Hi Deborah!
Don't know how I missed this when you first posted it... It's just adorable! I remember my own kids doing that same thing at the beach when they were that age!
You've obviously worked the darks to be less contrasty than the reference photo. But when I was looking at just the painting before scrolling down to the reference photo, I thought the painting 'read' nicely and seems internally consistent. I also have a tendency to collapse value ranges (especially on faces!) - So I printed out some of my favorite portraits with lots of contrast in the face and posted them in my studio to remind me to be bolder.
Back to this painting... the one thing that bothers me a bit is her right leg (on our left)... the lights on either side of the shin seem too bright compared to the shadow down the center/length of the shin. I really like how you handled the bathing suit, the fabric and the way it's puckered is very convincing.
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