As you see Ellen's hand is out of focus and that's bad and it looks really long (and I have had it explained at largeformatphotography.info why). But the more I look at this image the more I like it, so I wonder what you think. Is it really bad?
I agree with psvensson...the arm issue doesn't bother me. I think the light and her expression are so captivating and stunning that your concern did not even enter my mind. Great image...I can't wait to graduate into large format one day.
Thanks all. It's great to hear that you don't think her hand is strange.
Matti: I had dropped the front standard of the camera, but since the fron and back was parallell with Ellen, her face and feet is in focus. Maybe her feet just is big
I find the arm a bit disconcerting, especially the hyperextension at her elbow. I'm assuming you used a shorter focal length lens. i.e. 150mm or less, and that this is causing the for shortening distortion. Otherwise it's a nice image.
A touch of surrealism never hurt. Emphasising the hand and the bracelets makes them an important element. Intentional or not, as a viewer I feel I am being asked something.
I love the length of the arm, but I am unsure of how I feel about it being out of focus. Had you stood up and stated loudly that it was not only your intent, but the crux of the image, I probably would have got in line and agreed wholeheartedly.
Troy: She had played in the "mud" before I took this image, so her out of focused hand was a bit dark, so I lighten that a bit and probably the background too But I didn't touch the background around her, just the hand.