Girl in the Grist Mill

[erikzen]

How does this photo work for you? I love the detail in the wood, but is there enough light on the subject?

[Frog]

Boy, that's a hard one. Its a wonderful photograph and with that bright window and sun shining through I think you did an excellent job of balancing those with the shadows.
Unfortunatly I do wish there was more exposure on the girl, especially her face.
The sunlight on her dress only makes it more so.
Its a great image even so.

[SmartWombat]

Maybe it could have benefited from a reflector, not flash, for fill.
But I like it as it is.
It may be worth checking the horizontals/verticals though, as the window frame looks tilted.

[erikzen]

I tried to lighten up the face a little, crop the photo and rotate it about 3 degrees to the left.

[Kajuah]

I like the 2nd version the best, I was just thinking the crop would make this absolutely perfect but I think the shadowing in the face in the first one is appropriate and natural, and would like to see it in the cropped version too

The alignment included

[danic]

I do agree on the crop. Nice capture.

[Greg McCary]

I like the second one as well, your subject is getting lost in the picture. I also think you should crop a big part of the bottom of the image. You might also layer it and try an dim the light coming through the window. Beautiful shot.

[Yoyo Szeto]

This is very warm and happy. Well done!
yoyo

[slee320]

I like them both. They both have a painterly feel and I really like the effect. Maybe if you brought out the face details in the first ever so slightly, so that they would fall somewhere between it and the second version...

Otherwise, love 'em.

Cropping? No need for me.

May I ask how you metered here? And if processed in Lightroom, Raw, CS, etc., what adjustments did you make?

[erikzen]

May I ask how you metered here? And if processed in Lightroom, Raw, CS, etc., what adjustments did you make?

Thanks slee and to everyone for your comments. I had the same impression that if felt like an oil painting. With light only on part of the face it has a "Rembrandt" lighting feel to it.

This was spot metered. I seem to go back and forth between spot and center weighted.

The first shot actually had no post processing. In the second shot I used Photoshop Elements 2.0 to rotate slightly, crop and select just the face using the lasso tool. In the selected area I increased the fill flash lighting by 5 "points". I also did a crude clone stamp to get rid of the folding chair in the bottom left hand corner.

I am not very sophisticated in my post processing techniques and have yet to try shooting in RAW and converting that way. I have a rudimentary understanding of Photoshop but have a long way to go.

[ciddog91]

I like the 2nd one. I think it is a beautiful picture and would look good on a mantel.
Nice job..

Phil

[Frog]

I'm surprised at how well you did with the edit without shooting in raw and that you're still using elements 2. You'll have to upgrade to edit raw, I think.
I can't decide which I like best....they're both very good.
What is she doing with her hands? Looks like pretend piano.

[erikzen]

I'm surprised at how well you did with the edit without shooting in raw and that you're still using elements 2. You'll have to upgrade to edit raw, I think.
I can't decide which I like best....they're both very good.
What is she doing with her hands? Looks like pretend piano.

I know I'm way behind when it comes to post processing. On the positive side it makes me capture a better image to start with, but I really need to upgrade and learn some more.

She's actually playing with the stone ground cornmeal from the grist mill.

There are some additional interesting shots from the mill, I just haven't had time to review them.