so it wouldn't take much for that to probably go too far the other way. Even or camera just slightly lower would probably be perfect for me.

The two colored light sources does bother me a bit. I think this one looks better in b&w. Try using the channel mixer set to 100% red for a really smooth-skinned look. (Her lips will be pale, though.)

I think the flash did it's job. Other than the color, the balance of light between the two sources works well for me.