Lisa Cirincione, QPSA, AFIAP  


Smoky Woman by Lisa Cirincione, QPSA, AFIAP

June 2021 - Smoky Woman

About the Image(s)

Went to a cultural show in Mexico, and I don’t really do people photos very much, but she had a great look. I don’t recall what the show was really about, but I remember she was the least scarily painted.

Canon 50D, March 2009
Cancun, Mexico, 6:30 pm

3168x4752, not cropped
ISO 400, 1/40 sec, f/5.6, 160mm zoom


This round’s discussion is now closed!
13 comments posted




Michael Hrankowski   Michael Hrankowski
Hi Lisa! As someone who also doesn't really do portrait photography, I feel somewhat ill-equipped to comment on your image. I will make some observations - but don't take them as critiques! Someone with more experience will have to do that and then we can both learn! Here's what I notice: The pose is static - very statue-like; The focus is soft - given your title, was there smoke in the air…or possibly slight motion blur from the slow shutter speed and a long focal length?; The highlights (smoke?) to the right and bottom right seem a little bright; Your subject is interesting and exotic. I like how her face paint somewhat mimics the spiral of her earrings; The color of her costume and necklace contrast nicely with the perfectly blurred background.   Posted: 06/03/2021 10:02:02
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
(Group 85)
Thanks Michael, appreciate the comments!   Posted: 06/08/2021 15:25:28



Mary Ann Carrasco   Mary Ann Carrasco
Lisa, I don't do much portraiture photography either. I like this one as the woman is very interesting and the costume/face paint tell a story. It appears as though there is some softness on the face but when I zoomed in, the face is actually quite sharp so I think it is from the smoke. My only suggestion is to take down the brightness of the smoke on the right side as it seems to distract from her. Did you do much editing? Very nice and memorable portrait.   Posted: 06/03/2021 14:30:38
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
(Group 85)
Thanks Mary Ann... no I didn't do a lot of editing to this, just the basic camera info in LR. Both you and Michael commented on the smoke being too bright, I'll try that edit.   Posted: 06/08/2021 15:26:36



Kieu-Hanh Vu   Kieu-Hanh Vu
Lisa, When you mentioned that you attended a cultural show, I'd expect to see the most scarily painted face to figure out the difference between the normal faces. My question is: Why did you prefer to photograph the least scarily painted woman instead?
The image is quite sharp and the smoke around the woman's face adds mystery to the story. I'd prefer to see the actions of her hands or her body to understand more of the story or the culture since her face does not show any impression (happy or sad?)   Posted: 06/09/2021 23:42:22
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
(Group 85)
Thank you, but what did you mean by scarily painted? I don't think any of the people in the cultural show were scary. I liked this woman's calm visage, while she was waiting for her part of the show, and the smoke gave her some mystery, in my opinion.   Posted: 06/30/2021 20:21:22



Bev Caine   Bev Caine
(Groups 24 & 48 & 58)
To me there is something haunting about her face. She appears to be concentrating on something, or lost in her own world. I, too, wonder why you chose the least "decorated" woman to photograph. Very interesting image.   Posted: 06/17/2021 05:40:15
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
(Group 85)
Thanks Bev, and again, it's so funny to me that the amount of decoration on her face has been brought up a few times. I actually thought the lack of a fully made-up face gave her a more realistic look. I thought her face was calm, yet full of mystery... haunting is a good word.
  Posted: 06/30/2021 20:23:16



LuAnn Thatcher   LuAnn Thatcher
Hi Lisa,

Good for you to do a portrait; they are not hard to capture, especially candid shots. I think the time of day has given you good light and no harsh highlights. There are no distractions, and it is obvious who your subject is in the photo. Her side profile is acceptable, and her coloring appears natural. With the chosen aperture, everything about her is in focus.

Though I find this woman interesting, I am unsure what the image is about because of the tight crop. Your description says it is a cultural show in Mexico, but nothing in the photo tells me this is Mexico; not enough of her clothing is visible to say it is cultural. For me, more details in the image are needed to complete the story you are telling.

I hope this is helpful.

LT   Posted: 06/21/2021 15:23:04
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
(Group 85)
Very helpful information, I won't be using this photo in a photo travel competition. But liked it as a portrait, especially since she was in focus. I have trouble with focusing in a lot of my photos. But I suppose this won't work in a competition of women/portraits either.   Posted: 06/30/2021 20:25:31
LuAnn Thatcher   LuAnn Thatcher
It will depend on how the group defines the category you submit the photo in.

LT   Posted: 06/30/2021 20:47:05



Ruth Sprain   Ruth Sprain
Lisa, even from this close-up portrait, I see the influence of a difference culture. The face painting reminds me of the face painting from a Maori festival I attended in New Zealand. Giving us a fuller view that included her necklace, hair style, and clothing would let us see more details of her look. I think the smoke in the air also interferes with the clarity of the scene. It sounds like the cultural show was memorable.   Posted: 06/24/2021 11:54:12
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
(Group 85)
Thanks Ruth, I'll have to go back and see if I have another photo of her with more details. This was the original dimensions, I hadn't cropped it. It was a very memorable show.   Posted: 06/30/2021 20:26:20