Need Help Deciding Between These Two

[Colin Southern]

Hi Folks,

One of these will be printed on a 22 x 15" canvas, but I can't decide which one ... help me out here folks!

[Donald]

Vote cast for the second image. Why?

• The look on the child's face - Not pensive, but relaxed and happy. At ease with the world
• With aligned in a straight line with the body we get a perspective that falsely enlarges the head in proportion to the body. With the sideways look, the head size appears as more proportionate.

Two beauties, but I prefer the second

[Crovean]

#2

it's the smile that separates the two images.

[mammarazzi]

#2 - lovely cute smile, as a Mum I would love this shot Joanne xx

[FrankMi]

Hi Colin, how many votes for #2 do you need before the competition closes? Add mine to the list!

[jeffmoll]

Definitely the second image. Although I do wish there was just a bit more head space on that one. The first one is framed perfectly but the expression on the second is priceless.

[wilgk]

There is no question I have to say - #1 just the way she has her hand it sort of gives 1 eye a funny shape...
(see what happens you help me out with lessons and suddenly I'm a critique )
So from a Mum not a photographer let's go with #2

[Dons]

Definitely #2, I love her smile...

[rpcrowe]

Not to buck the consensus, I like #2 the best. Its the smile and the way the girl's body is turned that does it for me!

[rob marshall]

Is she your daughter, Colin? I only ask because it depends upon whom the shot is for. #1 is a good 'serious' study of the subject, while #2 is a more conventional image, but still very nice. I think it does depend upon the use it will be put to, but I prefer the more serious #1 (I would)

I agree with Donald about the disproportion, but I guess there's not much you can do about that.

[Colin Southern]

Thanks everyone - it looks like #2 is "the chosen one".

@ Rob - no, not my daughter - she's my sister's daughter's daughter (not sure what that makes her to me - great neice?). Just a family shot since I was "up there" for the first time in 5 years, and with a lot of gear.

[Alis]

Obviously I am a bit late here but i am surprised everyone liked 2. I think the angle is not good for us to see the eyes and enough of the face, so between the two of them, i have to like 1. It is sad but I am not commenting on the content of the image

[Dave Humphries]

#2 for me, yes because she's smiling, it looks more natural (less posed) and the lighting is better (read 'less obvious').

#1 suffers a little from a shadow on the cheeks caused by her fringe, I guess from the hair light, positioned camera right and high.

But I'm being really nit-picky, they're both far better than I could take.

[arith]

Less obvious distortion in #2. But what do I know, because I'm blind to the obvious. and ...if anybody came up with something special, I doubt if I'd notice. Unless it was pointed out to me like here.

#2

[sanphotography]

i would personally pic the second picture i would love to get one like that of my daughter is i could get her to stay still long enough

[Dizzy]

Colin,

Lacking any skills to make a judgment on the technical merits of either image, I can only give you an opinion based solely on my emotional impressions of the images themselves.

First, she is clearly pondering something in that 2nd image that makes her smile. Smiles are good, anytime.

In the first image she has an almost pensive look on her face, as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders...and no little angel should have to bear such heavy sorrows.

It makes me want to ask her: "Please, tell me what is making you so sad?"

Since you are going to print it in a large format, then one would presume that she is going to be seeing it frequently? I agree that life is often painful, and your image does truly capture that emotion, but why continually remind her of this as she grows up?

My

[rob marshall]

Lacking any skills to make a judgment on the technical merits of either image, I can only give you an opinion based solely on my emotional impressions of the images themselves.

If you don't mind me saying so, I think that's a very good way of putting that (seriously). A lot of members here seem to refrain from making any comment because they feel they lack some technical ability to comment. But I always think that personal opinions, and yes, emotional ones too, are just as valid and important. Sometimes they are more important. This morning I picked up two large framed prints from my framer. I asked him to compare just the technical difference between the two. One was taken with a FF Canon 5DMk2, the other with my Panasonic G1. He correctly picked out the 5D shot and explained (technically) why it was better. But he then said that quite a few people had come through his shop and seen the 5D shot and thought it was terrific, based soley upon their emotional preference and tastes (they probably knew nothing technical about photography). Both bits of feed-back were, in this case, very useful.

[speedneeder]

Not to buck the consensus, I like #2 the best. Its the smile and the way the girl's body is turned that does it for me!

Yep. I am bummed I didn't get to vote though

[epmi314]

#2 by a slight margin!

[Colin Southern]

i would personally pic the second picture i would love to get one like that of my daughter is i could get her to stay still long enough

Hi Sandra,

I had that problem with this wee lass. They say to "never workd with children or animals", but I disagree ...

... the animals are fine!