Portrait with flowers

Rui Manuel · 06-17-2003, 11:08 AM

Hi all:

This is a photo I took during the last weekend, of my wife. It is summer here in Portugal and the house is all surrounded with beautiful colored flowers. I was not thinking about painting it, but maybe it could produce a nice oil portrait.

What do you think?

Best regards!
Rui.

Mike McCarty · 06-17-2003, 12:04 PM

Rui,

I think this is a good composition. I would, if you have not already, put your wife back into the same spot (replicating the conditions as best you can) and get a closeup of her face.

I would set your camera to over expose the scene because of the backlit condition. If you don't have a spot meter option on your camera just open it up a couple of stops. This should give you a little more information regarding her eyes.

I might also clean up some of those very dark values around her head. Maybe some variation of the following.

Good luck.

Rui Manuel · 06-20-2003, 10:46 AM

Hi Mike

I liked the changes you made. It resulted in a lighter scene and, besides that, the head is "cleaner" and more important in the portrait!

And yes, I already have a closeup of her face.

Thanks for your important suggestions. If I decide to try something on this, I will let you know the results.

My best regards,
Rui