Erin

[Karm Redland]

All comments welcomed.



Karm

[pnodrog]

It is a pleasant composition but under harsh lighting conditions. There are signs of what looks like posterization. This is where the tones change in steps and can result in a "patchy" look. Some times it is done deliberately for effect but I suspect on this occasion it is accidental. Saving a Jpeg file at too high a compression may have been the cause. Photographs reduced in size for emailing can also have the problem. It can also occur when trying to recover shadow detail. Using fill flash or a reflector may have assisted with the lighting by softening and reducing the shadows. The flag is a bit of a distraction but could easily be cloned out.

[kdoc856]

Hi, Karm. Very tricky lighting conditions and you've done much to overcome it with your well done post pp, but I think Paul is correct about hints of posterization particularly in your model's hair. I usually make plans for using a fill-flash for my NEXT sunny shot, as I just cant seem to recognize my pop-up flash as real, and if my big flash isnt on-camera, I just dont think of it. But this a great example of the limits of pp compared the need for fill fllash.

Is this a cropped version, and might you be able to include more of the flag (which might be a nice complement if more prominent) and get by with a little less need to raise the shadows of her shade side as much if more background is included?

[Karm Redland]

Kevin and Paul, I agree with your comments. Lighting was difficult and I did a lot of pp on this photo to make it presentable. Later today I'll check whether I created the posterization with my various manipulations of the image or if its an artifact of being saved as a Jpeg. Thanks for your comments.

Karm

[AB26]

Hi Karm,
In a portrait it is always advisable to avoid any sort of line that might run trough a face. This lady is beautiful without a double chin, a lower angle might have worked with a wider open aperture to blur the background. Don't know what you have done in PP, seems there is a blot on her forehead that spoils he beauty. The flag above her head should not be there.
Hope this helps!