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Response to portrait critique (ut-oh...)

from tom meyer (twm@mindspring.com)
I would like to critique your photographic decisions. Diffuse the light, and it will more closely match the attitude of your subject. Light from above camera axis, unless you want your subject to look like Bela Lugosi (50's horror movie star). If you want one side of your subject to be in black shadow, and still want an air of "romance", you'll do well to and a little light on a suitable background that supports/creates an appropriate context. And you've got to use a more diffuse light for this mood to be present.

Her tattoo adds to her mystique, but it's (hopefully) not her best attribute. People are like birds and fish, we look at the bright spots. Make your point of greatest interest the place we look first, by setting a hierarchy of attractive points with lighting and pose in descending order by illumination and placement. Top priority = brightest, least important = darkest.

Study Masters of portrait painting (Vermeer, Caravaggio, Titian) to learn compositional techniques that subconciously seduce the human senses. And light that enchants.

Bone structure, makeup, wrinkles and props are not issues for you, yet. Photograph anyone who is willing to sit, and be kind to them, they are your best and most scarce resource... t

(posted 8753 days ago)

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