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The look
The look
LalliSig


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Square Crop (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Location: Studio Tivoli, Iceland
Date: Mar 1, 2006
Aperture: 8
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/125
Galleries: Portraiture, Studio
Date Uploaded: Mar 2, 2006

 This is my lovely wife yet again, I think I have used her for at least 10 challenges now, she is easily my favorite model :)

Lit with 4 bowens lights, a big softbox over my head, an umbrella below and between us and 2 smaller softboxes over each of her shoulders to light the shoulders, don´t think they affected the lighting that much... Taken at 200mm to compress the shot and make it more intimate.

As for post processing, really was minimal except for a HUGE boost in contrast, a little healing brush and brightening of the eyes with curves along with making them slightly bluer with hue saturation. Sharpened after resizing.

Two things that bother me a little about this shot, the chin blends in with the neck a little bit and that is a problem with lighting that I am going to have to fix the next time I shoot something similar. Also, the catchlights are not very flattering but they definately need to be some kind of catchlights, I tried removing them and it was way worse.

Anyway, thanx for all the comments, I really appreciate them and the favorites more than a good score :) I have to say thought I strongly disagree with the people that don´t like the yellow backround, I think it brings out the blue in the eyes more and makes this shot work but like I said, I appreciate ALL comments wether I agree with them or not :)

Statistics
Place: 15 out of 369
Avg (all users): 6.6791
Avg (commenters): 8.2857
Avg (participants): 6.7080
Avg (non-participants): 6.6282
Views since voting: 3524
Views during voting: 467
Votes: 215
Comments: 42
Favorites: 10 (view)

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AuthorThread
 03/13/2006 12:01:45 PM
I know that look !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2006 10:24:06 AM
Lovely, sweet and so, so endearing. A masterful capture of a beauty. Congratulations on your top 20 finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2006 10:08:11 AM
She is beautiful. There are a few things that bug me about this image. Her expression...seems like you took a picture of her when she was about to blink. the other is the whites in her eyes. Almost looks fake. Congrats on top 20.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2006 12:16:30 AM
Under-rated IMO.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/12/2006 08:56:15 PM
Gorgeous all the way around! I especially like how the yellow background compliments her beautiful blue eyes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2006 05:16:57 PM
I like everything about this shot. One of my top picks for the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2006 04:38:14 PM
Really nice portrait.
works very well as a square.
can't see why someone would DQ this.
10 from me
hope this does well for you

ev
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2006 01:59:18 PM
I could venture a guess as to who's this is... (beginning with L?) ... but

Easily one of the best technical photos of the challenge, should score very high. I find the background hue and brightness a little bit distracting to be honest, but the colors do work well.

Clarity here is obviously amazing and this stands superior to most of the other shots. best of luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2006 10:05:24 AM
One of my favorites this challenge -- yep - the eyes are a standout. well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2006 06:56:09 AM
Excellent pose and beautiful colours.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2006 03:11:31 AM
VERY intence and lovely tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2006 04:31:08 PM
I love the tones and the hair and the light. I don't love her eyes ( a little creepy) maybe lifting her chin just slightly would have helped. However, I can not deny the quailty of your shot. It is not something see too often. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2006 04:12:00 AM
This is a great portrait, Cindi. ;-) The only problem I have with it, though, are the big white umbrella reflections in the eyes. Perhaps they're a bit obtrusive.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/10/2006 07:25:16 PM
Sweet portrait, scandinavian calm mood.
Love it, except that I'd like to see the lightsource reflection in the pupils and not partly in the iris. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/10/2006 07:02:17 AM
Great pose, nice processing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/10/2006 01:05:30 AM
Great look and works well with the crop. The background color fits this subject. Very nice job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/09/2006 08:15:52 PM
Amazing! I wish I could take portraits like this. I just seem to get the lighting all wrong. This is wonderfully done and simply amazing to look at and vote on. 10 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/09/2006 07:59:08 PM
very nice. although, for some reason, the yellow backdrop bugs me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/09/2006 06:46:52 PM
Love the eyes and choice of background color.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/08/2006 10:17:22 PM
Yummy! Wonderful portrait. The catch light is wonderful! Love the yellow background too!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/08/2006 08:39:55 PM
Wow... what a captivating stare. Very nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/08/2006 06:47:47 PM
Beautiful girl with an intriguing expression! I love how sharp her eyes are, and how you brought out the blue in them.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/08/2006 04:17:34 PM
Very pretty. I find the hair on her left a bit distracting from her beautiful eyes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/08/2006 01:54:48 AM
great drama in look. It feels almost too processed for my taste. I do love the lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/08/2006 12:44:45 AM
Amazing shot. Nice framing of the subject and the eyes are awesome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2006 09:33:20 PM
Her eyes are beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2006 05:24:22 PM
This is simply stunning. There are plenty of average photos in this challenge, so this really stands out. I love the brightness, and softness of the face, and the peircing eyes are wonderful. If there was an 11...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2006 03:36:21 PM
Nice glow. Not so sure about the background colour though? Love the eyes and the hair. And a very good looking model too :) The crop works very well here.
Good job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2006 01:36:45 PM
Stunningly beautiful portrait. Excellent lighting. The colors are captivating. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2006 01:00:33 PM
amazing amazing amazing, i love this photograph. the ONLY thing i don't like is to obvious reflection of the umbrella in her eyes that cut between the iris and pupil, it is probably just my personal preferrence, but i would have liked to not have the highlight split between the two circles. great job, i hope you take this challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2006 12:22:54 AM
not keen on yellow background it fights with skin tones 6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 11:52:55 PM
i love the eyes. Added to my favorites!! Amazing shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 11:03:39 PM
Great shot, but the light reflecting in her eyes is very distracting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 06:45:37 PM
Love the eyes! and the yellow background! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 05:25:07 PM
Great image. "Just" a little over sharpened for my liking. The pixelization around the nose is distracting. Very nice picture though. Would have benefited from being just a little bit softer (IMO).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 04:36:42 PM
Her eyes look a little un-natural - too smooth, too white. Otherwise an excellent photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 02:10:24 PM
Fantastic portrait, and what a stunning model. So sharp, great crop and amazing expression.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 07:23:25 AM
Wow stunning shot! 10 from me...well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 06:46:38 AM
wow! love the use of the yellow background...stunning eyes...I am guessing Icelandic
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 04:48:31 AM
Great photo, focus on the eyes works great.. maybe just a bit to much USM as it brings detail to the tiny hairs on the face (i.e nose and cheeks) and the lines in the lips.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 03:20:31 AM
Beautiful model, pretty good post processing with ample contrast. Softbox reflections are a little harsh but there isn't too uch you can do about that. The eyes are worked well, just that I am missing some detail in the eye whites, they come over as "too clean" if you know what I mean. A few very small visible eye veins might have helped here, but all in all, very kewl!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2006 01:10:12 AM
There is that beautiful woman again. Lovely eyes. Great portrait. Not crazy about the yellow background, but I love everything else!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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