Portrait - Opinions please

mcblum · Dec 25, 2004

Thanks for your commentary.

mcblum · Dec 25, 2004

sorry...

http://www.mattblum.com/photography/IMG_4688.jpg

Digital Matt · Dec 25, 2004

Neat. I like it. That's a lot of hair

motcon · Dec 25, 2004

i really like the composition, but the blown out highlights (digital, i assume(?)) are distracting and makes her eye area look....kinda like she hasn't slept in a week.

mentos_007 · Dec 26, 2004

hey! It's great! How you did it? I mean.. it must have been pretty hard to capture her face in focus and leave hair blurred

Xmetal · Dec 26, 2004

Are you standing in a wind tunnel?

j/k

Nice photo, rather trippy I might say so.

Hertz van Rental · Dec 26, 2004

Nice hair - but you concentrated on it too much. Her facial expression ruins it. Shame - but nice all the same

mcblum · Dec 26, 2004

Thanks all for your comments.

As to how I did it we did a bunch of different shots and that was the one that turned out the best. She waved her hair from side to side, and at the point when she was changing directions with her head, I snapped the photo.

As far as the blown out highlights, that's something I struggle with continually. It always seems like the correct exposure will leave something blown out a little. In this pic, I don't find it that distracting, but it's frustrating that I can get a nice dymanic exposure.

Nice hair - but you concentrated on it too much. Her facial expression ruins it. Shame - but nice all the same

I'll be honest and say I don't know what you mean. What should I have concentrated on if her facial expression takes away?

How are the dynamics of film compared to my 20D?

Thanks for your replies.

areuwhatudream · Dec 26, 2004

I really like the motion and the different approach to a portrait... the hair coming around at the bottom frames her face nicely, and I like how there is so much movement with her hair, filling the frame above her head... the expression could use some work, but I don't feel like it ruins the picture -- I really like it!

Hertz van Rental · Dec 26, 2004

mcblum said:
Nice hair - but you concentrated on it too much. Her facial expression ruins it. Shame - but nice all the same

Click to expand...

I'll be honest and say I don't know what you mean. What should I have concentrated on if her facial expression takes away?

She looks rather bored - as if she's been doing it for a bit and is fed up. It is a little at odds with the dynamism of the hair. If she had been looking at the camera with a little more life in the face... It feels like you were so busy looking at the hair that you forgot about the girl.... is what I meant. But that's only my opinion. :wink:

2Stupid2Duck · Dec 27, 2004

I like it.

cactus waltz · Dec 27, 2004

Hertz van Rental said:
She looks rather bored - as if she's been doing it for a bit and is fed up. It is a little at odds with the dynamism of the hair. If she had been looking at the camera with a little more life in the face... It feels like you were so busy looking at the hair that you forgot about the girl.... is what I meant. But that's only my opinion.

So, the playfullness of the hair creates a contrast to her facial expression - I don't see how that is a bad thing. It's just a different kind of effect. To me, a happy face could have been better, but also more typical. I don't think the expression is bad, just different. And different is good.

By the by, the photo reminded me a lot of this PJ Harvey album cover.