Grainby
escapetoozComment by LucidLotus: I really like the rawness of this image. It has a sort of "punch you in the gut" attitude.
I especially find the choice of environment to be of great interest. The rock face lend itself to its raw, dirty quality and yet the model (not sure if that's you) helps balance the image out because there is a softness there in the gaze (despite its directness), position and the visible skin.
There's a bit of a surreal atmosphere around the model, her skin doesn't look completely realistic, but its not so much that it has that plastic look I often see from shots that are NeatImaged to death. Maybe its just how pale it looks in some areas, not sure!
I'm facinated with how shiny the hair looks, and how the dark roots contrast with the blonder areas, it has an almost metallic look to me and I find myself focusing on the hair a bit. Not a bad thing, just something I thought I'd mention.
The position of the model looks a little uncomfortable but her face doesn't show that so that thought sort of stays in the background. I do like the way she is posed however. The point of view is excellent as it allows for that fantastic direct gaze and the whole body is almost laid out for viewing which in my mind makes the presentation more complete than if only portions of the model's body was visible.
I think the lighting has been handled very well and I don't really see anything I would suggest changing in that, I like the deep shadows and how the lighting helps further that raw look I first mentioned.
I think this is an excellent image, whatever you did with your post-processing was very well envisioned and achieved and you obviously had a great image to start with. If there was anything I'd suggest changing, its a tiny nitpick of the bit of white - maybe a belt? - seen just below the arm in the bottom left-hand corner. That smidge of light breaks up the shadows and does draw the eye just a little and since its not something I'd consider a important aspect of the image as a whole, it becomes something of a distraction.
Still, that's a very small distraction and there is plenty of other details for a viewer to get lost in here and it has been a pleasure to take the extra time to look at this photo in more depth.
Photographer found comment helpful.
