Need opinions about pictures

Hillbilly Housewife wrote: So I'm finally getting off my butt and moving in on finalizing some music I put together.

I had some photography done, and talking with Lisa (Gr33n3y3z) has got me thinking about whether I could and/or should use one of them for a cd cover.

What are your thoughts?

Hillbilly Housewife replied: another one

Hillbilly Housewife replied: and the last one

moped replied: I really like all of them, but perhaps either the second of third for a cover.........

My3LilMonkeys replied: It kinda depends on what kind of music it is, but I like the first one a lot.

CantWait replied: First or second, but not the third, it almost looks to folk, which if I remember correctly you're not. They're all beautiful pictures though

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
Actually, I play some mean fiddle in one song.

cameragirl21 replied: Rocky, who took these pictures?

luvbug00 replied: Yes , the first one.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
A friend of mine, who just opened up a photography business

momofone replied: 1st one

cameragirl21 replied:
oh, interesting poses but I'd ask him for a reshoot and not use any of these on a cd cover. I rarely comment on pictures here so I'll withhold my reasons unless asked. You are very pretty and the pics definitely don't do you justice.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
no go ahead and comment, that's why I asked.

The 2 of just my head are cropped, btw... they're not the full shots.

cameragirl21 replied:
Well, the first one is definitely OOF. Nice pose but the OOF makes it look homemade, if you kwim.
In the second, the lighting and the pose are beautiful but it appears to have been taken with a wide angle lens at very close range as I'm seeing some major lens distortion. Look how thick and shapeless your torso looks and how narrow the area is from your bones (I forget what those are called that go across your chest to your shoulder) to the top of your back...there seems to be way too tiny a space and you look way thick, even in your arms. Also, your hand appears unnaturally large. It's simple lens distortion as I doubt you really look like that and it usually occurs when someone uses a wide angle lens while standing too close to you. The last one looks like what I'd see on a gospel music cd so I wouldn't be inclined to use it.

Calimama replied: They are very pretty but IMO none of them work for an album cover.

AlexsPajamaMama replied: I like them all, you look very nice in them Rocky! I say the second one.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: lol

funny you say that Jennifer, my mom said the same thing... basically I look chunkier than I am.

What do you mean OOF? and homemade, if i know what you mean? It's cropped off a boudoir shot, if that is what you think it says to you... lol

cameragirl21 replied:
lol, sorry, I forgot this is not a photographers' forum...OOF means out of focus...look how soft your eyes look in the first pic, they are oof, you always want at least the eyes to be in focus unless you are photographing a baby's feet.
What I mean by homemade is that they look like they're not done by a pro...homemade as in your mom or friend shot them, kwim, which is why I asked who took the pics. The second pose is beautiful and I love the lighting it but there is some definite lens distortion going on and the eye is drawn to the torso which appears thick and shapeless which I know is not how you look as you've posted other pics of you.

HuskerMom replied: I think you look pretty in all of them, but I like the 3rd one the best.

gr33n3y3z replied: I like the 2nd one reguardless

jcc64 replied: The 2nd one is definitely the most interesting from a lighting perspective, but I agree with Jen about the distortion. The first one is an interesting composition, but not well shot, and as Jen pointed out, the blurriness isn't working. The third one lacks something, though I can't quite articulate what that is.
So, I'd ask for a retake of the 2nd, same lighting and pose.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Hmmm.

Well thanks guys! I can't have the shot redone though... cuz I'm a redhead now. lol

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

That would be some steamy Gospel music!

I don't think any of them really work for an album cover because they all seem a little riskque to me...Very pretty but just on the edge of something I would imagine would be a very nice b-day present for a DH

jcc64 replied: Ok then, why not crop the 2nd one right below what appears to be a small tattoo on your upper arm? That would eliminate most of the body distortion, and would maintain what's nice about the pic.

my2monkeyboys replied: I agree with Jeanne - I think the 2nd is the best pose.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: what about this one?

lisar replied: My fav is the 1st one however I think all of them are beautiful

Kaitlin'smom replied: the first one while nice is out of focus, the second one doe smake you look thicker than you are however I do love what was attempted. Something about the 3rd just does not work for a cover. you could do a re-shoot and then just turn it black and white, so your hair color wont matter.

MommyToAshley replied: I like the first one.

Crystalina replied: I see where Jennifer is coming from on the first one. It does kind of look like you took it with a Kodak throw away even though it is a beautiful pic I'm not sure it's the one I'd pick for a cover.

I like the second but I also really like the one in your ava!!

stella6979 replied: I actually like the first one a lot. I think the blurriness makes it look "classic". I also think it makes you look a little like a young Susan Sarandon and that's a compliment, of course.