I've really been trying to learn how to take portraits, but without much success so far.
This is lit with a window over to the right of the image on a cloudy day. The background is a piece of posterboard. I forgot to add a reflector on the left side of the image until later shots, but I liked this pose the best, so I lightened the left side in processing. Soft light layers to the rescue!
I'm THRILLED with the score and placement. At last, I have one of my daughters on my row of top scores. Now to work on the other one ...
Here's my "studio" for this shot:
And here's the original:
Here are some outtakes. :)
Update: July 2011. My stepmom asked for a vertical 8x10 of each girl, and I decided to use this one. Interestingly, when I cropped it, it looked better flipped horizontally. That puts the bright side on the left and her eyes to the right:
Statistics
Place: 20 out of 268 Avg (all users): 6.5025 Avg (commenters): 7.9412 Avg (participants): 6.3548 Avg (non-participants): 6.6273 Views since voting: 3854 Views during voting: 366 Votes: 203 Comments: 53 Favorites: 13 (view)
I've always been a huge fan of this photo! I love the coloring, I love her eyes and I love the oh, so serious look on her face! This is actually the photo I studied the most when I was getting ready to do the portrait of my son for the natural light portrait challenge. I think the portrait I ended up entering for that challege is the exact opposite of this one in terms of expression, but I definitely got some of my inspiration from you!
Probably one of the best portraits on the site. I thought I'd commented on it before...hmmm? Beautiful work.
Edited to add that I just viewed the Top 20 in the Challenge and I'm stunned that this didn't ribbon. By comparison it blew the shizzle out of every image before it except maybe the Blue.
I added this to my favourites some time ago, but was so pleased to see it in a thread again. It really is incredible - beautiful, intense, technically excellent.
Awesome portrait. Great work (the processing shows a bit to the left of her head, in the form of reduced contrast, but it's not distracting). Beautiful results too with an inexpensive P&S. I mention that particularly, because I'm not surprised. I was eyeing the A620 over at DPReview--I was AMAZED at the quality of the samples. I am still considering one, though I'd love to find one just like it that had a wider short end.
Woo hoo, Jeff! Glad you are going to be looking at this beautiful little girl every time you go to your profile for a while :) Congratulations on an awesome portrait and an awesome finish! You know you will enjoy this one forever -- long after the challenge is forgotten :)
Yeah, this comment says it all I think...thats what this is all about for me, a great photo...but also a great memory...way to go!!! great shot!!! challenges come and go...but a emotional shot like this lives forever...great image...
This one really stood out to me during the challenge, and was among my highest votes. Your PP on this enhances the image beautifully, simply highlighting her lovely features without overdoing it. I love the look of vulnerability that you captured. Very nice job, and congratulations on your placement. (I would have had it on the front page, for sure.)
She's a cutie, Jeff. You know that I have a soft feeling for red heads! Thanks again, for all the care in February. I hope to order a laptop in the next week or so and be able to get online more seriously again. The damned outstretched leg can't get me into the office usually.
Seriously, love this shot.
Jeanne
fantastic eyes! have you done anything to them? and the hair, wonderful colors! the lighting is perfect indeed, maybe i would use some contrast color as background, pink as her skin maybe? or dark green as in her eyes? she is very beautiful!
Very good portrait, Jeff. No, wait a minute, that's excellent! It is much of encouragement to myself as I suck big time on portraits - and you did using the same camera as mine! Congratulations (on such a cute model as well)!
Woo hoo, Jeff! Glad you are going to be looking at this beautiful little girl every time you go to your profile for a while :) Congratulations on an awesome portrait and an awesome finish! You know you will enjoy this one forever -- long after the challenge is forgotten :)
Jeffrey,
Congrats on your awesome score, well deserved! I think you did a wonderful job with lighting and not over-processing this image. (I'm not a fan of that slick, waxy, death-by-processing look that some portrait take on.) I didn't vote but would have given you top marks on this. And congrats to the lovely little lady as well :-)
jeffery, i thought this was your little one. wonderful shot indeed. and very fancy studio! her eyes are magnificent, as is her hair. composition, exposure, all spot on. woohoo! superb work all round!
My favorite of the challenge. I sure hope to see this on ribbon row tomorrow morning. Fantastic colors. Engaging facial expression on a lovely model. Beautifully edited - still feels very natural. Back to bump you up to a rare 10 from me. Adding to favorites. Well done!
I don't like the stray hairs, but it does add to the subject(Seriously Six). Great eyes and look. I want the background to be a different color. Maybe green or blue to contrast.
This is such a cute portrait! She doesn't look too too happy about doing her photo shoot, but that pouty little look adds so much to the mood of the photo. She is adorable!
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