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Not a Diva
Not a Diva
snaffles


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Pet Portrait V (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D7100
Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Autofocus Lens
Location: Chateau Snaffles
Date: Nov 10, 2015
Aperture: f.4
ISO: 100
Shutter: 200
Date Uploaded: Nov 10, 2015

 ....because Diva was the name of her littermate. And when I went to look for a retired breeding queen to be Druli's girlfriend for the rest of his life, I wanted someone who wasn't snotty and standoffish, which Diva was.

But Lily...runty, cow-hocked, sickle-hocked, base-narrow, never weighed more than 5lbs in all the years I've had her - little Lily won me over with her sweetness and very feminine ways. Druli fell in love with her too and followed her around during her first evening in the house, while she marched confidently from room to room, checking everything out and completely ignoring her smitten swain :-)

I am so glad that I got this shot with Lily. Now 13, she has always been somewhat camera-shy and especially not crazy about the flash. But she has that quiet coyness, a j'nest ce quoi that my usual model, the much larger and younger Galena, lacks (though she is great for goofy shots).

I built a bunker of cushions, placed the reflector overhead to bounce light down and placed Lily in. Then I carefully wrapped a cotton-candy pink feather boa around her and shot her as she gave me face. She knows her angles, she just doesn't want her pic taken too much!

pp: nothing fancy, the usual PS stuff. No NIK this time.

Statistics
Place: 21 out of 75
Avg (all users): 6.0313
Avg (commenters): 6.5000
Avg (participants): 5.4250
Avg (non-participants): 6.4643
Views since voting: 564
Views during voting: 167
Votes: 96
Comments: 6
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Sony Alpha a1 II
Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS
 11/23/2015 05:30:51 PM
Hello from the Critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

This is a very accomplished pet portrait, everything that needs to be is nicely sharp against a suitably soft background. The lighting is good and even and brings out all the important details in her. I find the colours and textures in her eyes a little disconcerting, they feel a little spooky. When I compare the two sides of the image the left feels a little washed out, I would love to be able to see those whiskers more, as clearly as I can on the right, and the pinks too. I also find my eye keeps getting drawn to that long hair in the right ear, I think it would benefit from being cloned out.

This is one you can treasure for the future and it's good to see your lovely image has gained a respectable score from the voters here, well done Susan.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Sony Alpha a55
Sony DT 50mm f/1.8 SAM
 11/17/2015 12:05:44 PM
Big, black pupils.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony Alpha a7R III
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II
 11/15/2015 02:10:23 PM
Wow. Give 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-70D
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
 11/11/2015 03:15:45 PM
Such a beauty!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D750
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 11/11/2015 03:06:34 PM
we are NOT pleased.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D5600
 11/11/2015 10:17:24 AM
Did you mean for the pink to blend into her fur?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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