I think it's not a real good idea to open the box of the pandora !

I love this shot!!! It is like heaven is just over you! Excellent! Have a wonderful day :-))))

Your Canon did its job wonderfully well yeilding a well exposed model (you) in a highly back-lit condition resulting in the highlights being blocked. The difficulty is not the camera (good quality) but the lighting. To reduce the heavy backlight you would need to add light to the front then the camera can balance the exposure - enough of photo 101 lecture :-) You look quite beautiful and should be pleased with this composition.

You said, "This is one of the ultra-luminous ones" -- sometimes exaggeration is fun. IOW, you could take the excess light even further. However, I would start with an image where the head & shoulders were darker than this one. If you could use photoshop (or most other editors) to 'paint some light' around the head (just inside the line between your hair and the background) -- as though light was pouring out of your hair. i.e. extend the way your hair looks towards the railing to look like that all around. You also said, "I think I need a better camera", [with a big grin] everyone needs a better camera ... LOL. I outgrew my Nikon 4300 in about 4 months: not enough control of exposure; no depth of field; macro would not give the results I wanted. Then you said, "running back and forth" -- I have that problem, as well ... plus getting so many shots that are good (9 out of 10 things right) but always something wrong in each shot. Worst of all, the self-timer can't choose "the moment." BTW, which model Canon?

Beautiful portrait...................Aloha

All in time! Learn how to operate your little Canon. Or get a new camera for your birthday. One thing I wouldn't change is the model. Please keep running back and forth to pose. I'm sure hundreds of viewers will appreciate your effort! Great image concept, great pose, nice picture!

Nice shot and situation. I was surprised to read you'd done it using the timer - well done. Kastakan

MGD, thank you for your well thought-out reply. I have about 20 different images with random lighting, so I might try some Photoshop experiments (usually i try to edit my photos as little as possible..just cropping and contrast/brightness adjustment). Currently I use a Canon Digital IXUS 500. I think that series is called Digital ELPH in the US. It's a superb camera, for a compact, and usually I don't complain at all. It is only that I was getting frustrated yesterday with my experiments, since, without a teacher, trial-and-error is the only way to learn. :) Thank you again for your suggestions! They are very inspiring. :)

diomedes66 and chips7, you are both very right. :) I have a lot more I can learn with my present camera, which is really excellent for what it is. I was just expressing my frustration at things not working out quite as I planned. But I imagine that happens a lot with photography. :) I'm going to try again this weekend if I get a chance. I hope for some improvement. :) Thank you, and everybody, for their helpful comments. :)

great photo, don't be to critical of yourself, what you may not like someone else may.....and most artist never like their own work...lol.

Well, the artits above said it already... so, I just have to write how much I like this image and the model/you looks very pretty ! Well done,Stefanie ! Rem : I have a Nikon D70 and always with me a small compact Canon ixus i... I'm still surprised by the good pictures taken with the latter ! :~)

just a dreamy image

very pretty

great shot!

I am not a photographer, but am an artist, I understand Mayliah you dont't feel you have the best of equipment to do your photography. Although you are in the perfect community to attract the professional opinions and help from people in the know. Try their suggestions and I feel you won't go wrong with them. I juat love this picture you did here it tells the story that you wanted to protray, that is art allowing the world a piece of your thoughts and allowing them in for a moment of what your deepest feelings are. Art is feeling the expression the artist conveys and you have done exactly that! Keep up the wonderful postings!

Lighting suits this photo, only problem is the touch of overexposure on the fingers. Other than that works beautifully.

i like the light... how it goes from extreme to darker at the bottom... looks so innocent & bright but then the idea of what's in the box... could be horrifying! ...creative & you've got yourself a beautiful model :]

well, so called "contre-jour" is very well captured here; yes, indeed, you need a camera that can be controled, but you have to manage with what you have for the moment..so, keep up your good work!

Great concept! From you comments, seems like you meet your goal with this shot! Y'know... experimenting is the KEY to unlocking knowledge! So...just keep at it, you're capturing some awesome images!