Need some CC on a portrait

[CandySvoboda]

Hi everyone! I'm bravely stepping out and posting a photo to receive some CC on. I shot this in the middle of the day, which I know isn't optimal, but my friend and I were stir crazy and decided to go outside and shoot around a bit. Took this shot back in August 2012, but I don't get an opportunity to do portraits much, so this is the most recent example I have.

Anywho, let me know what you think and what I can improve on. Thanks!

 

[ronlane]

For middle of the day, it's not too bad. The only thing that I would nitpick about would be the cropping. I would cut her off the bottom just below the necklace. The "leading line" keeps drawing my eyes away from the face.

 

[Ashlee_Duh]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with ronlane on the cropping of the picture. I also think since the sun was so nice that day you could have used it as a light source behind her. Other than that I like where it's going.

 

[CandySvoboda]

I would cut her off the bottom just below the necklace. The "leading line" keeps drawing my eyes away from the face.

Love the terminology you used, lol. Thanks, I didn't even notice that.

I also think since the sun was so nice that day you could have used it as a light source behind her.

I actually had her sitting under a tree in the shade and used flash to light her up.

Thanks both of you for your feedback!

 

[cgipson1]

My main issue is the tight, off center framing... I do not find the lower part of the image distracting, rather adds to the image (emphasizes she is a lovely woman!)

 

[CandySvoboda]

My main issue is the tight, off center framing...

This has been mentioned to me before, and I was curious to see if it would come up here How would you have composed the shot? Centered with her eyes being in the top 3rd of the frame?

 

[ronlane]

My main issue is the tight, off center framing... I do not find the lower part of the image distracting, rather adds to the image (emphasizes she is a lovely woman!)

Oh so it's the tight crops fault that my eyes went there. What a relief, I was starting to think that I was becoming a dirty old man. :lmao:

 

[ronlane]

My main issue is the tight, off center framing...

This has been mentioned to me before, and I was curious to see if it would come up here How would you have composed the shot? Centered with her eyes being in the top 3rd of the frame?

With a portrait, you don't have to use the ROT, you can try to get her eye close to a third line but it's not necessary.

 

[KmH]

RoT is just one composition guideline.

For portraits you can also consider using golden diagonals and golden spirals.
Lightroom includes a variety of cropping guideline overlays:

 

[CandySvoboda]

Thanks! I will have to do some reading on the other compositions

 

[ronlane]

RoT is just one composition guideline.

For portraits you can also consider using golden diagonals and golden spirals.
Lightroom includes a variety of cropping guideline overlays:

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I did not realize that was there. (if I did, I forgt about it.) That rocks.

 

[TimothyJinx]

I agree - I like ronlane's cropped version better. Beautiful eyes and a nice smile. Nice shot!

 

[CandySvoboda]

I like ronlane's cropped version better.

As do I! Thank you for the kind words

 

[DiskoJoe]

A wider shot would have been nice to see. You clipped some details.