C&C please! Casual child portrait

[amhphotog]

I'm on the fence on this one. Positives and Negatives would be appreciated.

 

[tedolf]

The repeating geometric patterns in the background are just distracting.

Why did you select that background?

If I were gong to do that, I would have centered her head where the two principle axis intersect, rather than having her slightly off center as you have done.

Actually, I just would have picked a different background.

TEdolph

 

[amhphotog]

As soon as I saw your heading "Geometry" next to my photo I thought the same thing - I definitely should have centered her up. As far as selection, this was a casual downtown walking shoot with two families. We did quite a few different backgrounds. I did stop the kids and get individuals in front of these doors. I loved the rich color and liked the lines - but that may have been a bad decision. Luckily, I have others with different backgrounds. Guess that's why I was on the fence. Thanks!

 

[jbf]

Besides being off center of the bullseye behind her, the arms going to the bottom corners of the frame bothers me a little. I assume she has her hands on her hips, but they could be sticking out or bending back up. I wouldn't have thought about that at all if it wasn't cropped exactly the way it is at the bottom. Having said that, there is a great deal to like about this photo. It's a keeper even if it isn't perfect.

jbf

 

[Scott Vail]

I'm on the fence on this one. Positives and Negatives would be appreciated.

Perhaps a crop to tight, but a little different perspective without changing the background.





Scott

 

[daviddavis71]

I think you have a nice photo here. I don't disagree with the other feedback as it will serve to help you improve going forward.

 

[Paul Jones]

Hmmm, People see a photo of a geometric background.

I see a happy, lovely girl.

Strange how we look at things.

Best regards

Paul
--
Paul Jones

http://www.pauljones.org

(NSFW)

 

[tedolf]

Hmmm, People see a photo of a geometric background.

I see a happy, lovely girl.

Strange how we look at things.

C'mon Paul.

You are well aware that there is lots of research regarding human perception showing that a viewer's attention is strongly drawn to repeating geometric patterns.

Why do you want to disabuse the OP of that notion.

Best regards

Paul
--
Paul Jones
http://www.pauljones.org
(NSFW)

TEdolph

 

[Johnbro]

There's a lot to like, but my question is what did you intend to communicate? Because the in-focus complex background competes with the model. In general I think portraits are best with the background as soft as possible. Generally if you have both the model and background/environment in focus it's usually to show how they relate to each other; for example a machinist surrounded by tools, or a chef in the kitchen. HTH.

 

[tedolf]

There's a lot to like, but my question is what did you intend to communicate? Because the in-focus complex background competes with the model. In general I think portraits are best with the background as soft as possible. Generally if you have both the model and background/environment in focus it's usually to show how they relate to each other; for example a machinist surrounded by tools, or a chef in the kitchen. HTH.

Exactly.

Tedolph

 

[freetiegui]

As soon as I saw your heading "Geometry" next to my photo I thought the same thing - I definitely should have centered her up. As far as selection, this was a casual downtown walking shoot with two families. We did quite a few different backgrounds. I did stop the kids and get individuals in front of these doors. I loved the rich color and liked the lines - but that may have been a bad decision. Luckily, I have others with different backgrounds. Guess that's why I was on the fence. Thanks!

I like the background! But yes, I agree, if you are using something with such strong symmetry it works much better for her to be centered. I'd go back and try, maybe getting her to wear a top that would either harmonise with the blue, or be equally saturated and punchy - like colourful stripes or a strong yellow. I think you'd get some interesting outcomes.

*edit. I Also think it would look very interesting in B+W too.

 

[vander]

I'm not in any disagreement with the comments before me, however I do disagree with the comments of her arm placement in THIS photo. The only saving grace on this image plays on the fact of repetition and lines and the simply placement of her arms/shoulders actually mimick the geometric shapes in the background. I suspect this was totally unintentional but it kind of works. Although the arms like this in any other shot wouldn't.

To make this work I would have centered the head in the pattern. Choose an orange shirt to balance out the background and choose a girl with blue eyes.

Still wouldn't have been great but you could make it work.

 

[freetiegui]

The only saving grace on this image plays on the fact of repetition and lines and the simply placement of her arms/shoulders actually mimick the geometric shapes in the background. I suspect this was totally unintentional but it kind of works. Although the arms like this in any other shot wouldn't.

Great point!

 

[amhphotog]

Thank you!

 

[jbf]

Great eye seeing how the arms could mirror the background. I also think the stripes could create a fun interaction with the background. However, wouldn't that work much better if we could see the hands on the hips so that the arms form the same diamond pattern as the background? If I were looking at this through the viewfinder, I'd want to change the perspective for several reasons. As I said before, I think it's a great photo and these nitpicks are just trying to help the OP take it to the next level.

jbf

I'm not in any disagreement with the comments before me, however I do disagree with the comments of her arm placement in THIS photo. The only saving grace on this image plays on the fact of repetition and lines and the simply placement of her arms/shoulders actually mimick the geometric shapes in the background. I suspect this was totally unintentional but it kind of works. Although the arms like this in any other shot wouldn't.

To make this work I would have centered the head in the pattern. Choose an orange shirt to balance out the background and choose a girl with blue eyes.

Still wouldn't have been great but you could make it work.

--
Check out my photo galleries !!
http://www.vandervalk.ca

 

[Teru Kage]

I might be in the minority but I like the geometric pattern in the background because it complements the lines on the girl's top. As for the centering, I actually wish the background was even more off center, so that the cross and the girl would balance each other out.

 

[tedolf]

I might be in the minority but I like the geometric pattern in the background

So do we.

because it complements the lines on the girl's top.

It would if they were in phase.

As for the centering, I actually wish the background was even more off center, so that the cross and the girl would balance each other out.

They wouldn't "balance each other out".

They would compete.

Now, if she was centered, they would reinforce each other and make a very powerful photo.

--
Photography - It's not what you look at that matters; it's what you see.
Galleries: http://www.photo.net/photos/teru
http://www.fotop.net/teruphoto

 

[Yan Duval]

I agree it could be a powerful picture. In fact, this is what I first sensed. But the feeling diminished a bit when I started to look more at the picture. The background starts to compete, I think because it's off center.