Recent Model Shoot (outdoors) - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

05/25/2005 11:26:17 PM · #1

This was my first shoot with a male model. A friend/neighbor of mine who does modelling on the side and was looking to have some material added for his portfolio. Would love some feedback!

beauty

(this was originally to be my beauty entry until i realized i took it one day too soon)

smiling cap

fenced in

will

open wide

looking up

adjusting

quirky

standing around

no parking

Message edited by author 2005-05-26 09:52:25.

dsa157

Canon EOS-50D

05/25/2005 11:48:52 PM · #2

pretty decent looking shots. I like the last 2 best. I think you could pump up the tonal range and saturation to give them some additional punch. also, you have him dead center in the frame in too many shots.

I also think the ones that work better have less clutter in the background.

Dave

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/26/2005 12:10:58 AM · #3

Some of them (the straight portait shots) are designed to be 'mug shots' - not the criminal ones but just straight front-on shots.

Telehubbie

Canon EOS-40D

05/26/2005 12:15:47 AM · #4

The lighting is great, you gotta love those overcast days. I like the "adjusting" and "no parking" ones the best for model shots. "Open wide" is a really cool pose with some personality there, but it's a little too far away and the rails in the background are too coinciding with his arms. If that were a bit closer and with a simpler background that would be a great shot. Good work.

parrothead

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

05/26/2005 12:18:47 AM · #5

Great movement and great mood. The colors and contrast could have been a bit crisper. And thats a friendly critique! They were nice how ya showed em. B

05/26/2005 09:47:47 AM · #6

Originally posted by Telehubbie:

The lighting is great, you gotta love those overcast days."Open wide" is a really cool pose with some personality there, but it's a little too far away and the rails in the background are too coinciding with his arms. If that were a bit closer and with a simpler background that would be a great shot. Good work.

Especially when you're using Fong's lightsphere for fill-in. I totally agree with your feedback on the "Open Wide" shot. That was a bit playful take where I had him go out and run towards the camera. Sadly, the rails made for a distraction. But I wasn't strong enough to lift them and move them elsewhere.

;)

These were all shot just down the street from our apartments.

Originally posted by parrothead:

Great movement and great mood. The colors and contrast could have been a bit crisper. And thats a friendly critique! They were nice how ya showed em. B

I am always leery of adjusting levels (it's so hard for me) So really, other than some USM I didn't toy with the levels. (Whenever I adjust the levels I feel like I've over-brightened even if i do so by only a touch.)

Message edited by author 2005-05-26 09:48:12.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

05/26/2005 10:26:15 AM · #7

Cute guy, but I'm not thrilled about any of these compositions. I do like the last one with the "no parking" sign, though. Keep at it! Looks like you're having fun anyway and that's just as important.

05/26/2005 10:27:46 AM · #8

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

Cute guy, but I'm not thrilled about any of these compositions.

Can you give some insight into specifics?

05/27/2005 09:56:04 AM · #9

I've gotten a few comments saying they're not bright enough...

I always feel whenever I brighten that it's too much. So I was wondering if anyone could take "beauty" and "no parking" and adjust the curves to show me where I should be bringing these in post processing?

Thanks!

I also am amazed that the following adjustment would be legal in a basic challenge entry - it almost looks like a painting/sketch:

Message edited by author 2005-05-27 09:58:46.

05/27/2005 10:32:45 AM · #10

Did a little modeling in my day, and I have a couple of suggestions for your subject. White teeth are important to clients. For his portfolio, he may want to bleach his teeth or have you PS the yellow out...Which leads to my second observation: The color of his shirt is not flattering with his skin tone. Just the little things that clients look at. Good job, and I'm sure he appreciates your work.

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

05/27/2005 10:44:40 AM · #11

thanks...will pass on the info.

(most of the modelling he's done to date is still posing for art classes - but very useful insights none-the-less)

Any photographic advice for me the photographer?

digitalknight

05/27/2005 11:00:02 AM · #12

I took a look at you "punchiness" and you white levels are fine, you need blacker blacks to give you more contrast. I have a friend that would insist that I burn more contrast into these - the fatality of cloudy days is contrast - and my experience, especially with the voting here in the challenges is contrast gets votes.

Here's what I did with you photo: //www.democard.com/182070.jpg just with levels and hue/sat/bright
And here's a quick burn just to show you added contrast: //www.democard.com/182070_burn.jpg of course masking before burning will get rid of the halo effect.

The new shirt color is for greatandsmall. Is it better? Hope she comes back to teach me more.

Nuno

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

05/27/2005 11:02:27 AM · #13

Can you explain the post processing of the above image?

Sonifo

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

05/27/2005 11:03:29 AM · #14

These three happen to be my favorite. Did you try any of these in b/w? I also like the edited look with his arm in the air. kewl silver/gold tones.

This I like..different then your average portrait. I like his pose and expression.
adjusting

I like the candid look of this one. The background isnt so bad. Great pose and placement of his hands.
standing around

Very creative with this shot.
no parking

[/quote]

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

05/27/2005 11:12:39 AM · #15

Originally posted by digitalknight:

I took a look at you "punchiness" and you white levels are fine, you need blacker blacks to give you more contrast.
Here's what I did with you photo: //www.democard.com/182070.jpg just with levels and hue/sat/bright
And here's a quick burn just to show you added contrast: //www.democard.com/182070_burn.jpg of course masking before burning will get rid of the halo effect.

The new shirt color is for greatandsmall. Is it better? