Portraits C & C, tell me what you think, please!

[mc1979]

First one, I'm looking for critique on the crop and black & white conversion. The only thing that is bothering me is her shoulders. Should I have cropped more?


Second one, do you think the eyes are too processed in this photo? I bumped contrast, saturation, and brightness. But I scaled back,trying to be careful not to over do it. How did I do?


1.
Karlibw-0023 by mchatham79, on Flickr



2.
David-2 by mchatham79, on Flickr

 

[robertandrewphoto]

I would say in the first one the crop is decent.....but if you ask me, crops are for farmers. Good photographers are good at framing the original shot.

The second one is good but the eyes do stand out a little much. a good way to bring out eyes that I use (assuming youre using ps) is a highpass filter set to around 8 and then setting the layer to overlay. it will also sharpen the photo

Your DOF is very nice also

 

[mc1979]

Thanks Robert, I see what you are saying about cropping. This shot was framed alot wider, I just liked her facial expression and wanted to get a tighter crop in this image.
I don't have PS, just LR3 for now.

 

[bennielou]

Try cropping the first one REALLY tight on the left side (cutting off part of the the hair and shoulders). This will leave a dead spot to the right of the photo. This might be really nice on this photo.

 

[robertandrewphoto]

Thanks Robert, I see what you are saying about cropping. This shot was framed alot wider, I just liked her facial expression and wanted to get a tighter crop in this image.
I don't have PS, just LR3 for now.

LR is just as good. You can try bumping up the fill light and the blacks and it gives a similar effect.

 

[KmH]

Lightroom is nowhere near "just as good" as Photoshop. Lightroom 3's Develope module, and Photoshop CS5's Camera Raw are the same thing, ACR 6.

Beyond Camera Raw/Lightroom is a whole other world of editing tools, features, and functions in Photoshop's CS5 editing workspace. Like layers, precise selection tools, adjustment layers, background selection functions, masking capbilities well beyond what Lightroom can do, and much, much more.

 

[bennielou]

I don't know Keith....while I agree that lightroom isn't as powerful as PSCS5(which you named all the goodies that LR doesn't have), I know a whole lot of really great photogs who do most or all of their post in LR.

However, for me, LR is just a starting point. All our stuff is culled and worked there first, and then brought into PS.

To each their own.

 

[mc1979]

Keith, how's my use of light? I value your opinion

Edit: I value everyone's opinion..just so ya know! LOL I just know Keith knows alot about lighting!