Libby with a stray hair!
An experiment in post processing gives Libby a grainy and moody appearance. This was done after looking at the photo gravure images by Edward Steichen, Clarence White, Alvin Langdon Cobern and of course, Julia Margaret Cameron, in Camera Work, The Complete Photographs.
Alfred Steiglitz started Camera Work in 1903 after he had formed the Photo-Secession group where he set out to advance the creative possibilities of photography.
Perhaps my image is breaking portrait rules by cropping in very close and by retaining the stray hair but for me it works in combining beauty and imperfection!
Life, Photography & Other Mistakes - is now dormant 
I too think it’s beautiful. And it works!
Thanks Rob….all comments are most welcome!
I have the Camera Works book. It’s a source of inspiration for me and I never get tired of looking through it. I like how you’ve developed your photo of the girl. I should practise my Lightroom skills because at the moment I just do levels and curves. Sometimes I will dodge and burn but not much else.
hi Marcus, and thanks. This image was worked up in Nik software which I seem to have adopted into my workflow. I would love to own a framed copy of images from that era.
John, very nice portrait. The grain enhances the portrait.
Ta Tim……another stocking filler!
Stray hair or not John, i think this is a great portrait!
Hi Peter. Thanks, it was difficult choosing a Christmas day portrait. We spent the time with Owen and our son and daughter in law in Sheffield which was great and a change from having our 3 sons and their families visiting us.