Looking for suggestions.

[Mary Sparrow]

In case you haven't noticed, I have a thing for drawing and painting babies. Though most of the larger portraits I am asked to do are oils of 3-6 yr olds, I get lots of requests for charcoal or graphite, now pastel of casual pictures of babies. I have this picture that I really like and am trying to figure out what would be a good way to do it. It sort of reminds me of this portrait by an SOG member Holman Hollis here. http://hollmannhollis.com/Portrait/di_tanner.htm

If given this photo and asked to do something with it, would you use for one, AND how would you approach it? Black and white on a white or gray background? Maybe use a black background to begin with? I also have color photos of this baby from the same day, so I could use this pose and do it in color? Would you use this picture as is similar to the way Hollis did the above? Or crop it in someway and how?

I would really like your feedback.

[Mike McCarty]

Mary,

Nice drool. Is this photo already cropped from a larger image? This is a nice baby face, better than most. The lighting is nice and soft. I wish the right arm had come back into the frame.

You mentioned that you have other photo's and I suppose you posted this one because you thought it was the best. If they are all well lit then it's just a matter of finding the right composition. I rely heavily on this cropping guide tool, but in it's absence you can devise one out of scrap paper or cardboard.

As far as which medium, I think that should be your call. I'd pick the one you can control the best, these are very subtle shifts. These babies can be a tough exercise.

[Kimberly Dow]

Mary,

Did you take this photo? Your photography skills are impressing me.

I'd do this one for sure. For whatever my vote is worth.