I'm attempting to photoshop a pic up for a family that just lost their daughter to cancer, and it just isn't looking right to me.

Can anyone suggest how to improve it?

Do you think that scrapping the idea and starting over would be better?

I'm limited to that picture of the girl, although I could easily change backgrounds.

[hamidlmt]

I see where you're going with the concept. I wonder if it would help if she were bigger.

My heart goes out to the family...

[little laker]

Thanks hamidlmt,

I'll give it a shot and see how it looks

I've never met the girl or her family. I'm doing this up for one of their family friends to give them.

[Mandi]

Maybe softer-looking clouds? Those ones look rather wintry and cold to me, especially with the blowing trees. If it were my daughter, I think I'd like to think of her comfortable and cosy rather than wind-swept (although I do like the sky... but for something else, perhaps?)

And I echo the sympathy to the family.

[little laker]

Thanks Mandi, I think that you may have nailed it.

I must have some nice puffy clouds here somewhere.
I'll work on it tomorrow.

I actually got those cloud pic's Saturday night during a desert wind storm. So it wasn't cold or anything, but it was stormy

I just loved the effects, and hoped that I could use them.

[blende8]

My quick take.
More yellow/red, blurred.
Attached.

[Photo Tramp]

Hi Stu,
First, I commend you for your the job you are trying to do. My heart goes out to the family. I couldn't imagine losing a child at that young age to such a hideous disease. Second, I also think the background should be changed. A softer blue and puffy clouds would be warming to the parents. They already know the storm of death. The softer background would help, I think to ease the pain of their loss and allow them to remember the child and think of her being in a warm and loving environment. Remember it is whats in their heart and their loving remembrance of their child that has to be portrayed in this shot.

Keep up the great work I know you'll hit the right one. I also know they will love any reminder of their child.

[bc_the_path]

I think the idea has nothing wrong with it.

I can only suggest, like hamidlmt, making her presence bigger.
"A lot bigger" than its present size; since, technically speaking,
she is the "subject".
Colors, blending etc. can be done as you like, then.

Let's hope your success helps ease the unbearable pain of the family...
I still have difficulty accepting death of children as "natural"...

[scott-devon]

Mandy, Hamidlmt and Blende covered the three suggestions I'd make. Softer clouds without the wind-swept look, more of the child and less background, and soften the image.

Very nice of you to do this for them Stu.

[Mandi]

Will you post the end result? It would be nice to see what you end up with.

[Peter Zack]

Stu, I like the take blende8 had on the concept. Maybe a smaller border just around the outside edge (framing the shot) and soft white or pale pink instead of black. They have enough black in their lives right now. Soft puffy clouds and make the girl larger. With that I think you've got what you may want. Post your final choice when you're done, love to see it.

Tough time for these poeple and I commend you for trying to do something nice. My wife just lost her Mother to this horrible disease and a head shot portrait that my 17 year old son took (with his first and new SLR) in her last months has become a family keepsake. It's in everyones home and the most talked about item surrounding her.
The picture will give some comfort and other mixed emotions and is a wonderful gesture on your part. Don't look at it photographically, look at it emontionally. A larger image of the little girl will have more meaning to them.

[daacon]

Stu I echo eveyones comments on what a wonderful gesture on your part. I also like the framing blende8 has. Some other possible ideas are to add some sun rays comming down from the sky and perhpas some motion effects to show her moving towards the heavens.

[arbutusq]

IMO the reason the picture doesn't work is that the girl's face il lit by flash and the scene is in natural light. Try making the head far larger, in monochrome (a wary sepia) and somewhat transparent.

[little laker]

Thanks everyone, I'll be busy with it for a while this morning. And I'll post what I come up with.

[HowLowCanYaGo]

You could just convert the entire shot to b&w, then the exposure differences would be hardly noticeable. If b&w isn't an option, sorry I made a pointless suggestion :P