Quite Chuffed

Barrie,

That's just right. Perfect.

I have previously quoted an American photographer, David Douglas Duncan. His motto was: "Get close. Then get closer."

G

Spot on, well done, that crop works beautifully.

Spot on mate

What a great candid portrait - I have to agree with everyone else, and I think the second version (cropped) is bang on.

Well done

I saw this for the first time when I logged onto the DPS website. I think its a cracker and your crop improves it Barrie.
David

No critique is ever worth one percent of the affirmation that comes from getting your photo published, so 'grats for that.

That said, although I like the pose, and I definitely agree that the crop improves the composition, the face lacks a certain sharpness that would absolutely clinch it for me.

For candids where the expression counts for most of the impact, I find even a hint of out-of-focusness a bit distracting, and it takes the edge off this portrait for me. I've looked at it in the thread, in a separate browser tab, at full size, and any way I look at it, to me it still looks just a touch out of focus.

I realise there are plenty of soft portraits that work very well, but this one is all about the face, and the expression, and there's nowhere else to go.

Apart from that, it's very good. It might be worth a little selective sharpening, not round the edges where you might get a halo, but just on the bits the eyes are drawn to.

Thanks ChrisA. I have had a look at a A4 print and the digital image using the full size file and to me they look sharper than the internet versions. However I will try your suggestion of Selective Sharpening, once I've learned how to to it.

It also reminds me of my dad when he was happy.

No. I did not realise you were supposed to!

Cropped and cracked, what a lovely portrait, well seen and taken.
Nigel

Thank you Pentaxophile, subtle but improved. I've put the new version in the gallery

That's a great portrait, so well done.

I agree with Geordie, he looks like he's just lost on the horses!