I like the first one [I would crop it slightly but it bothers me that he is chopped off in the second, it's symbolic but I want to see them whole for this.] The woman staring out into that misty chill is chilling to me. Her perfect shadow isolates her even more. He is more wound up and upset [don't know whether he is collapsing into the sofa arm or ready to bound up from it and that tension is good] He's also seems to be spiralling down into black depression. She seems switched off completely. You've captured a moment of mutual pain experienced differently by both people. They are absolutely NOT puppets. Not at all. It's an amazing change from an interesting but amateurish presentation to a fabulous composition. By the way, I like the understatement of the faces, without being blank , I still feel like I can fill in the emotions that are under the skin. I also think people deeply hurt often go very still. Emily