Her Truths

A fascinating image, richly layered in both meaning an execution.

It has a strong eye-catching contrast and basic composition, which work in both thumbnail and full view. That's quite important, since a lot of web (& thus dA) stuff lives or dies on the initial thumbnail view.

The narrative is important, to draw the eye to the various details. I'm not sure that there isn't a V2.0 of this image waiting somewhere, to weave these things together more explicitly somehow. Fine detail like the ring and bangles could get a little more space in the image.
Lighting is effective and competent, creating the necessary contrast to make the image live. I'm not sure that there isn't potential to use some harsher, 'scarier' lighting for some of the fear aspects. There is very little real shadow in this, and that could be quite effective?

You are uncertain about the two images. In my view, they hold together really well, and are effectively a single whole, unlike 95% of the 'diptych' images one sees, where there is very little linking the two photo's. I would tempted to remove the boundary totally, and create a single image. The 'looming' nature of the cage is quite ominous too, and you could maybe use that with some lighting changes to strengthen the 'atmosphere'.

What makes this worth looking at for a little longer though is the composition. You have created a focal point around the empty space that you are looking into below your head, first by the gaze, but also by the angle of the right image, the bent leg, and the line of the base of the cage, all converging on a third-third intersection. I find that it gives the image great cohesion. The body angle forces the image inwards, towards the cage on the left, as if you leaning on it too. There is no escaping out the edges of this one!

Powerful image and concept!

Grant H