Breaking all the rules

Personally I don't mind that the limbs are chopped as you're close enough it looks intentional and you have the one hand so she doesn't look completely amputated.

Lighting, expression and pose all work for me so if you like it keep it :D
 
If you flip it to landscape it looks like she is balancing on one leg which looks interesting?!:confused:
 
I like the light too. The definition on her legs and the front of the costume "sparkling" meant I didn't immediately shout "where's her feet?!"

Her left arm almost looks too long so I'd be tempted to crop even tighter at the top but the rest looks spot on.
 
I like the light too. The definition on her legs and the front of the costume "sparkling" meant I didn't immediately shout "where's her feet?!"
Her left arm almost looks too long so I'd be tempted to crop even tighter at the top but the rest looks spot on.

That's pretty much my thoughts on it too. And I'd also add that I love the look of concentration on her face.
OK, it may not be compositionally perfect and it's not what you would have planned if you had more space - but emotionally, I feel a real connection with it and IMO that's more important than technical 'perfection' (although I know we'd all like to have the best of both worlds in every photo).

I certainly like it too much to bin it.

Random thought, but what's to either side of the paper background to left and right?
If it's plain wall (even with the strip boxes in shot) I'd be interested to see how it looks as a landscape crop with her legs extending past the edges of the background.
 
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I agree with Sarah too.

The 'rules' are merely guides and helpful aspects to aim for. However, an evocative picture which happens to break some intellectual rules is far more satisfying to look at then a 'perfect' photo which follows all the 'rules' but isn't evocative, without any emotional communication < Which is much the same as what Sarah has said.

Your picture captures the mood and moment well and is evocative. Just look at the girl's facial expression - It's a great capture. I actually like the composition of this shot - It's very graphic and strong and attracts a second look. You nailed it!

Don't bin it. Learn from it and if another opportunity arises which allows a more 'perfect' shot, then take it. But don't bin this one!
 
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If it is for you or her, then dont worry - if you intend to put it into a competition be prepared!
I agree with Sarah ;)

....Which, depending on the specifics of the competition, doesn't say much for those who judge competitions if they are only capable of applying cold rules. The strong graphic composition helps direct the viewer to the girl's facial expression. I would even have gone so far as to intentionally crop a photo to achieve this picture.
 
Thanks everyone, some really interesting comments/ feedback on this - all pretty much the reasons why I'm in two minds about it. @SarahLee - what's to either side? I'll have to upload the original this evening. Basically, the paper edges, light stands and two walls either side. It's either her left foot or right foot that pops outside the limits of the background. Can't remember off the top of my head. I believe she was off centre quite a bit, which actually didn't upset the lighting on her. I just don't think my lounge was large enough to accommodate. I tried every angle to shoot it, but light placement was limiting, therefore so was her positioning in the room. It was a bit optimistic of me to think I could pull it off to be honest, what I had in my head. Could have cut her out I suppose, but wanted to avoid that. I'll post up the original tonight.

Thanks again everyone! It's well appreciated!
 
For those of you that were interested (@SarahLee and anyone else), here is the original - thinking about it now, I realize I wasn't using a full width roll. Might have gotten away with it with a bit more tinkering / shots, but I think I pretty much gave up after that.

View attachment 21704
 
Thanks for posting that Bethy.

It would have been a very, very different shot with the extra space around her.
For me, it's actually not as intense or dynamic as the first but has a feeling of lightness and forward motion that's missing in the first. Not really sure which I would have preferred.

Do you know what though?
For something a little bit different and quirky, I don't think I'd actually dislike that version cropped a bit from the bottom and RHS.
Sort of gives the impression of her leaping from the studio background into the 'normal' room at the other side.
 
I would have simply cropped it differently... cutting arms and legs off isnt a problem so long as not done on limbs.. the problem for me was subject wrong side of center going out the picture.. this sint perfect but more pleasing IMHO

simplecrop.jpg
 
As I have already posted, I very much like the tightly cropped version in your original post. But, you know what, I also love this shot which shows the whole room - It's very unusual and very dynamic because of the relatively small enclosed space. And the colours in the room are great and set off the electric blue on the girl.
 
