Portraits...Which ones are better? - Help...

Candid Arts

So my girlfriend and I are editing some photos we took. We each edit the ones we each choose, we nit pick each others, re-edit, and pick a favorite. There are a few that we both like for different reasons, and couldn't compromise on a final. So I bring it to you.

I'll post two pictures of each person, and there are four people. Pick the better of the two for each person. Also, if you are so inclined to, tell me why it is better, or why the un-chosen one is not as good.

Thank you very much everyone!

Derek:
a.


b.


Denise:
a.


b.


Abbey:
a.


b.


Scott:
a.


b.


-Bryce

pwp

I think I prefer "a" for all of them. Especially for Abbey, as it is a much more engaging photo of her. Her eyes actually connect with the viewer.

SimpsonBrothers

a cause b has what looks like food stuck in his teeth
a better color than b and I like the crop
a better color, b looks more oof
a has more emotion, you can see the person and the product. B hides both.

Macushla

Derek A, fun tons of personality - reminds me of Eugene Hutz from Gogol Bordello. B the teeth look over whitened.

Denise A, I like a nice warm portrait B, too cool soft focus look.

Abby A, looks nice. B, skin color is a bit red.

Scott A, fun shot nice light, B it's OK.

I like the light on the right side of the face in all A shots. All the B shots look overprocessed. The skin is plasticy. The colors all seem a little off or flat.

So who is A - you or your girlfriend???

l.k.madison

Derek: first one, shows more personality, I think. If you're going with a crazy hat, you need a crazy face. I'm assuming he's always the life of the conversation when he's around.

Denise: personally, I'm not a fan of either, the first one is the lesser of the two evils. If she's drinking coffee, maybe her at her kitchen table or in a coffee shop, maybe less of a "set up" shot. The second one looks under-exposed to me and not enough "closeness" to her. Coffee is comforting and warm, the black background distracts me from her and wanting to be curled up by the fire/reading the morning newspaper with her.

Abbey: first one - by FAR. She just shines.

Scott: I like the second shot for the *picture* but not for the processing. I agree with the comment that they look plastic-y in all of the second shots.

Hope that helps!

Candid Arts

Thanks everyone for the input. Keep it coming!

Macushla - a. is all mine... :-/ I'm debating how I'm going to break the news to my girlfriend... :-P

So here is our thoughts on why we liked some versus the others...

Derek:
a. We liked the lighting better on the side of the hat, and I liked the face as he is a pretty goofy kid.
b. She liked the smile a bit more.

Denise:
a. She didn't like the crop, and the texture I left in the face. (she smoothed her version so her mom wouldn't get mad -Denise is her mom).
b. I didn't like her crop as much, and I didn't like the smoothing. I have this thing that older people have earned their texture...and it shouldn't be taken away.

Abbey:
a.She thought that the angle made the top of her head look long and her face look short (which i do see). I like the colors, tones, and smile, very natural happy smile...
b.I didn't like the blank look on her face. She doesn't look like she wants to be there. The first one she looks happy to be participating.

Scott:
a.I like the face he is making, and the fact that you can read all the words on the fireworks. He is a HUGE fireworks fan, his life is pretty much fireworks (outside of church and family). The names of the fireworks add to that for me.
b.She just loves the innocence of the photo.

So that is kind of where we are coming from.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Macushla

Candid Arts wrote:

Macushla - a. is all mine... :-/ I'm debating how I'm going to break the news to my girlfriend... :-P

Just let her read the thread.

l.k.madison

Candid Arts wrote:

Denise:
a. She didn't like the crop, and the texture I left in the face. (she smoothed her version so her mom wouldn't get mad -Denise is her mom).
b. I didn't like her crop as much, and I didn't like the smoothing. I have this thing that older people have earned their texture...and it shouldn't be taken away.

I've never heard it put in terms like that, but I'll have to use that, it's beautiful and SO true. Seems like there's a story behind every "not smooth" part (I dare say the "W" word), the harder the life, the "less smooth" the face.

Candid Arts

l.k.madison wrote:

I've never heard it put in terms like that, but I'll have to use that, it's beautiful and SO true. Seems like there's a story behind every "not smooth" part (I dare say the "W" word), the harder the life, the "less smooth" the face.

Exactly! Why just throw away something that you've earned through years and years of life experiences... I can't just edit that stuff out.

Candid Arts

Just in case people are wondering or would like to see the rest of the photos that we did agree on, check out onetwofiftieth.com and navigate to the photos section.

zoomer

a skin
b not as close
a skin
a skin

Candid Arts

zoomer wrote:

a skin
b not as close
a skin
a skin

Not quite following... :-/

ivar

pwp wrote:

I think I prefer "a" for all of them.

zoomer

Candid Arts wrote:

Not quite following... :-/

Sorry..

First group I like A skin is overprocessed on B
Second group I picked B, skin is marginally ok but subject is further away because of the crop, so I like B better.
Third and 4th group the skin is overprocessed in B.

A trick I use with skin processing is to leave it and come back and look again in a couple hours...often it will be "what was I thinking"!!

If you sit and process skin one thing after another you can lead yourself down a path that makes you think it looks ago because every little change is not that much....however the finished product can easily be way to much.