Friday Night Portrait II
b&w version per request
original:
This was taken on my parent’s back porch on a Friday evening. Fridays are “family night” and generally the kids play outside but it was raining so my niece was watching the rain fall. I said her name and when she looked I took this photo. So that’s the story behind the title. :)

botticcelli
stunning…! my fav
Rachel Leigh in reply to botticcelli’s comment
thank you botticcelli!
geraint
Fantastic capture. I was in work today and mentioned the photo of the “Afghan Girl” that was used as the front cover of the National Geographic. Her eyes were fantastic and you’ve managed to capture a similar essence here. Priceless!! If you’ve not seen the photo of the Afghan Girl you can find it on the web it is truly iconic.
midnightdreamer
wow….she is so beautiful…what a lovely picture….
Jo Hoden
What a beautiful picture
Keeli
Beautiful girl, awesome photograph ;-)
Jo Hoden
That is just fabulous.x
Tallulah
Absolutely stunning…..your neice is gorgeous and her eyes are just so beautiful and soulful.
Jen Cannella
Those are the most amazing eyes I have ever seen!
HGB21
look at those eyes
zandria
Yes, eyes that reach your soul. Beautiful portrait.
Sande Elkins
Gorgeous portrait and child! Amazing that this was done in the moment. Was it hand held or tripod?
Rachel Leigh in reply to Sande Elkins’s comment
It was handheld, very impromptu… just had my camera handy.
Rebs O
her eyes are captivating, beautiful girl and great shot
Sande Elkins
Amazing detail and sharpness for handheld~great job!
Rpnzle
Wow! What Lovely Eyes! Great Work!
geraint
I’m glad you’ve seen the Afghan photo. You could get lost in these eyes, awesome.
~ Selle
Those eyes are amazing! Beautiful portrait
TsipiLevin
Stunning photo!
Benjamin Young
Wow….. Just Beautiful.
Anthony Hedger
I love this B&W one better Rachel she is a stunning young lady, just so beautiful, WOW!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Anthony Hedger’s comment
Thank you Anthony!
Mariann Kovats
WOW! This is absolutely beautiful, stanning, your model, and you to capture this. Outstanding! Mariann
Paul Louis Vil...
Wow!
Those eyes and gorgeous B&W tones!
Wow! :D
Helene Kippert
The eyes have it alright – gorgeous!
Pat Moore
This is an absolutely beautiful portrate, the eyes make the entire pic.
Cordelia
A perfect shot – gorgeous !
SkyFox
Amazing little lady…
erinmorey
Beautiful portraits!
Antanas
perfect capture
Carisma
An outstanding B&W !!! The model is a natural ! eyes to die for; and to die to capture the magnificent way you did here!!!
Leeo
How beautiful! Those eyes are captivating : )
Paul Vanzella
THIS IS INCREDIBLE… man if those eyes could speak… brilliant capture, just brilliant!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Paul Vanzella’s comment
Thank you Paul… believe me, those eyes can speak… would love to capture her when she is incensed… her eyes speak volumes then :)
khosie
She reminds me of a very young Helena Christenson… supermodel from Denmark. Beautiful!
Jing3011
Lovely innocence
Glenn Alderson
Amazing capture
Rachel Leigh in reply to Glenn Alderson’s comment
Thank you Glenn!
William Hallatt
Her eyes…
N♥RIN ISM♥IL
beauty… love her eyes….
Craig Hender
Absolutely gorgeous! Superb lighting and composition. The eyes are outstanding. Well done.
vonnie1989
I just absolutely love this photo, and I love your description, such a comfortable place you have taken us with it. Excellent work!
Rachel Leigh in reply to vonnie1989’s comment
Thank you Vonnie, I appreciate your thoughts
Susan Epps Oliver
Wow, what amazing eyes ! Beautiful !
Rachel Leigh in reply to Susan Epps Oliver’s comment
Thank you Susan :)
Charl045
Wow..she is just gorgeous!! You have a real connection with her too.. you work well together
Rachel Leigh
Thank you Charlotte… we do have a very close relationship… I am grateful as I have no daughters of my own. Thank you foryour insightful comment :)
Natella2020
She is so beautiful. Was she crying or are her eyes always like that?
Rachel Leigh in reply to Natella2020’s comment
Thank you Natella… no she was not crying, just tired from school. If she had been crying there is no way she would have let me take her photo :)
Blackroaches
There comes a time in all our lives where we come to a path, that splits in to two different directions, and you say to yourself what was I put on this earth for?......what am I supposed to do?..... Well I think this photo answers part of that question you are asking yourself, for me to see such beauty like this must mean 1 thing, and only 1 thing, is that the fist path you have already accomplished, because you have found your …..“Heart….and….soul”…..from such a great image……….the other path I guess will come in time!
ojadem93
wow, this is stunning. her eyes are absolutely gorgeous. great photo =)
Catherine Beales
stunningly beautiful – what a great shot!
