"His Expression"

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Hminx

Senior Member
The first is an interesting expression and this suits B&W conversion, the image could possibly use a very slight exposure lift plus a top and left crop to bring the eyes up a bit from the centre. His right eye looks a little soft, a touch with the sharpen tool would address this. The catch lights in the eyes are nice but they seem to lack contrast IMO. A very slight dodge and burn might help but overdoing this would look awful. A poke around with the healing tool to clean up some of those white flecks on his T-shirt might also be in order.
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
Yup...top and left crop would do the trick in my opinion. Too much empty space there for no apparent reason. Otherwise, nice shot and good expression of the subject. Maybe a slight change in the tone, too.
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
I very much like the lighting on the first one. However, what I find most distracting is the graphic on his shirt. Eyes are so powerful in any portrait. Anytime your subject is looking away (and not into the camera), the photo loses a lot of its impact. . . add to that the distracting graphic, the impact is gone, and so is the viewer's interest, IMHO.

The second photo is excellent. Clear center of interest. Shows creativity and style and excellent use of DOF. Well done on this one! :D
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
TheDeadPixel said:
i don't really shoot with rules, i shoot what i see :)
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What exactly did you want us to critique (see excerpt from Critique Forum Rules below)

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AC016

AC016

Senior Member
I think they are both very good and thanks for sharing. I provided a link below with some very famous portraits. If you go through the photos, you will see that there are quite a few where the person is not looking into the camera. For example, the one of Lance Armstrong. The photo has lots of impact, but Lance is not even looking at the camera at all. If you stick by all the so called "rules" in photography, you will be trapped inside a box.

100+ Portraits of Iconic People of All Time | Webdesigner Depot
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
AC016 said:
. . . If you go through the photos, you will see that there are quite a few where the person is not looking into the camera. For example, the one of Lance Armstrong. The photo has lots of impact, but Lance is not even looking at the camera at all. If you stick by all the so called "rules" in photography, you will be trapped inside a box.

100+ Portraits of Iconic People of All Time | Webdesigner Depot
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I was not quoting any specific rule about "looking at the camera" has more impact. That is my personal preference. When I look at the photo of a living being, to me it's much more powerful when that living being is looking back at me .

As far as the Lance Armstrong photo in the link, it's "dramatic/powerful" because he's naked. Put clothes on him and compare with the the photo of the Afghan girl, and IMHO, that photo won't hold a candle to the girl's mesmerizing eyes.
 
AC016

AC016

Senior Member
ohkphoto said:
I was not quoting any specific rule about "looking at the camera" has more impact. That is my personal preference. When I look at the photo of a living being, to me it's much more powerful when that living being is looking back at me .

As far as the Lance Armstrong photo in the link, it's "dramatic/powerful" because he's naked. Put clothes on him and compare with the the photo of the Afghan girl, and IMHO, that photo won't hold a candle to the girl's mesmerizing eyes.
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Ok.... but i was not responding directly to you, lol. It was in response to the OPs statement about rules actually ;) And yes, the photo of the Afghan girl is probably the most powerful portrait i have ever seen.
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
AC016 said:
Ok.... but i was not responding directly to you, lol. It was in response to the OPs statement about rules actually ;) And yes, the photo of the Afghan girl is probably the most powerful portrait i have ever seen.
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No problem. I myself seldom follow rules, so I didn't want to be pegged as one of those who can rattle off all the standard rules. Sometimes knowing them just gets in the way. Very interesting link you posted and thank you for sharing. :D
 
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Hminx

Senior Member
TheDeadPixel said:
i don't really shoot with rules, i shoot what i see :)
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Thats fair enough but had you composed your first shot with the normal guidelines observed I think it would have been even better.

You can follow the rules or if justified break them, but you ignore the rules at your peril.

Read that somewhere...:)
 
wud

wud

Senior Member
I love the first shot! And I really like the air over his head and on the right side, I think it gives a lot to the picture. Only thing is the cartoon on his shirt, not sure what I think about that, but maybe it gives a point to the shot.

Very nice done!


The second image, I think misses some structure or contrast. His skin seems to flat.. Maybe work with the burning tool (photoshop)?

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