portrait

[Bartp]

Hi,
i took this portrait today. natural light and PP. i was going for a desaturated/white look.
I would love to hear some comments/critique to improve myself.
thanks
Bart

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[Big Mike]

My first thought is to wonder why the image is in a horizontal orientation. There is a reason they they call them landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical) orientation....most people (and their heads) are taller than they are wide.

The lighting look nice. You have a nice ratio between lit and shadow sides of her face. The light is nice and soft.

I think the photo could be better, if maybe the model was smiling or otherwise showing more emotion or expression. She sort of looks tired or sad IMO.

 

[Bartp]

thanks for the reply and tips.
you're right it could be better if she smiled. its just that she is in the ' smile when i see a camera' fase. so i liked this better. looked more natural to me.

 

[Big Mike]

I assume that's your daughter?

It can be hard to really evaluate pictures of close family & loved ones. Because you know them so well, you read a lot more into the expression. If they are always smiling, but you catch them when they aren't...then it's unique and different. If they don't smile a lot and you photograph them not smiling, then you know that it's just 'them being themselves'...to you. But when you get outside feedback on those photos, that type of thing is completely lost on the viewer, and they must evaluate the image on it's own merits.

Of course, photos of family etc. will always have more meaning to you, and it's more about those feelings, than about being a perfect portrait.

 

[Bartp]

Thanks. Yes its my daughter. Great insight you gave me. Thanks again