Paul_K Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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Don't know much (better: anything) on composites, but do have a few question marks as far as the 'portrait' photography aspect (which after all lies at the foundation of this picture to begin with)
I think you made life a lot harder for yourself to begin with by taking the starting picture of the model already with the (what eventually was to become the 'moon') big light at the back.
It now seems to have distracted you from what the frontal (and spill) light does to your model, especially as far as creating certain shapes and shadows is concerned, like e.g. the light that spills over her shoulders now hit the side of her chin.
She already is standing in a quite disadvantaged position (kind of hunched over, full frontal as if it's for a mugshot) and the spill that hits the side of her cheeks/chin makes it thinner, and pointy, overall creating a big head/small chin image (dare I say, a bit like an alien from area 51 )
Since the front light is/seems kind of diffused (only a reflection screen?) and under exposed, it now mainly creates a shiny nose and apple cheeks, but also not very flattering creases/shadows besides the nose, corners of her mouth, and point of her chin (which as already pointed out above is being made maybe a bit too pointy/sharp by the spill light coming from behind)
I personally would have started to make a picture of the model in the style of the 1930/40 Hollywood portraits: with a direct frontal diffused light (creating a less face with less creases/shadows, even if the latter may become somewhat harder) and effect/hair lights from behind as e.g. in this picture by
George Hurell of of Jean Harlow http://www.arraf.com/PhotoArchives/AssortedPhotos/HurrellPhotos/Harlow.jpg (sorry, tried just getting in the link, but instead it directly shows the image)
or, to keep the playfield kind of level/better balanced with regards to personal experience, an attempt by me http://www.pbase.com/paul_k/image/162193925 .
That in my experience would better help create the (intended?) 'aura' around the hair and antlers, and spill over the shoulders, although as far as the latter is concerned side without the highlights that are now shaping the chin/making now make the chin so pointy.
Since it's a composite, it IMO should be no problem with photo shopping in the 'moon'
in a later stadium.
As far as the actual picture of the model is concerned, I would shoot from a higher point of view, and ask the model to stand more straight up/taller (or as I always say to my models during my fashion shoots : Chin up, chest forward, shoulders to the back).
After all, she's to portray a goddess, not someone caught for DUI.
This change in the pose would also counter the present impression that the antlers are weighing her head down, rather then crown her as a goddess a bit like this http://www.pbase.com/paul_k/image/156109860
And I would use a longer focal length, 70mm IMO really is quite near the limit for the shortest focal length possible when shooting this kind of portrait without optical deformation (you're using a 70-200, so just zoom in and take a few steps back).
Also, but that admittedly really is a matter of personal taste, I think the sharpness of the moon, in particular the edges, vs that of the model, draws the attention away from the model.
No problem that it overpowers the model as far as light/dark is concerned, but I think the human eye is 'trained' to always first look at things in focus rather then at the ones out of focus
my 2 cents (without knowing anything relevant about composites )
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