Please critique my photo!

[LindseyTorres]

Hello All,

I am very new to photography and would like some input on composition and editing. Why does this picture work, or not work and where should I begin editing. Thanks!

Lindsey

 

[vansnxtweek]

Hello and welcome to the forum!! You will find a lot of professionals here who will give you a lot of great advice...I'm not one of them .

However! I will tell you what I see. I think this is a great composed picture. I think the rule of thirds is used pretty well and it looks like you did a decent job at focusing on her eyes. That is the #1 thing I have learned of importance so far is focusing on the eyes. Maybe you could use a little flash next time to warm it up a bit. The exposure looks nice and I really like the way her reflection shows as well. The DoF looks great too!

The only thing that is really distracting me is the little bit of hair that blew into her left eye.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[ruaslacker2]

I like the reflection, you might crop out some of the space behind her.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I think the crop is fine already. I like to keep my crop aspect 3:2. It looks like there is not much you can do other than adjusting the raw file.

 

[Robin Usagani]

if you know some photoshop.. you can edit it like this

 

[KayleighKins]

I wouldn't crop it either, the way the lines are they flow naturally to your subject and I love the reflection. The colors are a bit neutral so you should fiddle with them to your liking. Sharpen her eyes, nose and lips and play around with sharpening all or just parts of her hair too.

Schwettylens's is a bit too soft and her skin's a bit blotchy.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

I think this is a pretty nice photo.. It does look a bit over-exposes to me.. but for the most part I like it.

I did a quick (literally 1 minute) edit of the levels in Gimp... It came out like this...

 

[Robin Usagani]

Schwettylens's is a bit too soft and her skin's a bit blotchy.

Thats really depends what you are trying to achieve. Sure I can clone out the red blemishes.. Didnt know you have to be perfect when you do a quick edit.

 

[Bryce]

I like the picture before the edits were done. I like it just the way it is. The one that thought it was over exposed might be right and his edit is good but I still like the first one the best. Hang that one on the family photo wall. Don't crop it at all. Also my computer screen is dark so maybe it does need a little lower exposure.

 

[Taylor510ce]

I would say just sharpen the eyes a little and adjust the color contrast. Also, the only thing that bugs me is the piece of hair hanging in front of the eye.

Overall a nice shot though. I agree with schwetty, while I may not care for his adjustment, I can see what he was going for and I think I would like it more if the eyes were not blurred too....so to each their own. I don't care for Bus_riders adjustment, too much contrast or sharpening or something.

 

[Robin Usagani]

OK.. no dream effect and no skin blemish

Or just a little adjusment on something.. see if you know what I edit here LOL. Just for fun

 

[pbelarge]

Schwettylens's is a bit too soft and her skin's a bit blotchy.

Didnt know you have to be perfect when you do a quick edit.

"Nothing is worth doing, if not doing it well"


The edit you provided is not better than the original.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I understand when people dont like the dreamy effect.. because I put it there. But she said something about the skin. The original is already like that.

Schwettylens's is a bit too soft and her skin's a bit blotchy.

Didnt know you have to be perfect when you do a quick edit.

"Nothing is worth doing, if not doing it well"


The edit you provided is not better than the original.

 

[ShutterSpeed]

I'm going to disagree with an earlier poster.
Don't worry about the hair in the face, i think its okay. I personally believe that with children pictures, we capture them as they are. I work specifically with a photographer making photobooks of children's birthdays, or events that happen at local schools here in Brazil. I've found that the most beautiful pictures are not the ones where small details such as hair are slighly in the face, but rather a child being what they really are...a child. And for a beginner, you took a GREAT shot here!

However, having said that, some of the edits that other posters have made, are also good for enhancing the shot.

 

[eric-holmes]

Ooh Ooh Ooh, My turn!