Psycho...

Granddad

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My little sister is a psychologist and needs a new profile type image for her website. I took this one for her at a family get together at a pub after dinner in evening light with fill flash.

I thought the untouched version (1) showed too many glasses of preseco so I opened up Portrait Pro. In version (2) I evened up her eyes, sharpened and brightened them a little and then toned down the freckles from blazing hot day in June to nice day in late April. In version (3) I added the faintest hint of eye liner, highlighter and lipstick.

My considered opinion is that she should use version (2). Version (1) looks too sleepy and version (3) looks too glamorous. What do you think?

1
Ruth1.jpg


2
Ruth2.jpg


3
Ruth3.jpg
 
On her site the image will be a fraction of the size shown here and, imo, either two or three are fine.

Ps. I think you are quite brave to admit in the open that a close relative is a psychologist.
 
On her site the image will be a fraction of the size shown here and, imo, either two or three are fine.

Ps. I think you are quite brave to admit in the open that a close relative is a psychologist.

Thanks Lew, You have a point.
At least she's not a psychiatrist or a lawyer. I suppose I should call her a counselor, I think that's more socially acceptable. ;)
 
I agree with Lew that 2 or 3 would be good photos for website.

Quick question -- do you apply textures to the back ground? The upper right hand corner looks a little weird to me, but I can't tell why...whether it's something in the background or something else rendering in a funny way.
 
From your title I was expecting something wild, but this lovely young lady is quite the pixie.

IMO therein lies the problem. As a professional she needs to look the part, so #3 for me.
 
#3

Excellent retouching!
 
#3 for me as well, except you need to add the fly away hair layer from #2 & #1
 
#3 for me as well, except you need to add the fly away hair layer from #2 & #1
Yeah, I noticed that after I created the thread. :blush:

#3

Excellent retouching!

Thank you. I believe in keeping Portrait Pro credible and gentle. I've learned a lot here, but MUCH more to learn.

From your title I was expecting something wild, but this lovely young lady is quite the pixie.

Would you believe she became a grandmother this year? ;)


I agree with Lew that 2 or 3 would be good photos for website.

Quick question -- do you apply textures to the back ground? The upper right hand corner looks a little weird to me, but I can't tell why...whether it's something in the background or something else rendering in a funny way.

Well spotted Sir! Yes, the bridge does look a bit odd. It's more in focus than the rest of the background because she has a "bridge" theme on her website and the Monet style bridge at this location was too blurred by the DoF to be recognisable. I took it out of the one shot I had where the background was in focus (but too distracting), pasted it over and faded it. The idea being to give it more of a hint of what it was and keep in theme.
 
Honestly? I wouldn't use any of them for a psychologist's website. There's nothing wrong with the photography or the retouching, and she's an attractive lady, but the image, as a whole does NOT give me the warm, comforting feeling or professional appearance that I think should be there. I would want to shoot this in maybe a garden, or some other warm and cheery location (BTW, DoF here is perfect) and I would have her dress appropriately for her expected client-base; a little more formally if it's an older crowd, or jeans and a nice blouse for younger. I think you also want to have her seated and shoot ever-so-slightly from above to make her appear less intimidating and more approachable.
 
Would you believe she became a grandmother this year?

And this is why long ago I gave up trying to guess a lady's age!! LOL
 
Honestly? I wouldn't use any of them for a psychologist's website. There's nothing wrong with the photography or the retouching, and she's an attractive lady, but the image, as a whole does NOT give me the warm, comforting feeling or professional appearance that I think should be there. I would want to shoot this in maybe a garden, or some other warm and cheery location (BTW, DoF here is perfect) and I would have her dress appropriately for her expected client-base; a little more formally if it's an older crowd, or jeans and a nice blouse for younger. I think you also want to have her seated and shoot ever-so-slightly from above to make her appear less intimidating and more approachable.

I understand and appreciate what you're saying John but she lives 3 hours drive away. She wanted it done by me at the family get together at a pub/hotel so that was what she got. She's also camera phobic and getting her to actually make eye contact with the lens was quite an achievement. It's not ideal as a professional head shot but it's MUCH better than her current photo (by the time I was done I was about ready to push her into the background pond).
 
Fair enough; I would suggest that it would be well worth it to her professionally (and a good exercise for you photographically) to try and convince her that next time you're together, you have a redo; three hours isn't really much of an excuse for not doing it; heck you could start out in the morning and be home by early afternoon! Alternatively, you could try compositing her on to a different background. I really think that the dark tones are contradictory to the message [I assume] she wants to convey.
 
I personally would re-crop so that her left eye is perfectly placed in the upper right thirds cross hair. It is more inviting. I am no expert but only something that I see. Please forgive me if it's not ok to edit your photo, using phone app and this info doesn't appear.

tapatalk_1498231682982-01.jpeg
 
I personally would re-crop so that her left eye is perfectly placed in the upper right thirds cross hair. It is more inviting. I am no expert but only something that I see. Please forgive me if it's not ok to edit your photo, using phone app and this info doesn't appear.

No problem with editing my stuff JCdeB and I really like the crop. :D
 
Fair enough; I would suggest that it would be well worth it to her professionally (and a good exercise for you photographically) to try and convince her that next time you're together, you have a redo; three hours isn't really much of an excuse for not doing it; heck you could start out in the morning and be home by early afternoon! Alternatively, you could try compositing her on to a different background. I really think that the dark tones are contradictory to the message [I assume] she wants to convey.

3 hours in the UK is a lot further than 3 hours in BC, John ... especially as it involves driving through central London. Not a chance. Last time I drove to her place I swore "Never again!" I'd much rather spend the time working on the background.

Get her to come to me for a shoot? It's not going to happen any time before the next family reunion (she hates driving outside London) and she'll be just as reluctant a subject.

TBH I'm happy enough with this as a family freebie. It shows her well, I think it conveys who she is and she already gets as much business as she needs. It will do the job for now.

For me "perfect" business headshots can be off putting; everyone looks like the friendly and efficient, perfectly dressed and manicured real estate agent bursting with energy and enthusiasm (with apologies to any realtors reading this).
I'm mostly retired now so I claim the right to be a bit bolshie from time to time. ;)
 

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