An engagement photo.

Ryan added my name just this morning to the list of photographers who can make critiques here on Photo Arts Forum.   

I like the idea of using whatever is available as a prop, but in this case the fence was simply too high.  With the top board at this height the young lady had to raise her left arm up so high that her arm is nearly straight out from her torso.  This and the other arm raised also makes her torso look heavy.  The winter coat also adds "pounds" to her body and when you add the flat lighting on her face we have three strikes and yer out on the gal.  She is turned about 60 degrees away from the camera.  A 45 turn usually looks best in about 95% of all portrait images. (She does have a good expression though.) 

On the young man, his body is 0 degrees from the camera.  Again a 45 degree turn would look best.  He is OOF and there are no catchlights in his eyes making them look dull and lifeless. The lighting on his face is not good at all.  This style of lighting is called Clint Eastwood lighting (or double kicker) but a third light is needed to complete it to eliminate the shadow running down the middle of his face. The hat also adds shadows to his face. 

I would have stepped to camera left about six feet.  This would "turned" him about 45 degrees and it would have "turned" her about 45 degrees at the same time.  Then I would have added a small soft flash unit at camera left.  This would have side lit both of them and given us the needed short lighting on both faces (which would have slenderized hers) and it would have gotten under the hat to add some sparkle to his eyes.  I would have found something that she could have stood on to raise her up about six or eight inches and I would have had her drop her right arm behind him.  Her engagement ring should have been of her left hand and it would show nicely in this pose.  I may have also had him place his hand under hers facing up.

Benji