Hey all

I'm looking for some critique on the following images; your thoughts on the picture/crop in general, and technique/lighting in particular.

Many thanks, in advance.

The pictures are unfortunately a bit small for that. Perhaps posting them 400x600 pixels minimum would help.
In the top one, from what I can see, there is no catchlight in the eye, and a very bright highlight under the nose, so light placement could be improved.
The lighting is better on the others, although on the last the light from the LHS is possibly a bit strong. The posing is generally good, but the cropping is niether one thing nor another. With the two with the cap, I would crop it much more strongly, making it look more deliberate than accidental, or leave it all in. The same goes for the hair on no. 2.

Thanks for the response, Bill. You're right about the highlight under the nose - though I didn't notice at first.

As for the cropping, it's my new 'repetitive' thing; I do it, then undo, then recrop and recrop ad infinitum and, to be honest, it never really looks one thing or the other.

Thanks, again, for your comments. Much appreciated.

I like the second and third picture- very pretty girl. x

Many thanks, Stars.

She is a pretty girl, and just 13 years of age. She came along to my studio to do a wee shoot with her Mum and I asked them both back for another shoot.

I think she has some real potential.

She most certainly does! Beautiful eyes and a great smile!

Hey Dunc, how was the hols?

Right please feel free to ignore anything i say but ...

Image 1 - I'm not sure on the angle and don't like the crop round the hat, feel it needs some space to the left. also think the models far away arm looks awkward, maybe bringing it to the front would have helped to take that away and add a bit of framing

Image 2 - sorry but i really don't like this one, the hair crop i dislike and there's something just not right that i can't put my finger on that i dislike about it.Alsolooks like it could do with a light to the left as the shadows are very harsh, it's not quite high key enough and not quite low key enough. Also not keen on the crop on the arms.

Image 3 - something about this i like but the vignette type thing on it detracts from it for me, other than that very nice image.

Image 4 - I like the lighting on this although the left hand side does need toned down a little, i cwould have liked to have seen the whole hat and her left shoulder but that's just me. I don't thinkt he B&W has done it justice as it's very flat and not a lot of contrast in there, maybe pushing the levels a bit more after converting to B&W would help or using a red filter???

As i said feel free to ignore

Hey, Tom, I asked for a critique. If I were to believe my family and friends then I'm already the greatest tog that ever lived - and would likely learn nothing.

All criticism is subjective, so I'm happy not to agree with you on 3 & 4 but see exactly what you're at on 1 & 2. I mucked about with the crop for so long on #1 that I was growing blind to it by the end. On #2, I love Rachael's expression but, yes, the contrast is a bit harsh - the original was less so.

But I'm delighted to hear constructive views - I take it all in.

As for the holiday - I did think about you last Thursday as it 'appens: I had just finished a lunch of cheese, ham and fresh bread which I'd washed down with an icy pint of San Miguel. That thought came just as I dived back into the warm atlantic waters to cool down from the 36 degree heat on the beach - I remember it well; it lasted for almost 3 nano-seconds before another warm, foaming surf broke over me

It's all good Dunc, i neer thought of you either