Jazzyjane
Just Beautiful
stephfine
Her eyes speak a thousand words!! Great shot…a favorite!!
CinB
fantastic shot her eyes just capture you, beautiful!
Jamaboop
She has the most amazing eyes!!! What a beautiful shot!!! 10 !!!!
liliana
Such a gorgeous child…her eyes are just amazing, and you have captured her so well!
gothgirl
How do you do it – this is fantastic
Mariann Kovats
This picture on the Home Page, Rachel. Congratulations! It deserves to be there, it is a fantastic picture, she is beautiful and you are a great artist!
sanne
how can she be so beautiful wow
nvcreations
She is so innocent and so beautiful! Just tell her, we love her so much. I think she is a very sensitive and deeply thinking girl. And I feel she was in deep thought when you called her and snapped this marvelous photo of her. Lovely.
Kathleen Hill
Such an amazing portrait, those eyes…wow, welldone
Erick67
Again, just exceptional work. This photograph speaks so much.
Erick
Mariaan Krog
What a precious little doll! Great portrait!
Glenna Walker
It simply doesn’t get any better than this. She is a living doll! – Glenna
flipperflopp
amazing beauty…the shot and the child…LOVE it…
Rachel Leigh in reply to flipperflopp’s comment
Thank you so much :)
EnVee
Beautiful :) shes stunning!
jacqi
Stunning photo and your beautiful niece is going to be a heartbreaker
Rachel Leigh in reply to jacqi’s comment
Thank you Jacqi, I’m afraid you are probably correct :)
Gail Bridger
What beautiful eyes, this little angel has.
Rachel Leigh in reply to Gail Bridger’s comment
Thank you Gail!
Elizabeth Burton
What a beautiful photo. Stunning eyes :)
Rachel Leigh in reply to Elizabeth Burton’s comment
Elizabeth, thank you for your comment! :)
genevieve m
Hi Rachel, just voted for your beautiful portrait in the Black and White challenge. It is so gorgeous!
Rachel Leigh in reply to genevieve m’s comment
Genevieve, thank you for your vote and comment as well! I love your art style btw :)
bowenite
This is truly a beautiful photo. Love the skin tones and oh those beautiful eyes. The little one is a natural portrait subject. Keep up the good work. regards!
Rachel Leigh in reply to bowenite’s comment
Thank you, she is not difficult to photograph… very photogenic. She did just get her hair cut short… which I was disappointed about but I’m just the aunt :) I’ll have to update her photos now, haha.
Thank you again for your comment
Leslie Battjes
Beautiful girl…excellent portrait…nicely done, Rachel :)
Rachel Leigh in reply to Leslie Battjes’s comment
Thank you Leslie, i appreciate your comment!
Crespuscular
great eyes!
Tom Vaughan
this is priceless.. a spectacular portrait that I hope you will have when she’s a grandmother!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Tom Vaughan’s comment
thank you very much!
Tom Vaughan
actually i meant that she will have when she’s a grandmother… it’s that good!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Tom Vaughan’s comment
Well I was going to say it was nice of you to hope my life will be so long lived, haha but after calculating it up (I actually did) I decided it wasn’t that far fetched, lol….... I hope so to both sentiments :)
lenzart
what beautiful, soulful eyes, gorgeous.
Rachel Leigh in reply to lenzart’s comment
thank you lenzart!
Jeremy Harrington
fantastic portrait Rachel, those eyes are stunning..
Rachel Leigh in reply to Jeremy Harrington’s comment
Thank you Jeremy!
Micki Ferguson
this is an awesome picture. The light in the eyes is wonderful!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Micki Ferguson’s comment
Thank you Micki!
mmills3080
awesome portrait! Such beautiful eyes! They remind me of my daughter’s eyes. wonderful work!
Rachel Leigh in reply to mmills3080’s comment
Thank you so much!
Gary Murison
Simply BEAUTIFUL. A great capture Rachel
Rachel Leigh in reply to Gary Murison’s comment
Thank you Gary…. sometimes it pays to always have your camera on you (most of the time (for me) it’s just dead weight, haha)
Nicole Goggins
those eyes… wow!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Nicole Goggins’s comment
Thank you Nicole!
people/are/str...
so beautiful eyes !
Rachel Leigh in reply to people/are/stran9e /’s comment
thank you Vic….. love your portfolio!
billyboy
This is way stunning, and probably deserves to win the Challenge Cafe BW comp. Serously beautiful and packed with tons of emotion, massive detail and creamy skin tones. The eyes are simply stellar. Very nice work, as is your whole pf.
