Which is better?

[Yuri Pautov]

Dear friends!
Want to know your opinion, which is better out of these three:
1. Sharp
http://pautov.viplast.ru/images/gallery/1918.jpg
2. Soft
http://pautov.viplast.ru/images/gallery/1921.jpg
or
3 Toned
http://pautov.viplast.ru/images/gallery/1922.jpg

Of course, tastes differ, but...
Spasibo, Yuri

[4labs]

Hard choice between the 1st and 3rd one for me.. The first one I think is perfect.. The 3rd one is really the way you toned it and I love the mood your toning creates. I think her beautiful eyes get lost in teh second one.. Just my 2cents..Thnxs for sharing your great work..

[Andy]

#1 - love the expression and the coloring - and oh those eyes! i'd crop tighter, imo her bustline is not flattering in this shot. but that's between you and your subject - she may feel it's really good!

#3 - she has a bit of spookiness with the contrasty toning - just my opinion, others may differ.

the funny thing about portraits - when i've presented clients and subjects with "which one do *they* like best" many times they pick the one that i thought UGH! .... :D

nice work as always, yuri. spasibo.

[Yuri Pautov]

the funny thing about portraits - when i've presented clients and subjects with "which one do *they* like best" many times they pick the one that i thought UGH! .... :D

nice work as always, yuri. spasibo.
In 90% those whom I present their photos, like those that I like...
Maybe the thing is in... money? lol

[Mitchell]

I prefer the first one but would like to see a tighter crop. I find her bust distracting.

The third one gives me the creeps. Something about the way her eyes were toned has an unnatural look.

mitch

[Thiago Sigrist]

Disagreeing with everyone else here, I think #2 is the best shot. I really like the light, and the way her eyes and lips appear sharp on the picture.

To my eyes, it's also the most flattering picture.

Spasibo for sharing them, my friend!
Take care!

-- thiago

[Khaos]

I wish the first one was cropped and that it had a light background instead of dark.

I like the second.

The third scares me.

[John Mueller]

I love the 3rd one.The piercing eyes keeps my attention.
Great work
Keep sharing
John

[amc]

Hi Yuri,

I would agree with John, and pick #3 as my favorite. Of the trio, that's the one that evokes some emotion for me. Rather dramatic. Actually, my adrenalin level just went up a notch or two.

#1 is a great standard portrait, perhaps the kind that a client would be thrilled with.

#2 is just a bit too in-your-face for me!

Nice work, Yuri.

Regards,

[snapapple]

I vote for number 2. I think it is the most flattering picture. However, in terms of best photographic quality I would say #1. I think #2 could be improved by darkening the right side a bit. It seems too washed out. I find #3 kind of scary. A woman's opinion, heh.

[Yuri Pautov]

Thanks to all of you, dear friends!
Your critique is very constructive (hate this word!) and helpful!
Yuri

[gubbs]

I love the intensity of #3!
Yuri, you manage to capture this itensity from many of your subjects. Do you select your models for thier eyes or are these the images that particularly appeal to you and therefore are the pictures you select to post?

[Yuri Pautov]

As they say 'good question'...
Yes, of course I have feelings of sympathy... but... sometimes I ask those who tell me 'I will never have a good photo' and try to do my best to make such a portrait. Once it was a women with a heavy chin... I gave her a cigarette (she doesn't smoke) and hide her chin under the hand with a cigarette... she was glad...
Such tasks are interesting to me... As for the eyes - oh!
A whole world!
Spasibo,
Yuri

[bkriete]

For me, it depends on the intended purpose of the picture. If it's to be a flattering portrait, I think #1 is the best. Taking off the bottom 1/3 would improve the composition for me; I like breasts but I think the bust is a little distracting, especially with the pattern on her shirt. If you want it to be an "artsier" picture, I like #3, but it makes your subject look like something that goes bump in the night. Not necessarily bad, but it wouldn't be a shot of my wife/girlfriend I would choose to hang on the wall.