Need criticism on portrait

[kusetjuv]

Whats ur opinions?
Just a side note, rest of my photos can be viewed here:
Flickr: Kusetjuv's Photostream

/chris

 

[tirediron]

Since you've posted in the 'Beyond the Basics' section, I'll critique accordingly:

I'm afraid I don't really get 'portrait' from this. 'Nice shapshot', yes, but portrait? Not really. You need fill light to provide a littel more detail on her hair and her somewhat hunched posed is rather awkward; almost as if she is cold, but trying to fight through it for your sake. I also find the background rather busy and distracting. I'm sure that if you'd moved a little way along in one direction or the other, you could have found an area without that line of rocks extending into the bakground. I would also like to have her looking more toward the camera; not necessarily right at it, but at least such that we could see more of her face.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[kusetjuv]

Since you've posted in the 'Beyond the Basics' section, I'll critique accordingly:

I'm afraid I don't really get 'portrait' from this. 'Nice shapshot', yes, but portrait? Not really. You need fill light to provide a littel more detail on her hair and her somewhat hunched posed is rather awkward; almost as if she is cold, but trying to fight through it for your sake. I also find the background rather busy and distracting. I'm sure that if you'd moved a little way along in one direction or the other, you could have found an area without that line of rocks extending into the bakground. I would also like to have her looking more toward the camera; not necessarily right at it, but at least such that we could see more of her face.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

It's a portrait..I asked a friend of mine which live on taking photos and hes professional, he said he liked it alot.

And it wasnt cold outside, it was about 20C, I asked her to sit like that.

The rocks in the background is to make a depth.

Portraits dont always have to be in front of face, but thanks for ur critics.

 

[Aye-non Oh-non Imus]

Need criticism on portrait

It's a portrait..I asked a friend of mine which live on taking photos and hes professional, he said he liked it alot.

And it wasnt cold outside, it was about 20C, I asked her to sit like that.

The rocks in the background is to make a depth.

Portraits dont always have to be in front of face, but thanks for ur critics.

Why ask? You obviously have all the answers already.

 

[memento]

why do people ask for 'criticism' and then get all pissy when they get it?

your friend was being nice.
the background does nothing for the picture.

it would have been a thousand times better if she kept the same body position but looked at you instead of off into the distance.

 

[KmH]

Not to mention, this is not a critique or gallery forum section, it's a discussion section.

There are a lot of people out there that have an ongoing photography business. However, that does not mean they know how to do photography, though it does indicate they know how to run a business.

The opinion of a friend is often biased so as to preserve the friendship, rather than being a frankly honest opinion.

 

[Mike_E]

A portrait is not a graphical representation of a person but rather a stylized representation of the fundamental character of that person. Is she prone to staring off into space and/or being uninterested in whomever is showing interest in her?

No? Then having her at least appear to engage the viewer might be a good thing. If you want a profile shot you should have the far eye visible and skin on the far side of that visible as well.

If you don't own a flash that you can get off camera then you really need to look into a couple of reflectors. The lack of fill makes this shot far too muddy and the lack of a kicker (hair light) makes her hair appear unwashed as well. Both of these could be accomplished with reflectors.

Nice snapshot. Portrait? Not so much.