I would have simply cropped it differently... cutting arms and legs off isnt a problem so long as not done on limbs.. the problem for me was subject wrong side of center going out the picture.. this sint perfect but more pleasing IMHO

simplecrop.jpg

....I don't agree and find cutting off her toes like that looks uncomfortable - It's neither one thing or the other and just looks like a mistake in framing the shot. Sorry, but I see no point in offering my opinion unless it's honest - Nothing personal.

Also, "subject wrong side of center" is a perfect example of how strictly applying a 'rule' doesn't necessarily work. Just my not so humble opinion.
 
. Sorry, but I see no point in offering my opinion unless it's honest - Nothing personal.

.


thats what we are all doing :) I was NOT suggesting it was the correct or right way or even best way.. I did say this is how I would ahve attempted to save the shot..

In all honesty I agree with your other comment.. I like the room shot ..... but I do like extreme crops into subjects as well :)
 
Hi Bethy

I like the wider crop but the original doesn't quite sit right with me - I'm subconsciously looking for the rest of the limbs - a shame as the wider crop looks great.

Just my opinion though!

S
 
I realise there are no rules just guidelines, but the original crop doesn't work for me...maybe if it was just the legs cropped out, but the hand chopped at the wrist is a major no-no imho. Shame as it's lit very nicely
 
Thank you everyone, for your honest opinions, comments and feedback. It's greatly appreciated. I was really interested in knowing what people's thoughts were on this as I had mentioned in my original post. I shall persevere in achieving what I set out to capture... I'm not there yet, but I'm close.

Thanks again everyone. :)
 
As you can see, Bethy - Everybody has a slightly different and some very opposite opinion. It's interesting what others think and what they do and don't like but the best way to go is what satisfies YOU and no-one else.
 
Bethy if you make a selection of the girl, cut and past that into a new layer. (Switch it off for now.)
Then in transform, stretch the base layer until only the grey of the background can be seen, taking the roll out by stretching it upwards.
I have left the crinkles in the background but these too could be taken out.
Now make an outsized selection of the distorted girl giving a clearance of a few pixels, feather it and fill it using content aware.
Switch the girl layer back on, move the girl down the page. Select the complete hand copy and past it into a new layer, flip it horizontally, resize it and move into place, clone over the thumb and shorten the index finger, tidy up and flatten.
If you have the hand in another picture use that.
You have no to editing ticked but as an edited version has been posted I will offer a small edit to better visualise my thinking.
If you have objections to my posting, I will take it down.

8859-1414330502-404b065fb1a1eea91994767a0994354f.jpg


Rhodese.
 
Bethy if you make a selection of the girl, cut and past that into a new layer. (Switch it off for now.)
Then in transform, stretch the base layer until only the grey of the background can be seen, taking the roll out by stretching it upwards.
I have left the crinkles in the background but these too could be taken out.
Now make an outsized selection of the distorted girl giving a clearance of a few pixels, feather it and fill it using content aware.
Switch the girl layer back on, move the girl down the page. Select the complete hand copy and past it into a new layer, flip it horizontally, resize it and move into place, clone over the thumb and shorten the index finger, tidy up and flatten.
If you have the hand in another picture use that.
You have no to editing ticked but as an edited version has been posted I will offer a small edit to better visualise my thinking.
If you have objections to my posting, I will take it down.

8859-1414330502-404b065fb1a1eea91994767a0994354f.jpg


Rhodese.
Thanks Rhodese. Yes, I do have no editing ticked, but to be fair it was only a change in crop to the original. I appreciate you taking the time to post your edit. I am aware how to extend my canvas, but if I have to do that much work to a photo to get it to work, I would rather not. Although I am a great player in PP, there are some things that I would rather get right in camera. Realizing that you were working with a lower res file and not a raw file, even still, I wouldn't be stretching my pixels quite that much. But again, thanks for your input. Is it appreciated. :)
 
Why not cut out using refine edge and place on a black background? I think that would be quite striking.
 
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