On the balcony

Posted by Gwenn on Fri, 09/10/10 05:25
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Comments by Jeff Dye on Fri, 09/10/10 11:14

Very nice. Good expression and I like the pattern and texture of the wall but not to the point
of being a distraction. I'd crop a little on the left side to get rid of the background beyond the
wall.


Comments by Gwenn on Fri, 09/10/10 11:29

Thanks Jeff ! I tried, but I still prefer the first non cropped image. Can't explain why. Maybe on the first the eye can escape on the left side, the second photo seems confined.


Comments by Gwenn on Fri, 09/10/10 11:31

Sorry here it is !


Comments by Jan Bjorklund on Fri, 09/10/10 13:27

I would agree with a tighter cropping... I don't understand why you would want the viewer's attention to escape to the left rather than lingering on the subject matter... the little girl and the contrast between her and the background brick wall.

But hey that's what makes photography interesting to me... the viewpoint of the individual photographer on the pictures that they take.


Comments by Gwenn on Fri, 09/10/10 13:36

Well, it can be surprising, but I like when I look at a photo that my eyes move on it, rather than be attached on a single place. The fact that the eye can escape doesn't mean it won't come back on the main subject. Maybe the second is better for most people. Interesting to talk about it. Thanks Jan !


Comments by Jeff Dye on Fri, 09/10/10 15:18

The OP and the cropped version represent a simple, straight forward portrait. It doesn't fit
the definition of an environmental portrait where there may be other areas in the portrait to
visually explore ("my eyes move on it") beyond the primary subject. An example might be a
park ranger on the edge of the Grand Canyon. The gap in the background is blank space. It
briefly pulls the eye back there and once it's determined there's nothing there then the eye
returns to the subject where IMO it should've remained all along. One other thing to
consider are the edges of the portrait. Cropping the gap cleans up all frame edges. The out
of focus triangle in the LLHC is no big deal but I'd clone out what appears to be a bit of trash.


Comments by Alias on Fri, 09/10/10 15:33

I see this a little differently.

If I were to crop it would be from the right.
But the tilt bothers me more
as does the lack of focus on her pretty eyes:


.


Comments by Alias on Fri, 09/10/10 15:59

BTW

Hi Gwenn !

Welcome to PC.

A feature of the site which is not obvious is the ability to change the background by clicking
directly on the image. For most images, I think black works best for critical analysis.


Comments by Sandi MacDonald on Fri, 09/10/10 17:10

Lovely shot. I like the soft focus on her face. If this were mine image to hang on a wall I would prefer your cropped version (third shot). Both are good, but I think the third one is really the best IMO.


Comments by Tom Manson on Sat, 09/11/10 10:12

Welcome. Adorable subject and great scene. Ultimately, it's your photo, so do what you
want! That's the fun of photography. If mine, I'd probably crop in from the left as Jeff
suggested. But I'd also crop in a little from the right then so the subject is out of the center.
I'd likely crop a little off the tip too: that would help get the eyes above the middle of the
frame. Or, you could do nothing, and it would still be a lovely image.


Comments by Pietro Cecchi on Wed, 09/15/10 09:12

I like that tuft of hair on the forehead!
Lovely child and photograph.