Rachel Leigh in reply to billyboy’s comment
I just noticed that a whle back I replied to your comment without hitting the reply button… I hope you read this but if not here it is again :)
Thank you very much, I appreciate the thoughts :) I wont be disappointed if she doesn’t win. Having her stay at the top on her own merit has been more gratifying than any win could be considering all the hooplah that has been going on. Your “Big Apple” was one I voted for, btw :)
Rachel Leigh
Thank you very much, I appreciate the thoughts :) I wont be disappointed if she doesn’t win. Having her stay at the top on her own merit has been more gratifying than any win could be considering all the hooplah that has been going on. Your “Big Apple” was one I voted for, btw :)
reflexio
Yes, I thought this was the best picture. Well done.
Rachel Leigh in reply to reflexio’s comment
Thank you very much
Mariann Kovats
Congrats for the 4th place. I think it is an awesome portrait, it is a winner in my book. :)
Rachel Leigh in reply to Mariann Kovats’s comment
Thanks Mariann :)
Elaine Harriott
Those eyes are amazing, what a beautiful portrait!
Cathy Carbonaro
Absolutely Beautiful, what an amazing capture!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Cathy Carbonaro’s comment
Thank you very much
Agnes McGuinness
This is a stunning portrait. What a beautiful little girl, an what glorious eyes.
Rachel Leigh in reply to Agnes McGuinness’s comment
Thank you!
Squealia
What beautiful eyes
Rachel Leigh in reply to Squealia’s comment
Thank you :)
TRussotto
Gorgeous black and white portrait.
izzybeth
This photograph.
Her eyes.
pure art
Michael Brennan
just a gorgeous image – a wonderful moment – kinda left me speechless!!
avalyn
Wonderful sparkly eyes! Beautiful!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to avalyn’s comment
Thank you , this is the same girl as in “Butterfly Dreams”
Alexia Wardell
Her eyes are soooo alive… I have yet to figure out how to capture eyes that shine as brightly as this… excellent portrait, great tones…
Rachel Leigh in reply to Alexia Wardell’s comment
Don’t feel bad Alexia… her eyes are naturally reflective so easy to catch in a photograph. I took some senior shots of one girl… could not get catchlights in her eyes at all. So alot has to do with the subject. Thank you for your comment!
Alexia Wardell
I do feel better.. : ) You are welcome.
Roz McQuillan
Beautiful child, lovely shot!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Roz McQuillan’s comment
Thank you so much Roz :)
Edward Denyer
Rachel, this is nothing but excellent – instant fav. – Ted
Rachel Leigh in reply to Edward Denyer’s comment
Thank you so much Ted!
Alessandro Pinto
Truly Awesome..!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Alessandro Pinto’s comment
Thank you!
Astrid Pardew
Amazing-looking child and capture!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Astrid Pardew’s comment
Thank you so much :)
Butterflies An...
she is just gorgeous!
a natural beauty…great portrait!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Butterflies And Bullets’s comment
Thank you, I appreciate your comments :)
people/are/str...
i’m back to these beautiful eyes !!
my vote !
good luck !
Rachel Leigh
Thank you Vic! :)
jujubean
Beautiful! I like the blk/wht version.
Rachel Leigh in reply to jujubean’s comment
thank you juju :)
Jacinta Mallin
She has the most beautiful eyes like an angel. Stunning image
Rachel Leigh in reply to Jacinta Mallin’s comment
Thank you Jacinta!
Micki Ferguson
Congrats Rachel!
:) ~ micki :)
Rachel Leigh in reply to Micki Ferguson’s comment
Micki, thank you… what are the congrats for.. I have been away for a week and I think I must have missed something??
:)
Micki Ferguson
aha ~ I should make you figure it out. :)
Your top ten in the portraits (above the waste only) challenge Black and white/sepia. :)
HA
Rachel Leigh
Ahh.. thank you! I had no internet while I was away and I forgot what all I had entered before I left. :) Thanks for not making me try to figure it out, haha. :)
Micki Ferguson
I do that too. I forgot that I had entered a contest once here and got an e-mail that I had won and I was thrilled. HA :)
Mariann Kovats
Congrats for the being the top 10!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Mariann Kovats’s comment
thank you :)
Rowi
Such a beautiful photo serene
Rachel Leigh in reply to Rowi’s comment
thank you Rowi!
