[Chris Saper]

Hi Katherine,

While this is a very cute photo, I think it should stay a photo, and not become a painting. The flash on the camera has flattened the features, and leaves you without any interesting light and shadow patterns.

The broad smile creates bags under everyone's eyes, even young children, and while we are willing to accept the open-mouthed smile in a photo, it is really hard, if not impossible, to pull off in a painting.

Cropping the photo as you have shown, notwithstanding compositional preferences, cuts off the hands at an awkward position, and the ear of the girl on our left will form a tangent with the frame rabbet.

I think your time would be very well-spent by going through the sections on photographing subjects, using light as a compositional tool, and also the sections on three-value massing. You can use the search icon at the top of any Forum page.

Best wishes,