This feels "unfinished" to me...

dancingsphinx22 · Jan 10, 2011

Here's one from a set I did of my friend's little boy. I liked this one in particular, and did some editing on it, but for some reason, I feel like somethings missing or that there's more I can do to "clean it up. " Any thoughts?

KmH · Jan 10, 2011

If you had used fill light, it would have had some 'pop.'

The eye sockets are pretty dark (racoon eyes) which isn't helping. The eyes lack definition.

If you know how, I would suggest you do some dodging.

clanthar · Jan 10, 2011

Your exposure for the boy's face is weak -- backlight threw off the camera meter. I made a Levels adjustment in Photoshop to lighten his face and then added back in a little contrast using the Soft Light blending mode.

Joe

jsachs99 · Jan 11, 2011

I think if you crop off most of the extra space on the right it will be much stronger. The space on the right is very bright, so it distracts. The expression is terrific, the light is fine. Try cropping some - or all - of the right side and you will like it better.

Derrel · Jan 11, 2011

Crop off a substantial part of the dead, empty space on the right hand side of the photo, as well as a little bit of the top of the hat, to give the kid more room to look to the left side of the pic...as it is show, his eyes are too far to the left of the center...creating a disquieting feeling in the image...you're right, it is unfinished: the composition cries out to be cropped!

MissCream · Jan 12, 2011

Heres a quick one I did in Lightroom.

Upped exposure
Upped brightness
De-saturated
Boosted clarity in the eyes

gsgary · Jan 12, 2011

Nice clean background is missing

3bayjunkie · Jan 12, 2011

jsachs99 said:
I think if you crop off most of the extra space on the right it will be much stronger. The space on the right is very bright, so it distracts. The expression is terrific, the light is fine. Try cropping some - or all - of the right side and you will like it better.

I agree. I was going to say the composition is the biggest thing i see. I would have had him take up about 2/3 of the right side and then left 1/3 open on the left.