Epic Beauty

Critiques [Translate]

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• fap77 (2877)
• [2007-05-07 15:21]

A portrait with a person on one side of the frame should be done with the subject eyes directed to the empty space. This way, the right portion seems wasted space where the viewer never goes. Very nice tones, expression and light.

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• rewshearer (20664)
• [2007-05-07 16:19]

Overall a lovely portrait; nice pose, nice light and background, and your model has a delightfully natural beauty.
Always an interesting decision to make a portrait in landscape format, although I feel this makes very good use of the negative space on the right.
I think the dodge on her shadowed eye is overdone, it looks as if there's a spotlight shining up on the underside of it - and personally I find the recurring watermark a shame to include.
Rew

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• ErikSven (2299)
• [2007-05-08 4:13]

Hello Michael,
To me, composition and contrast work very well. Your model has a lovely expression too. However, It seems to me that the light in and around her left eye is rather odd. And, as Rew says, the recurring watermark is a real pity! Did you have a particular reason to include it?
TFS & kind regards,
Erik

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• xvs1100 (958)
• [2007-10-25 5:09]

Hi Michael,

Convention dictates that, in a portrait of which the person is to one side of the frame, the gaze should lead to the space on the other side. A person's gaze should never be directed out of a picture. This is as I said, the conventional rule.

In this case, however, I would do the same as you. The visually dead area, behind the model, creates a kind of negative contrast with the absolute wonderous tones and depth of her image.

It has a silky and almost translucent character with such detail and a warmth, it is stunning! You have streched the scale of grey to its limit in terms of the huge range between the black and white areas. It is sensitive and almost fragile.

Magnificent! Why the watermarks? They are a blemish on an wonderful piece of work.

TFS

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