Baby Doll

I have put this pic in CC but then I thought maybe I should put it in here too, as it is to do with lighting.
I wanted to try my hand at dramatic lighting.
Your thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

Very nice shot, Alison. You've achieved a softness and delicacy with a hard directional light, and that's really tough to do... :thumbsup:

That coming from you I take as a HUGE compliment!!! Thank you so much Steve!!!

Oh my goodness! And I was so upset with the result!
I asked my 7 year old if she was willing to re-shoot it with me tomorrow so I could try to get it sharper.

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Originally Posted by Alison

re-shoot it with me tomorrow so I could try to get it sharper...

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Well, you might be right about that. Sharpness is one thing that can be tough to evaluate on a computer monitor. Plus, I tend to dwell on the lighting aspect of an image, so sometimes I'm slow to notice other things...

But, in any event it's a nice capture. And speaking of capture, as long as you have a "captive" subject, you may as well go ahead and try a reshoot.

Keep in mind that a lot of photographers (if not the majority) are their own worse critics. It's definitely true with me, and I still sulk a bit sometimes over shots I create that a lot of other folks go ga-ga over...:D

Sad to say, that feeling never goes away completely. Well, maybe that's a good thing...

Ok. So I did my re-shoot today.

I feel much, much happier with the result.

Maybe because more of her face is showing. Maybe because she is smiling. Maybe because I got her arms in so you can see more of what is going on. Maybe the tones are better.

Any thoughts?

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Originally Posted by Alison

Ok. So I did my re-shoot today. I feel much, much happier with the result...

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Well, that's good, because in the end, with no client you really should be pleasing yourself...

This pic has quite a different feel than your first. It has a more conventional look to it. Still, your points about it being "better" are valid, especially if that's what you feel.

As for me, I like the first shot more than the second. Sharpness aside, the reshoot has a direct light falling on your girl in a fairly normal way. The first shot, IMO has more of a "painted light" effect, a delicate illumination of all of her and the doll's features.

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Originally Posted by Asylum Steve

As for me, I like the first shot more than the second. Sharpness aside, the reshoot has a direct light falling on your girl in a fairly normal way. The first shot, IMO has more of a "painted light" effect, a delicate illumination of all of her and the doll's features.

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I guess it's all subjective in the end, and, what I might not be happy with, a customer might love.

To me, my first shot looks of such poor quality. Maybe, if I had managed to pull off that painted light effect, combined with the sharpness and composition of today's, I might be alot happier with it.

I'll keep practising but I don't want to make Danielle unhappy to pose for me. So I shall leave it at me being happy with my second shot for now.

Having 8 children, well, 6 that will pose for me anyway lol, I might find a willing guinnea pig :D

Thank you so much for your opinions on this Steve. You have been a great help :thumbsup: