So Sketchable

This is perhaps my favorite photograph of all time. Steve McCurry's Afghan Girl. Such beauty, such power, such honest truth. Theres a look in those eyes that is completely indescribable. And photographically incredible. Theres a beautiful red-green contrast throughout the photo. How anyone can see this photo and not be moved by it is beyond me. Either they are unfeeling, or I'm seeing things that others can't. As you guys know, I've started sketching. I spend about fifteen, twenty minutes almost every day with my pencil trying to replicate an image, so I decided to be ambitious and try my hand at some famous photos, especially my favorites. This is the first in a series that will include some more pictures from me, my friends, the web, national geographic, and everywhere else. If you've got a great photo you think I should try, let me know. Again, its not a finished product. This sketch didn't take me very long, and I know the shading is way off and nowhere near complete. I just have a thing for sketching faces with great eyes. I like drawing eyes. they're fun, theres so much more emotion. They can be so powerful, they're like doors into the soul. I know that's been said before by many people, but I think it really takes drawing them to understand how true it is. Every pair of eyes is different, different in every photo, every moment. You can only capture them once, you can resketch them, rephotograph them, but you will never twice get the same eyes. They're such a challenge to get right sketching. If you've got lines a little bit off in the hair or folds in clothes, its not a big deal because it doesn't change the overall appearance. The eyes, however, hold the key to all emotion. Any stray line, any problems with shape or position--it COMPLETELY changes the drawing. Its the challenge that makes the eyes so intriguing. I think I need to work on my skill with noses too. Please let me know what you think (and preferably more than just "its good" or something generic like that).