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Alluring

© Anthony L. Mancuso

Alluring

Uploaded: September 13, 2009

Description

Exif: F Number: 2.5, Exposure Bias Value: -0.67, ExposureTime: 1/200 seconds, Flash: did not fire., ISO: 125, White balance: Manual white balance, FocalLength: 50.00 mm, Model: NIKON D80

Comments

Janice Mezzacappa September 13, 2009

Beautiful portrait with lovely tones, lighting and pose! Great work Anthony!! #1180175

Anthony L. Mancuso September 14, 2009

Thank you Janice... #7941527

Rita K. Connell level-classic September 16, 2009

I really like this one Tony, she looks beautiful the lighting is great and I like that you can see her profile well, but...the only problem I have is the chair blend in to much and she looks like she is lending on air. and her top hand is a little to smooth. #7947391

Dale Hardin September 16, 2009

Beautiful. Now this is the kind of Tony shot I've come to know and love. Wonderful lighting Tony, and superb exposure. You have a gift capturing the human spirit. Well done.

But you know me, I'm a nut about composition and I think this can be enhanced with creative cropping and a bit of cloning.

May I suggest an 8x10 vertical format crop with the left edge just to the left of the fingers of her right hand about the same distance as the length of one of her eyebrows. The top and bottom would remain as posted.

This is for two reasons. One, it concentrates more on her without unneeded empty space and tightens the comp using the ROT. Also, she is a lovely girl that is full figured and the crop will be flattering.

I would then suggest cloning out her right arm leaving only the fingers of the right hand. Again for two reasons. One, this would eliminate the clipping of her arm and two, would focus the attention on her eyes since the arm isn't necessary to complete the pose and offers nothing except a distraction. #7947926

Debbie E. Payne September 16, 2009

I believe that she might like a vertical crop better because it would take the eye up and down, not across. I think you did a great job blending what was unnecessary into the background but would like to see just a tad more chair. But Dale's crop would probably take care of that. She is a beautiful girl and you've really done justice to the eyes here. #7948575

Anthony L. Mancuso September 16, 2009

Thanks for all the feedback once again phellos. I totally agree with the chair being too dark so I lightened it..this is Dales crop idea but I think even though it is vertical, it somehow brings more attention to her full figure so I cloned out part of her back to slim her down a bit....her figure did make it challenging for me to come with flattering poses outside of a head shot and I thought this was one of the better ones, I also used a horizontal crop because I have plenty of vertical and wanted to offer them some variety.. #7949484

Rita K. Connell level-classic September 16, 2009

Tony I really like this new crop I like the slimming one, I like the chair lighter now you just need to fix the nicks thats in the chair then is a keeper. very nicely done. #7949524

Dale Hardin September 16, 2009

I like your changes Tony and the slimming helped. Another thing that would help with the slimming is to change to a 5x7 vertical format and take the areas in her blouse that are below her arm all the way to black.

She has to be very happy with this shot. You've captured her beauty wonderfully. #7949623

Aimee C. Eisaman September 16, 2009

A magical shot Tony and I tend to like what you did with the sliming. I like the original comp. too even though this new crop is more powerful for us Phellos. I'm sure she will love this...let us know what she thinks when she gets them. :~) #7949646

Teresa H. Hunt September 17, 2009

A very stunning photo Tony. I really liked the cropped verstions. The lighting is wonderful. Great job. #7952296

Ellen H. Robertson level-classic September 18, 2009

Tony I am sure she is a pretty woman is in person but you made her absolutly beautiful. Love the tones and the lighting and how beautiful her face is. #7953114

Christie R. Bielss September 20, 2009

I'm going to be the odd man out here, I do not like the vertical crop. It makes her bicep look absolutely huge, as well as bringing a lot of attention to the rest of her full-figure. I do think the orig. version could use a crop b/c it's got too much negative space, but I think, if she's wanting more than a headshot, then doing a horizontal crop would be so much more flattering to her figure. I also like the lightening you did to bring out a bit more of the chair. You did an outstanding job with the lighting and really bringing out both her inner and outer beauty, Tony. She should be absolutely thrilled with this! #7959056

Debbra Bailey September 20, 2009

Gorgeous image Tony! I love the BW - your light is amazing, and you did great work with the slimming. I was pleased with the original post, but I can see the improvements you made following everyone's suggestions too! #7963489

Michael Kelly level-classic September 20, 2009

Tony as all have said, outstanding work! I am in the original camp too. While the new crops and changes are very good there is something about your original shot that I find very appealing. Dark and mysterious with a period feel to it. The lighting is perfect. #7964311

Anthony L. Mancuso September 21, 2009

Thank you all for the great feedback...I did end up staying with the original crop, chair lightened and shoulder slimmed...I shot much of this session with the subject just inside of an opened set of double french doors in their living room and me standing outside the house, It was a cloudy, but fairly bright day and I think it was the best light I have ever shot a portrait session in..I highly reccomend trying people just inside a doorway like this because it always produces great light...just be advised that you need the subject to stay very close to the door opening because the light falls off precipitously as you move away from the door and into the room... #7966194

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict September 22, 2009

This is a beautiful photo with wonderful lighting!
I know I'll be going against the flow here, but I too like the original version best. It seems to me that after cloning out her right arm that her fingers have kind of a floating look, almost as if they belong to someone else.
I think if you did the slimming on the original it would be perfect - But that is just mho! #7971544

Aimee C. Eisaman September 22, 2009

Well I told you I liked this comp. too and I just knew no matter how you entered this it would be getting a well deserved EP! :~) Congrats! #7972703

Teresa H. Hunt September 23, 2009

I'm not surprised this got an EP! It's a wonderful photo . . . Congrats. :) #7976540

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict September 23, 2009

Kudos on your EP! Way to go!!! #7976929

Christie R. Bielss September 23, 2009

Congrats on the EP! #7977169

Anthony L. Mancuso September 23, 2009

Thank you Aimee, Teresa, Susan and Christie :-) #7977374

Ellen H. Robertson level-classic September 24, 2009

Beautiful! #7980697

Anthony L. Mancuso September 24, 2009

Thanks Ellen.. #7981248

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