BradS said:
Hi all. Thanks for all the positive feedback on the example photo. I just offered this one as an example. This one is a pretty extreme case because, but, I have never really found a picture of a child / kid I liked that didn't include all the little hands and feet. I guess it's just something I need to get my head around...
A lot depends on what you are doing, and what you like. If you like the hands and feet, then there are probably a lot of other people that feel the same way.
I recall an image that Suzanne Revy* posted (it isn't in her personal gallery now) that had a little girl's face closeup, with an arm in the background that was out of focus. A few people commented that the arm was distracting. Suzanne really liked the image as posted.
As long as I have brought up her work, compare her images
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with some of Nicole's images
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Suzanne (and many of Nicole's) images are largely close cropped portraits. But the images of Nicoles (especially the first one) are whole body portraits. All are very well received on APUG. So, why crop hands and feet if that is your vision?
For the image you are talking about--some have suggested that the "Old Navy" logo and the high contrast shoes are distracting. In that case, it isn't the crop but the other elements of the image that are the "problem". (personally, I like those elements. But, that is because I like to see how B&W film renders those elements. Then again, I am a geek).
Last example--from my own gallery (if I may be so bold).
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The bottle in front is a major distraction. Artistically, this breaks the image. A close crop of mother and child (which I will get around to!) would be much better. However, that bottle is one of my wife's favorite items from the stay at the hospital. To her, that context actually makes the image for her (OK, the baby is what really makes the image).
One last comment--I played around with my 4x5 to take portraits of my 2-year-old in his little chair. I got a contact sheet with him moving, leaning forward (out of the plane of focus), standing (top of head cropped), and one with a small light leak in the holder. No "keepers" in the set. I was just about to throw it away when my wife grabbed it and framed it take to work. She says it shows a lot of "life". Go figure!
Matt
(edit--got my names mixed up. Should read Cheryl Jacobs!)
