pinkflower.jpg
by Karalew

Comment by Marjo:
I don't think it matters if they're blown or not because it appears to be just different variations of color...which works very well for this photo, imho. Also, the treatment and rich color enhance. Nice job.

Lil Boy Blue
by Karalew

Comment by dr rick:
Greetings from the Critique Club

What a cute kid! A great pose; he looks really natural and happy. I love the way he is peeking out from behind something. It's a delightful portrait.

Unfortunately, the flash is too bright and has washed out his face. There's probably a way to set the intensity, although doing so quickly for a candid shot isn't always feasible. A simple trick is to keep a plain white handkerchief handy to cover the flash when shooting at close range with just a moment's notice. There's probably no easy to recover from this in Photoshop (although you might try the Darken Shadows setting in the Shadows/Highlights tool).

The black background works very well. It would be nicer if it was completely black, something easily done in most any photo editor. I'd also crop a bit off the bottom; there's a bit too much space down there. (I personally think making the proportions 5x7 is about right.)

Still, for a candid shot this turned out really well. I'm sure it's a photo you'll cherish for years.

Lil Boy Blue
by Karalew

Comment by Ben:
Very nice.

Lil Boy Blue
by Karalew

Comment by miadrago:
what a cutie

sepiaroman.jpg
by Karalew

Comment by violinist123:
Like everything about it except the blown out spots on the face. Nice shot.

sepiaroman.jpg
by Karalew

Comment by sher:
i think it's stunning! i love the tone and the DOF, too. very nice work!

Shared a Bit & left with a Piece
by Karalew

Comment by quiche:
Lighting, composition, & focus need work.

Goldie in the rough
by Karalew

Comment by Melethia:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Met the challenge? I'll say both yes and some may not have though so. Clearly it's meant to be gold eyeshadow on the model, but on both my monitors, it appears to be more of a yellow/green gold than a "gold" gold.

Composition While I think the long narrow crop suits this image and what I perceive you wanted it to be, it may not do well on DPC as it does limit the total size the picture can be. Also, the slight angle, with the eye on the right of the frame higher and the eyebrow cut off, somewhat detracts from this composition, and makes it feel a bit cramped/too tightly cropped.

Lighting You mentioned in your comments you weren't happy with the lighting. The effect I do like here is the one eye more fully lit while the other recedes into the shadows. It does appear a bit harsh across the brow - was the light source diffused at all? That can help reduce the glare and provide more even lighting.

Overall I can definitely see what you were going for here. I think the only way to fully achieve it is with a studio-type light setup - soft, diffuse light to ensure even coverage and accurate exposure.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

Shared a Bit & left with a Piece
by Karalew

Comment by TrynityRose:
I like the depth of field on the shot, but the background or tablecloth doesnt really add anything. Usually there is out of focus ingredients or items to compliment the shot. Also the lighting/color seems off.

Goldie in the rough
by Karalew

Comment by Jason_Cross:
Nice idea.