[jimandasideoffries]

This is my 1st proper portrait of an animal. Taken with 200mm zoom lense, using natural window light (from behind me). I've tried to bring out the eyes also to make them more piercing. Honest opinions please.

[SammyC]

He looks hungover!

[Dave]

Lighting is spot on, but picture need sharpening (just tried smart sharp in CS2 & lots better).

[stepheno]

Originally Posted by DJW

Lighting is spot on......

Agreed. Only other comment is that there's enough red bg behind the dog but too much white fg - seems to take over a nice shot.

regards

[Dave]

Couldn't help myself....I've seen this done elsewhere & wanted to have a go myself. Works best with black dogs.....mine are brindle & grey . You could do a much better job if you took more time plus had the dog sat/stood (so ears & jowels are hanging correctly) in same light conditions (which work perfectly)

[jimandasideoffries]

I added some sharpening to the image before upload.... so I've added some more sharpening and it looks better still as stated by DJW.

Cheers guys.

P.s will work on the compo some more after some more critique has come through.

[jimandasideoffries]

Originally Posted by DJW

Couldn't help myself....I've seen this done elsewhere & wanted to have a go myself. Works best with black dogs.....mine are brindle & grey . You could do a much better job if you took more time plus had the dog sat/stood (so ears & jowels are hanging correctly) in same light conditions (which work perfectly)

thats a brilliant idea and a powerfull composition.... wouldn't get the red reflection in the dogs fur also, especially if I took it in a studio. Nice tip

/edit: actually it works better with the red hue (just noticed that u've increased this since my original post), would a red reflector or gel light create this effect?

[mrgubby]

Good portrait shot but I feel it could do with a little less foreground , the white is pushing the subject backwards (at least to my eyes)

[Boon]

great shot, but the double catchlight in the dogs right eye is distracting, lovely dog.

[Ribby]

Looks better with the extra sharpening Jimbo, have you done anything with his eyes? The right one looks a strange colour (might just be me).

Nice pic overall though, nice DOF

[jimandasideoffries]

Jon: I've pulled them out the pic a bit with some curves and a tiny bit of sat...

Boon: I think his right eye has something wrong with it or maybe it's down to the fact that you can see more of it than the other but I see what you mean.

Hows the crop in this image,... better? It feels less distrating to me now.



/Edit: Added in catch light the right eye to balance his eyes.

[Dave]

You can always clone left eye across.....in the version I posted I copied & invereted the catchlights only .....oh & an ear

[CT]

Originally Posted by DJW

You can always clone left eye across.....in the version I posted I copied & invereted the catchlights only .....oh & an ear

You should have moved the catchlights over to the other side of the eye though Dave.

and reversed them.

[Dave]

I did originally think that CT, but noticed the original small catchlight was still to the inside of the eye...so I placed over top. My inverse comment was meant to mean reversed.

Looking again at original though I notice the small catchlight I mentioned is also on left of other eye.... ...so your right CT

[CT]

It's OK Dave, I have to do this a fair bit with some of the old damaged photos, where there's facial damage to repair, but as a general rule catchlights do tend to be either to the right or left in each eye.