Which photo should I use?
 

Hi guys, I need your help.
I've got this long distance commission and my client sent me a bunch of digital photos (via email) of his grand-daughter. Unfortunately all the photos were taken indoors, at night under a strong yellow artificial light. Most of them are just very blurred so I can't even define the lines ( I assume the child was moving a lot). Some were taken using flash (OK, those are the better defined ones, but you know about the "flash issue" for portraits). I could pick only 2 that are reasonable enough for trying and that's why I need your opinion. I am attaching the photos here, including one blurred (they are many) and one flashed.
Please tell me, is there a way to mix the photos and try something new? Is it possible to use the photo with flash and add the shadows that I see in the other photos without the risk to lose likeness? What would you do here? I don't want to bother my client asking for more photos.
Any advice, welcome :)

Ant

I wouldn't want to use these photos.

One thing that confuses our purpose is that everyone has a camera. People feel like it is there constitutional right to take pictures, and it is. However, as mentioned in article 17 of the constitution: "A client shall not expect pedestrian snapshots to be used as resource for portrait art."

I would contact a photographer in your clients city. Have him spend an hour with the child and tell him (show him examples) what you expect in your photo.

You could pay for this, or, have the client pay for it and deduct it from the total cost, or, just have him pay for it on top of the commission price.

You mention that you don't want to bother the client to get more photos. Whatever uncomfortable feeling that this exchange might cause will be multiplied by ten when you must present this client with a portrait that you created from these photos. Better to face the conflict now.

Clients should be able to understand this. A lawyer wouldn't ask a layman to prep his murder case. A Dr. wouldn't ask someone in the lobby to prep a patient for surgery. Clients shouldn't create photo reference.

Thank you, Mike.
Very good advices that I will surely remember for my next commission. This time, I really must work with what I have, and pick one of those photos. I did it already, and chose the "flashed" one. Actually I will use all of them as reference, since the one I picked is cropped. Not an easy job, but I created a new composition and the painting is progressing quite well. I will now have some decisions to make, such as colors and all that stuff. I'll try to go easy.

Once again, thank you for Mike. I appreciated :)

Cheers,

Ant

Ant,

When there is an over abundance of talent all obstacles fade away.