with Courtney Slazinik
Menu
Critique Me – Linnea Halonen
Lifestyle

Remember:
Read How to Critique a Photo
Make a critique sandwich – something positive, something you would have done differently, something positive
My rule: no improvement tip = deleted comment
This will benefit the person leaving the photo critique just as much if not more than the person receiving the critique.

Thank you to Linnea Halonen for submitting the following image.
Settings: f/2.8, SS 1/125, ISO 320
Linnea Halonen via Click it Up a Notch

16 Comments
  • June 3, 2013 at 11:24 AM

    What a beautiful girl! It’s a bit underexposed for my taste, but I tend to like bright images. I would have used a reflector to get some more light onto her face. Also, cleaning her up, the wild hairs, and the hair on her arm. Overall I like the image though, a very natural smile, the posing is comfortable, and I like that you can tell it’s snowy winter but it’s just a glimpse. Good job!

  • Paul
    June 3, 2013 at 11:31 AM

    Good: Focus, subject lighting, subject placement in the frame.

    Bad: Top left corner is too bright and distracting, and the subject’s arm is clipped at the bottom of the photo.

  • Mary Slone
    June 3, 2013 at 11:33 AM

    I love b&w! And I love the contrast between the snow and her sweater – very nice! I, too, wouldve cleaned up the sweater and the fly-away hairs. Its real, and I like that, but perhaps a bit more “real” than most people prefer in photos – a little distracting. I really like the pose – very natural. You’ve created a nice, comfortable feel. Good job!

  • Felicia
    June 3, 2013 at 11:33 AM

    I really like the posing. She does look very comfortable. The lighting does seem very flat however, a reflector would have helped put get a little more light on her face. For my taste I would have also made it a little brighter and cleaned up her hair in editing.
    Love how soft and neutral the background is. Very nice!!

  • June 3, 2013 at 11:41 AM

    You know, I’d leave her hair. I’m one who believes in more “natural” photos so I’d be tempted to leave the hair as it was shot. It suggests a slightly windy wintery day. Composition is great although I would like to see the bottom part of her arm rather than just cut her off at the waist (or crop a little higher). I would suggest brightening the photo just a touch and as Jenn said, clean up stray hairs and fluff on the clothing. I know … leave the hair messy but clone out the clothing – does that make sense??. LOL Also, brighten up some shadows on her face a touch (under the eyes for example). There are two dark spots (one near her head and one near the middle of her back) I’d remove as well. Really great photo. It’s hard to find things to critique on it. Love the black and white.

  • June 3, 2013 at 12:40 PM

    What a beautiful shot! You had a wonderful model. The only thing I can think of to critique is maybe cleaning up some of her fly aways? Otherwise – I love this image! It’s great in black and white :)

  • Jessica
    June 3, 2013 at 2:04 PM

    I love the contrast. I would have used the patch tool in photoshop to edit out some of the fly aways on the right and lint on her sweater. Overall a very natural and pretty shot.

  • June 3, 2013 at 2:22 PM

    Beautiful girl, love the pose and the natural look. I would definitely brighten the face, and clean up the sweater and the fly-away hairs on camera right. I would also darken up the background corner highlight just a bit. Sounds like a lot, but I think it would still look very nautural, just cleaned up a bit. Love the natural, relaxed pose. Just needs a little tweaking & it will be a beautiful portrait. :)

  • Vanessa
    June 3, 2013 at 2:30 PM

    I like her pose and she looks very comfortable. I too, however, find the top left corner a little too bright and distracting. I also would have cleaned up some of the fly away hairs, especially on her sweater.

  • Candice
    June 3, 2013 at 2:32 PM

    I love black and white photos! This photo really captures a cold wintery day. I have to say I noticed the fly away hairs first so to clean those up. I am new to photography but thought the face was a little flat/dark and saw other people thought that as well. Great picture, good luck!

  • rachel
    June 3, 2013 at 8:50 PM

    i love her natural, sincere expression :). i think a little clean up of lint/hair on her cute sweater would be nice. perhaps playing with the tones/shadows on her face could help enhance the overall appeal of the image. beautiful girl!

  • Scott Fairbairn
    June 3, 2013 at 10:14 PM

    This image has a great feel to it. It seems to really show her personality. I think I would have composed it a bit differently to include her hand/arm. I really like the non-sculpted, natural look.

  • Hollie
    June 3, 2013 at 11:59 PM

    Very sweet photo! I would like to have seen all of her arm/hand and there is some lint/hair on the sweater that is a bit distracting. I like the length of her torso in the frame.

  • June 4, 2013 at 2:18 AM

    I think this photo is very lovely, I like the composition for sure and I love the black and white although I do wonder what it looks like in color. I think you cropped to tightly, I only say this because her arm is cropped off, I think it is a good rule to not crop limps half way. If you had either cropped the hand out completely or cropped just under it I think it would have worked better. I think I would have shot it at a lower ISO just because it appears that there was a decent amount of light. Maybe 200? I would have also darkened the background to make her stand out more. I think thought over all this is a fantastic photo!

  • June 4, 2013 at 11:04 AM

    Great photo. The only things I would have changed are: 1. Move her head a little more to the top of the frame, 2. bring her arm into the bottom frame, 3. crank up exposure just a little bit and fix all the fly away hairs, but thats just being critical… : ) Great photo!!!

  • August 19, 2013 at 10:44 PM

    Beautiful woman, I would have cropped different a little tighter or back a little more to see all of her arm, hand. Clean it up the lint, hair is distracting. Her smile is very charming.

Leave a Comment