Was curious as to how this would be critiqued. Since I'm beginning, I'm looking for feedback on everything - framing, PP work, etc. This is a work in progress, and on my list of things to do would be clone out the mole (LH dad ear).
I like the concept and aged presentation. I think I'd try to darken to add more detail to Snickers. Some might complain about the top of dad's head but that doesn't bother me. His head-neck-shoulder form a nice frame for Snickers.
From the number of posts I assume you are new to FM and the forum - welcome and we look forward to seeing more of your posts.
I'm new here, too, so make what you will of my comments.
1. Personally, I've never liked sepia. It always seems like an attempt to make something that isn't really attractive, look attractive. I'm guessing that dog is black and white, and that your father's hair has similar coloring. I think that would be great to play with in black and white, not sepia.
2. I think the shot would be more interesting from a different angle. Close in to the pup from the lower left and looking up at father. Maybe even blur the father. Clearly the focus of the picture is the dog, so just go for it with him. Maybe put them on the ground and get a shot from directly above? Kind of a yin/yang kind of deal?
3. Finally, the background is distracting. You've got trees interrupting the dog's lines. how about going in real tight to the dog, maybe just the nose and dog's left eye and the man's shoulder/neck?
What I really like is the detail of the dog (especially the fur and eyes) and the similarity in coloring between the subjects. I'd like to see those things isolated more.
Thanks for sharing. It creates a learning opportunity for all of us!
The dog is a German Wirehaired Pointer, and ranges from brown to white and kind of a brownish-green.
Snickers was a little less than a year old, so still VERY much a puppy - read: VERY ANTSY! It was really difficult to find something worth keeping.
As for the background, this was the best of the very few shots I had that didn't have a car, mailbox, etc. Also, the original image showed a lot of my dad's t-shirt which wasn't needed and very distracting.
Welcome to the forum! I like the idea and it's too bad that you don't have the kind of shot elmoreman suggested in #2. One area that is a problem for me is that the left side of dad's head and the white fur on Snickers' nose is overexposed. Unfortunately, it looks like the detail in these two areas is lost. If not, maybe tone them down a bit to bring out some texture.
