C&C please - does this crop work?

l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
edited March 30, 2011 in People
I'm torn between this being too far out of the box or absolutely nailing the shot... figured my fellow DGrinners would help me out. Thoughts, ideas?

Meet Alyssa, born weighing 10 lbs 6 oz and 24" long - and Mommy had her 'the real way' - pain killers of course, but no C-section (!!). She's 1 month and 1 day old in this shot.

Holding Mommy's engagement ring - Daddy did an awesome job picking out that bling!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lkmadison/5571342017/&quot; title="Alyssa and Mommy's ring by L.K.Madison, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5183/5571342017_1c0dbb47d0.jpg&quot; width="500" height="333" alt="Alyssa and Mommy's ring" /></a>

I'm waiting on the day when a Daddy actually proposes to a Mommy doing this - how cute of a keepsake would THAT picture be?!
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Comments

  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    To answer your question . . . it's a drop-my-jaw crop.iloveyou.gif
    Sorry. No constructive criticism from me.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    Icebear wrote: »
    To answer your question . . . it's a drop-my-jaw crop.iloveyou.gif
    Sorry. No constructive criticism from me.

    That answers my question, thanks!

    I tend to go outside the box, WAY outside the box and sometimes it's hard to tell when I've gone too far.

    Now, to convince Mommy she needs a 16x24 metallic canvas of this...
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  • lilmommalilmomma Registered Users Posts: 1,060 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    gorgeous <3<3<3

    (a little bright but i'm on my pos work monitors.)
  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    lilmomma wrote: »
    gorgeous <3<3<3

    (a little bright but i'm on my pos work monitors.)

    It is a bit bright, I'll give it that, but I don't think it's *too* bright.
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  • lilmommalilmomma Registered Users Posts: 1,060 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    l.k.madison wrote: »
    It is a bit bright, I'll give it that, but I don't think it's *too* bright.

    i totally believe you.. my work computer is crap

    do you have more from this shoot? I always love to see your baby pics.
  • reyvee61reyvee61 Registered Users Posts: 1,877 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    I really can't think of anything I'd change...very nice!
    Yo soy Reynaldo
  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    lilmomma wrote: »
    i totally believe you.. my work computer is crap

    do you have more from this shoot? I always love to see your baby pics.

    Aww, you're too sweet -- I do have a few teasers on my pro FB, the link is in my siggy.

    I'm working on her session now, trying to get through it so I'll be ALL caught up before my next week when I have three sessions in 5 days (!). Kinda thankful for tomorrow's 80% chance of rain now :D.
    reyvee61 wrote:
    I really can't think of anything I'd change...very nice!

    Thanks, I was just making sure that after staring at it for so long it didn't look weird. Every baby shot has been done 1.4 million times, it's about time another pose comes around.
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  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    l.k.madison wrote: »
    Every baby shot has been done 1.4 million times, it's about time another pose comes around.

    Yes, but most new mommas and daddies haven't seen thousands of baby pictures like we have. And there's usually good reason for the popularity of these poses. Just think, if people quit doing something 'cause it's been done 1.4 million times before, the human race woulda died out long ago. Some things are worth repeating. Now you've added to the mix though!!thumb.gif
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    I will admit the half-faced pose is inspired by Angie's daughter under her big hat. I'm a fan of wedding rings on babies (tastefully, of course) just to use as a size comparison for when they get older - Mommy and Daddy will hopefully still have their rings when the child has kids of her own so it'll be sweet to compare sizes.

    When I worked at a local hospital as a newborn photographer, we had a baby that was due in April but born in December. She was so tiny that Daddy's wedding ring went up her arm and to her shoulder days after she was born. When she left the hospital still several weeks before her due date, I put her parents' rings on her toes just to show how much bigger she was in just a few months.

    Thanks for the kind words everybody!
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  • W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    l.k.madison wrote: »
    Thoughts, ideas?
    There's a lot of negative space on the LHS, and some at the bottom, that could go. Dropping this would also move the centre of attention to the lower/left 'third' intersection (rule of thirds) within a square or near-square crop - perhaps resulting in a more pleasing composition.

    Just my thoughts! mwink.gif
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  • W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    Something like this?

    Recrop.jpg
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  • CASowersCASowers Registered Users Posts: 130 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    love it bowdown.gif
    Chris Sowers
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    W.W. Webster wrote: »
    Something like this?

    Recrop.jpg
    I like your revision too, but I think Lauren's provides needed context.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • FreezframeFreezframe Registered Users Posts: 246 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    We all see differently!
    I like the soft feel it works well with the tones you have chosen. I also think in darkening you will take away from the "heavenly" feel which IMHO works very well.

    Beautiful Indeed!

    Bradythumb.gif
    Dad/Photograher:ivar
  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    How about I just offer her the "original" and a square crop if it? Satisfy both sides of the debate. :)

    A few sessions ago, I flipped a shot horizontally and zoomed way in, then re-cropped it to a square. I only know it's the same baby because I did the editing - both versions are framed ready to be hung above my desk for inspiration.

    She's almost blown out to fix her left eye. She had a few splotches and a wee bit of acne on her face, her eye had a clogged tear duct or something that day, she was just having a bad day all the way around. She was 3 weeks to old for my liking so I wasn't about to postpone, I work with what I've got. I'll do heavy editing on her if I need to, but the faster I edit, the faster I get caught up!
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  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited March 30, 2011
    The greatest hindrance to creativity is the fear that you may be wrong.
    Go with what you feel.
    Definitely the original crop. I like that it is very bright.
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  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 30, 2011
    zoomer wrote:
    The greatest hindrance to creativity is the fear that you may be wrong. [\quote]

    15524779-Ti.gif 110%!!
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  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited March 30, 2011
    I have difficulty getting past the dark shadow under the hand - way too eye catching / distracting for me - could almost say it 'sticks out like a sore thumb' ... ?

    pp
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  • l.k.madisonl.k.madison Registered Users Posts: 542 Major grins
    edited March 30, 2011
    Paul, the dark space under her hand is from her only being lit with natural light. We had a window open in Mom's living room, no flash, no strobe, no softbox - just ambient, natural light.

    I didn't even notice how bad it was until it was mentioned. I'll see if I can fix it a bit.
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