[TIM]

Love to know your thoughts... Be harsh...



Higher resolution here...

http://static.flickr.com/118/292232181_30fa3690d3_o.jpg

[Steve]

I have broken your link as your file is just under 500kb and we operate a 200kb limit here.
If you want to reduce the size to within our rules you are welcomed to replace the [img] tags

[TIM]

Thanks steve, hope thats better. No one got some critique for me?

[spxxxx]

Good take - I think it would be better without the hand - was the original minus reflections in the shades?

I think the toning is spot on

Simon

[TIM]

Agree with the hand. Nope, I don't believe in adding things to photo's in PS, the water is as per original shot, just desaturated, sepia'ed, cropped and higher contrast...

[fionaB]

yep the hand has to go i think, i quite like the reflection of the water, it adds to what would just be a boring pair of sunglasses. I would have liked to see the top of his head tho.

Fiona

[lolyton]

I would probably crop it in tighter on all sides except the top. Don't mind that you can't see the top of his head, may look better if you remove the same amount of chin (you'd also remove the hand at same time). The crop would push the blown hair into the top right corner i reckon compositionally that would look better.

Personal preference is for cooler tones to images, so the sepia you have gone with for tone is too warm for me, i would maybe try a frozen blue or slightly cooler toning!

[Rob Barron]

I agree with most of the above: the hand is very intrusive and pointless: why does he need to hold his head up? Would prefer top not be cropped OR be more heavily cropped so that it doesn't look like you just missed the top bit.

But it is the tone that I find most off-putting. I agree with Lolyton that a cold blue would work a whole lot better. It would also allow the whole picture to have a greater tonal range, this feels rather flat. Finally, I am ok with the reflection in the sunglasses but it looks a bit strange being so far over towards the nose in the right eye. Moving position slightly could have got the two reflections in similar parts of the lens and help it to remain more balanced.

I stress I am being critical only because it is what you said you wanted. I can think of good things to say too and I must admit I prefer to keep it balanced so here's the good stuff, like it or not :o)

I like the composition of the hair, it gives an interesting profile to the portrait. I also like the depth of field used which keeps the front part of the hair in focus but then blurs off as it goes back, giving the hair more of a 3-D feel and thus depth to the portrait as a whole.

The guy in the picture has interesting features anyway so I wonder whether a portrait of him without the lenses (sorry, to me RayBan glasses look pretentious!) would be good. I like to see a person's eyes as it allows the viewer to make contact with the person in the portrait. I think he would look better without his sunglasses.... though I admit you might find it hard to get a reflection of the water :o)

Cheers,
Rob

[TIM]

I appreciate the critiques, thanks all.

The shot was taken on a moving boat with a wakeboarder behind, so I unfortunately did not have time to get another, the hand is by far the most annoying thing in my mind, but I can see how a more balanced reflection in the glasses would be better.

I will try it in another tone, I rather like the warmth of the sepia, and the aged feel it gives, but I'm always open to suggestions.

[Rob Barron]

Originally Posted by TIM

I will try it in another tone, I rather like the warmth of the sepia, and the aged feel it gives, but I'm always open to suggestions.

I know what you mean Tim, sepia does give a pleasant aging tone to a picture. It's just that I don't think an aging tone works as well when it could easily be a promotional shot for RayBan sunglasses! Be interesting to see what a colder tone would do for a shot like this.

Cheers,
Rob

[TIM]

Appreciate it rob, and I do see what you are saying, did a quick version in cool tones and it looks really nice, soon as I get some time do it properly, I'll put it up here...