Critique wanted please

[Gina]

Hi everyone,

Yes it's a portrait, yes it's a cat and I know a lot of you don't particularly 'do' these kinds of shots. You don't have to like cats or portraits but any critique would be most welcome. I want more feedback so that I can improve and sometimes there are things I don't at first see that may need tweaking.

Enough said ...

[pewidane]

Re: Critique wanted please

I had use sponge tool in the eyes (more color)darkning the lover part of the picture,lighted up the face.Hope you like it?
A nice picture,but the picture is too dark from the start and to red in my oppinion.

[Horacio]

Re: Critique wanted please

Hi Gina, I like cats and do many portraits on them...
I agree that it is rather dark, with a full redish dominance which is unreal...
Another issue is that except for the face, all the picture is out of focus and so a little distracting and disturbing. I made the folowing interpretation; crop it, convert to B&W, straighten up, made feather selection to the eyes and use curves to add contrast to them and sharpened it a little. Then curves for the total image to raise contrast...
Hope you like it..Regards Horacio

[pewidane]

Re: Critique wanted please

Wery wery good,the eyes are wery importent in a picture like this.

[Pops]

Re: Critique wanted please

I'm not really qualified to offer any serious critique. The only thing I would comment on is the difference in brightness/colour of the eyes but that could be just how they are of course. The cushion on the right is also a distraction....apart from that the cat and the background blend beautifully together

[vlarcombe]

Re: Critique wanted please

Hi Gina,

I love cat portraits (and cats).

There was something that didn't seem right looking at the picture so I went to your gallery to see if there was a bigger version. There is, and there is also what I take to be the original (all this of course you know ).

What looked odd to me was the cats back and comparing to the original I see that you have darkened it, You have also darkened the background, presumably to draw more attention to Frank. Unfortunately I think your editing is too heavy handed and has resulted in a light halo along Frank's back. You have also darkened the forehead to the point where the definition of the fur has been lost. I have to say I much prefer the original to your edited version. I think if it were me I'd have gone the other way with the background and rather than darken it I'd have slightly lightened the top dark band of the seat to leave the contrast between the fur and the light background.

Like you I like the auburn in the fur that you only really see in some black cats in the sun. I also think you have done very well to capture the detail in the face, I know from bitter experience the problems of photographing black cats. There may be a benefit in cropping rather tighter to the head cutting off the foreground but still leaving the shoulder, something like the attached (but from the original):

Vernon

[Gina]

Re: Critique wanted please

Thank you everyone for your critique and advice, I have listened to you and edited the photo below according to that advice. It still looks too light to me!

[Horacio]

Re: Critique wanted please

Gina, you did a fantastic job Wonderfull
Horacio

[Gina]

Re: Critique wanted please

Thank you x

[coupekid]

Re: Critique wanted please

great capture, my late cat called Quincy was black, so I know only too well how hard they are to photograph, and I think you have done well here!

[mib2]

Re: Critique wanted please

Hi Guys
I love when the Forum are offereing critique - it sets my learning curve to steep again.
Big thanks to all
Dave R

https://www.daveritchie.com

[Rogersden]

Re: Critique wanted please

Hi everyone,

Yes it's a portrait, yes it's a cat and I know a lot of you don't particularly 'do' these kinds of shots. You don't have to like cats or portraits but any critique would be most welcome. I want more feedback so that I can improve and sometimes there are things I don't at first see that may need tweaking.

Enough said ...

I love cats have one myself, I like your shot the light on the pillow has a tendancy to draw the eye other than that I think it's a great shot.

[Rogersden]

Re: Critique wanted please

Hi Gina
I love cats have one myself, your shot is great the light on the pillow has a tendancy to draw the eye and you have lost the cats whiskers on its left side, other than that I think it's a great picture

[kennykodak]

Re: Critique wanted please

Gina,
i like your original image as it was. great rules of thirds working with the subject and eyes. nice warm tones and again the eyes create great interest through contrast. well done.

[Gina]

Re: Critique wanted please

Thank you very much John - you made my day and all the patience and effort worthwhile.

A big thank you to everyone who critiqued this image.