thoughts...
by IreneM

Comment:
I like the pose and feel of this portrait. I wish his eyes were not quite so soft. Looks like the focal point fell around the beard and necklace area. JMO of course. Good luck in the challenge.

Hobo
by _eug

Comment:
Nice job countering the bright backlighting with fill-in flash. Little bit of flare creeping in over the top of the hat. Too bad you couldn't have captured this without the gal on the right. Good luck in the challenge.

Glimpse of Beauty
by JawnyRico

Comment:
She is intriguing and it's a fine portrait. The background "dots" are distracting.

beads
by diannarae

Comment:
The beads are trying to steal the show. You have an attractive model, but the first thing that caught my attention is the beads she is holding. They are brighter than her face and naturally draw attention. Overall, I think her face is a little soft (would like to see her eyes sharper). One side item is her lips/lipstick - the way the lighter color appears to be between her upper and bottom lip, it looks like the tip of her tongue is sticking out. :) All of the above is JMO of course. Best of luck to you in the challenge.

"Bright Eyes"
by Thai

Comment:
Right or wrong, the first thing that jumped out at me when this image loaded is the lighting highlights in her hair. After further observation I see an adorable young lady. :D Good job holding her attention long enough to capture this expression on her face. Good luck in the challenge.

Lily
by LalliSig

Comment:
Yes! Very nice. Great clarity and details where it counts and soft focus elsewhere. Well lit. Not dark and gloomy. B/W tonal range covered completely. Job well done! Best of luck to you in the challenge.

Stevie B
by Baron152

Comment:
Ok, now this is a liiittttlllee bit strange! :) Funny expression. Looks like his head is being held like a free floating object in the hand. What's that in the background? It's distracting. Good luck in the challenge.

... the boyfriend blues ...
by roz

Comment:
Very nice lighting and great clarity in her eyes. You've done a nice job capturing an emotive portrait here. Good luck in the challenge.

A Fathers Love
by JOHNBOY1970

Comment:
A lovely image that I hope you've framed for display. I think the lighting is a little strong (shadow in back) overall on this. JMO of course. Best of luck to you in the challenge.

sorrowful springer
by Equiessence

Comment:
The title matches the "expression" on the dogs face for sure. :D If you're going to enter a pet portrait in a portrait challenge (where most are expecting people shots) then it has to be an above average photo IMO. This is too grainy, soft, and flat (needs contrast) to hit the "wow, look at me" radar of the voters. Because of that, plus being a pet photo, you're most likely getting hammered a bit. All JMO of course. Good luck.