Joo

I like it!

Why the trepidation? It is a marvelous portrait.

It has many strengths beyond the technical quality. Beautiful subject, well separated from the clutter; and (to me) a slight feeling of unease. Discomfort from bare feet on the rough bark??

Fascinating study!

The contrast between the easily familiar form of the girl and the jagged tree is startling - and an attention magnet. Raises more questions into the emotional state of the subject ... I would like to know more...

Yes it is different from your usual non cluttered stuff, but it is good all the same.

I would think about cropping the bottom off, to remove the light bit on the branch directly below her. Then if you can, think about cropping off the extreme right light hole in the trees, back towards her until you get to the large dark part.

The remaining print will still be a landscape format, but much tighter with more emphasis on the young woman, who by the way, is stunning!

Mick.

Mick.

I find this a truly captivating and quite spine tingling image, and I can't quite work out why, but I keep returning to it to look at it again. Its almost like it is a still from a bigger story. Is the girl the hunter or the hunted? It certainly looks as if she is poised studying something out of shot. I certainly wouldn't crop it, because the background is part of the story, whatever the story is.

Thanks all

@mr rusty: I think you nailed it for me. When I see your comment about the "story" behind the image, the image grew for me. It may be the expression in Joo's face and the rough background versus her soft skin that makes the image. Thanks for opening my eyes a bit more, because as I said I didn't knew if I liked the image or not, but now I know. Thanks.

/ Marcus