She is very beautiful. I do like the angles of the arms and and shoulders but something about the fingers seems a bit off. The technical aspects of the image are prefect!
My comments below are not criticisms of you, your model, or your skill. I only offer them to help.
My honest comments are not meant to hurt your feelings. In fact, I think your photo here is one of the better I have seen for this type of image on a forum like this. So, well done.
First, you have lovely model.
Second, your image looks very nice (overall). Good job.
IF I were her mother or father, I would be very happy with your work. If I were the girl, I would be thrilled.
On the other hand, if I were an ad director for a cosmetics/beauty company, I would have a different opinion.
Now the tougher comments and these may seem 'nitpicky' because that is what beauty images are all about...perfection. IF there is a flaw, it is up to the photographer, AD, MUA to find it and fix it before going to the next step.
1. The pose is one that seems to be copied over and over. So it is nothing unusual and looks very...common by now. So I assume it was used to show how close she can come to what may have been seen many times before. Right? IF so, then I think you did a very good job with this young model. The image looks like a 'pro' beauty shot pose. Well done for copying the 'look.'
2. The hands in the typical (IMHO overused) "claw the face" pose are used to show a woman's nails. In this photo the nails are in very poor condition (for a beauty or hand shot) and so I think it is a mistake to include them near the face. In other words, don't put a beauty 'weakness' next to the strong element (her face). IF she had perfect nails (long, painted) then it would be a different story. This is the most glaring flaw of the image. My Simple Suggestion: IF you are going to use the hands next to the face, they must be perfect (nails) or...you don't use them.
3. The toning looks nice and the skin looks 'perfect' to a degree. Her right hand seems to be missing texture on the fingers (possibly overexposed?)
4. There is a line on the mid part of her upper lip. What caused that? Retouch.
5. The tiny bit of the necklace should go. Retouch out.
6. I think the hair and skin looks good for this type of image. There is a small dark line on her left cheek that looks like a mark. Retouch out.
Thanks for the comments and advice, she is a new model and she had seen the pose and wanted to recreate it so you were right on the money there, over all I was happy with the test shot.
Although technically and lighting-wise this is a very nice image I totally agree with Steady Hand comments. The hand (as well as here expression) are the opposite of the type of shot. Slightly angry and cramped hands vs soft skin and subtle lighting.
Steady Hand wrote:
On the other hand, if I were an ad director for a cosmetics/beauty company, I would have a different opinion.
...but he's not! Great work! Love this! She seems to blend into the background but not so much that she his lost. Very effective and love the conversion!
I can see both side of this image, it grabs your attention, but I have to agree the arms almost seem from another body- yet there is much to like in this image.
I like the pose; I love the awkwardness, it looks like she's about to peel off her imaginary Venetian mask.
I think all of Steady's comment are fair enough, but if you were shooting an ad for nail varnish then I'm sure you would have chosen an appropriate model for that shot.
I like comments like steady posted, I think we over look a few things without even knowing we do and others like steady point them out and make you be more careful the next time.
We do plan on doing a nail shot but we are going to put some high quality fake nails on her first, I'll be sure to post those when we get them done.
Again thanks for ALL of the awesome comments.
