Serenity
by bnilesh

Comment:
I really like this image, for me it is much more successful than yesterday's. Everything is right with this one. Superb.

misunderstood
by njsabs

Comment:
Typically wonderful work from you. With such proponents of the art contributing, I think we are in for a bit of a treat with this side challenge.

Would you be able to add the technical data? I'm particularly interested in lens and aperture information. Many thanks.

Max 1
by Paul

Comment:

Originally posted by ErikV: BTW, interesting mix of clothes -- formal jacket with casual shirt and hat -- must have been Dad rather than Mom who dressed him. :-)

That made me laugh - this was Christmas Day - he decided to put the jacket on and the hat was new so 'had' to be worn. He was under the illusion he looked cool! Rest assured I pointed out the error of his ways! He does look very young in this image but he is 9. He looks his age in the other images I'll share.

I should comment on the lighting - natural light from a very large window behind and to the left of me.

Message edited by author 2010-01-01 21:43:06.

Bored . .
by Jedusi

Comment:
What a fabulous example - I'm currently doing very well in the 'portrait of a wild bird' but this blows mine out of the water (and over the horizon too!)

The girl in the window
by GinaRothfels

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: This is a very interesting image with an excellent silhouette that has a story to tell. Although the black and white works, I do wonder how the colour image might look.

Critical stuff: The portrait crop offers some environmental context to the image but I think a near landscape crop, just showing that storey would have been a bit more powerful. The near voyeuristic quality of this image is possibly a double-edged sword; I think it adds story - so may find it a little creepy.

Overall: An interesting image which is effective but it may not make too many friends of the voters.

Day One
by LMA128

Comment:
I love the coloration here and the POV and the overlay is OK too. It'd be just as good without it but it hasn't harmed it any.

It's a great image though.

Dhanraj
by bnilesh

Comment:
I do agree with Stephen, it does appear like the focus has been missed on the eyes - the part of the scarf closest to us and the nose is in focus - what aperture did you use? Also, and I hope I'm not going to offend, I think the post processing is a little heavy - the haloing behind the (his) left side of his head and the somewhat tone-mapped appearance detracts from what is most probably an awesome shot. I'd love to get my hands on a RAW of this and have a play.

I should clarify that I think it is a really good image - I'm just not sure we're seeing the best of it here.

Smoke Break
by Jedusi

Comment:
Interesting subject, spot on composition and a nicely detailed image. For me, I think I'd perhaps like a 'touch' more contrast but that's just a matter of taste.

Might you be able to add the lens information too? I've been really looking forward to comparing different lenses and how people use them for portrait work. Many thanks.

In the Eyes of a Child
by denbote

Comment:
Beautifully framed and processed image - my only criticism is that the whites of her eyes look a little pink to me, perhaps you made the white balance to ensure her dress was white or you upped the saturation of the red channel?

The deep reds elsewhere in the image are really nice though.

sing for your supper
by Jutilda

Comment:
I agree with others - this is a portrait with a bit extra; the peri-person stuff gives a really rich environmental context.