Which image do you like better?

I find the first image compelling. It's not an amazing picture and not very creative. It's just a very basic, straight ahead, full face portrait. What I like is how her direct eye contact creates a connection between her and the viewer. Well, at least with me it does.

My style of wedding photography can best be described as "photojournalistic". Basically, I prefer to take candid pictures, as opposed to posed pictures. While I definitely take a decent amount of formal portraits at my weddings, I think that candid pictures tend to be better for capturing the emotion of a wedding day. In fact, I find that true for most photography settings, especially if the subject is uncomfortable in front of a lens.

However, the first image reminds me that portraits can be compelling. Out of the pictures I've taken in the last couple of weeks, for me, this is probably the one that I've spent the most time looking at. The image has flaws, but I still really like it. I showed it to a friend recently and he didn't particularly care for it. I guess that's part of what makes photography, or any art form for that matter, interesting. Different people see different things. Jackson Pollock is considered a master of abstract expressionism. I don't care for his work. I'm not saying that the first image is a great work of art. It's not, but you get the point.

The second image shows that she also has a less serious, playful side. My friend likes the second image better.