Beautiful color and saturation Kathryn! Really nice job! I would revisit a couple of areas. I would lighten the area around the highlight a little and also erase the outline around the highlight itself. The reflected highlight is too white and I would tone it down. It is also a little too controlled. It should blend into the dark toning above it so it reads as a glow coming from a surface the subject is sitting on. The cast shadow should go up at a 45 degree angle instead of down as you have shown. It is darkest at the edge of the subject as you have shown but then it transitions lighter as it moves away from the subject. It should be lighter than what you have shown. You do not want it to compete with your subject.
Beautiful color and saturation Kathryn! Really nice job! I would revisit a couple of areas. I would lighten the area around the highlight a little and also erase the outline around the highlight itself. The reflected highlight is too white and I would tone it down. It is also a little too controlled. It should blend into the dark toning above it so it reads as a glow coming from a surface the subject is sitting on. The cast shadow should go up at a 45 degree angle instead of down as you have shown. It is darkest at the edge of the subject as you have shown but then it transitions lighter as it moves away from the subject. It should be lighter than what you have shown. You do not want it to compete with your subject.
Nice work, Kathryn. Doug’s advice is fantastic.
Thanks. I’ve done a 2nd attempt. I’m not getting something about the reflected highlight, but maybe some more feedback on the 2nd one will help.