Is the Hand a Distraction?

[OrcaBob]

First time shooting with this young lady and we were fighting time to get the most out of the remaining sun... I've very pleased with everything in this image except I'm torn over one detail: her left hand (the one nearest the camera).

I asked her to put hands on hips, to cop a little attitude, and in my haste I didn't really check the hands themselves.

Her index fingers are hooked on the top edge of the belt and the other fingers are splayed. Maybe oddly. Maybe kinda tough/cool. I'm not really sure.

Do the hands add to the pose or visually distract from it?

I'll likely be working with this girl again, so it'll be good to know if I'll need to correct her hands next time.

Attachments:

[jimhobson]

Sorry, but I think it detracts. Why? 'cause you pointed it out, and now I think her hand is deformed. Don't know if I would have noticed it without it being pointed out, but someone (the model) probably would have, just as you, the photographer did.
Also the catchlights are dead center of the eye, giving away the use of flash.
Other than that, it's a great picture, beautiful model. I really like the use of back lighting.
Wait.... her left hand? I don't like her right hand. Left I think is fine.

[NCPhotoTrekker]

The positioning of the hands are fine by me. What makes them stick out so much more is the fact that they are positioned right on the black belt. Her complextion will make them stick out regardless of how they are positioned. Do I think it kills the picture, not at all. I think it works out well as is. The lighting is perfect, as is the scenery you have her in. I really like this shot.

[OrcaBob]

I was alert to the hands in postproduction because I had so much trouble with her arms and hands in the look just prior to this one, with her leaning on the railing of a footbridge. No matter what I suggested, she had an ugly death-grip on the railing. And in other shots on the bridge, we blew some otherwise beautiful shots because she had her arm rested atop a post instead of around it as I'd asked. Some beautiful shots lost because she looks like half of her is doing the Funky Chicken. (To you folks born after the 1960s, that was a dance.) But a first shoot always has this kind of learning curve. She was otherwise a very quick study and in some ways she was a natural.

Greg, the girl's fair/freckled complexion was both a Godsend and a curse. She's cute as can be, but her skin was very easy to blow out. The warm sunset lighting was very good for her.

Jim, good point about her right hand. That index finger pulled away from the rest of the hand does look strange. I'll see about PSing it back down. As for the dead-center catchlights, it won't be visible in the ad copy I'm under a tight deadline to submit, but when she gets prints of this image I'll definitely nudge the catchlights over and enlarge them a bit.

Thanks, guys!

[Steve (FloppyDog)]

Like the others, it didn't stand out to me until I went back and read your post. (yes, I pretty much always look at the girl first) I can see how her skin could pose some metering challenges.