AnaCBStudio
Gorgeous portrait…perfect
Rachel Leigh in reply to AnaCBStudio’s comment
Thank you Anna :)
MICKSPIXPHOTOS
IT’S UNUSUAL FOR AN IMAGE TO BE SO GOOD IN BOTH MONO AND POLY, BUT THEY’RE BOTH TERRIFIC. YOU DID A GREAT JOB. AND IN ABOUT TWELVE YEARS I THINK THERE WILL BE A HUGE OUTBREAK OF BROKEN HEARTS IN THE BOYS HER AGE WHERE EVER SHE IS.
Rachel Leigh in reply to MICKSPIXPHOTOS’s comment
lol, thank you for your kind comment and I believe you are right about the broken hearts :)
ToastedGhost
Gorgeous
Rachel Leigh in reply to ToastedGhost’s comment
thank you so much :)
Cathi Norman
Stunning portrait!! Congratulations on winning the melancoly challenge!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Cathi Norman’s comment
Thank you Cathi!!
Mindy McGregor
Congrats on first!!! Beautiful work!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Mindy McGregor’s comment
Thank you so much Mindy, I appreciate that!
flarrea
You are combined in this photo the most important photography principles, the technical and the creative, and the balance between both of them enable you to make this marterpiece. Congratulations for your success.
Rachel Leigh in reply to flarrea’s comment
What a very lovely compliment, thank you kindly :)
lilac
Congrats! Very nice portrait!
Rachel Leigh in reply to lilac’s comment
Thank you lilac! :)
Rory Stapleton
It’s all in the eyes isn’t it. What a gorgeous image.
Rachel Leigh in reply to Rory Stapleton’s comment
Thank you so much Rory! :)
Mariann Kovats
Congratulations on your win! This is just really a wonderful picture! So much feelings in it. Beside that, she is just gorgeous, her expressions and eye are just priceless!!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Mariann Kovats’s comment
köszönöm!
Terri Lynn
Congrats on the feature!!! I voted for this beautiful capture of your daughter. Way to go :)
Rachel Leigh in reply to Terri Lynn’s comment
Thank you so much for your vote tbealle! This is my niece. I dont have any daughters… they wouldnt have been this good looking anyhow, lol. :)
Terri Lynn
You have a BEAUTIFUL niece! : )
Rachel Leigh in reply to Terri Lynn’s comment
thank you :))
Mariann Kovats
You are tooooo many! ahahha! You even know how to put the dots on the o, I don’t! When I saw it, I got confused, because I thought I opened your reply, but it is Hungarian, whose reply I opened it than, I asked mysel! You are too funny! xoxox
Rachel Leigh in reply to Mariann Kovats’s comment
You were supposed to be teaching me a word a week.. I think it was a day but I can only keep up with one a week :) This is mine for the week :)
Amber Galvin
That is a stunning B&W, tones are outstanding. the eyes…. wow!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Amber Galvin’s comment
Thank you so much Amber!
Blue71
Superb!!!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Blue71’s comment
Thank you :)
misiabe80
lovely and charm girl… nice… very nice!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to misiabe80’s comment
thank you :)
Renee Dawson
Just look at those amazing eyes. What a lovely little girl and an exquisite b&w portrait!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Renee Dawson’s comment
Thank you Renee!
CateTownsend
Absolutely beautiful
Rachel Leigh in reply to CateTownsend’s comment
Thank you :)
Anne-Marie Bok...
Wonderful portrait Rachel. What a clear eyes!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Anne-Marie Bokslag’s comment
Thank you so much!!
Cora Wandel
And a sweet story it is, Rachel. Beautiful portraiture of the young girl, love her eyes. – Cora
Rachel Leigh in reply to Cora Wandel’s comment
Thank you Cora!
Sandy Woolard
Amazing…The eyes speak the message of being disappointed with the rain…Beautifully done!!!! She is adorable!!!!!! Wonderful portrait!!!!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Sandy Woolard’s comment
Thank you Sandy! :)
Cora Wandel
Your hosts,
Anne-Marie and Cora
Rachel Leigh in reply to Cora Wandel’s comment
Thank you Anne-Marie and Cora!
Chekuz
Absolutely stunning! :) Karen
Rachel Leigh in reply to Chekuz’s comment
Thank you so much Karen!!
Shelby Stalnaker
just adorable, and congrats on the feature
Rachel Leigh in reply to Shelby Stalnaker’s comment
Thank you Shelby :)
amarica
Congratulations Rachel on being featured in the Photo/Writing group!!
Rachel Leigh in reply to amarica’s comment
Thank you Amarica! :)
Mariann Kovats
Congratulations on being featured in Photo Writing group! This is an awesome picture!:)
Rachel Leigh in reply to Mariann Kovats’s comment
thank you :)
Joanne Bradley
Beautiful child and such a lovely tender portrait!
Rachel Leigh in reply to Joanne Bradley’s comment
Thank you Joanne!