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I'd say the first portrait is a quite nice one let down by the rendition. The direct glance over her shoulder and half smile shows her with an appealing attitude. On the down side, I confess I personally find the current fad for Instagram type filter effects distasteful. So if the underexposed, washed-out and strange color was an artistic choice, ...well ... it's one I don't "get", but that doesn't mean much if it appeals to you or to folks more photo fashion conscious than I.
The second is technically fine, but as a portrait isn't flattering and doesn't have much to say about the subject, except, "here's what she looks like".
If the objective is to show a subject to her or his best, one of the first things I suggest is to carefully examine the shape of the subject's face. How symmetrical is it? Is one side fat and the other thin? Is one masculine and the other more feminine? Are the eyes asymmetric? Is one more appealing than the other? How is the nose shaped? Does it point to the side slightly off-center? How is the chin shaped? What features about the subject's face add to her/his appeal? Does the subject have a "best side"? (You can ask the subject if she or he has a favorite side.) If the subject has a small nose and a fat face, get closer and use a shorter lens. That will make the nose seem stronger and the face thinner, assuming you want a more flattering image. Thin face and long nose, shoot from further away with a longer lens. Try different angles and views. In general, try to pose the subject to flatter or emphasize desirable aspects and minimize less appealing aspects. A direct frontal pose can make a subject look heavier and more massive. Good for a fullback. Not so good for most women who aren't so thin everyone nags them to eat more. In addition to considerations of how to show the subject most appealingly, does the portrait need to say something else or in addition? The best portraits often have something to say about the subject.
Here's a stab at rendering the first more conventionally while trying to keep some of what I suspect may be you color preference. The others illustrate the asymmetry you usually find in a typical subject's face, using your second subject. People instinctively find symmetrical faces more appealing than asymmetric ones. Since most people have a face that's to some degree asymmetric, that's why most good portraits of ordinary folks usually look better if the subject has a pose and is shot from an angle that wouldn't be allowed on a passport. That's why she'd be better served with lighting and a pose chosen to flatter her.
Revised post processing (extensive)
Combined face with subject's right side mirrored as the left side.
Combines face with the subject's left side mirrored as the right side.
Edited on Mar 04, 2016 at 03:48 PM · View previous versions
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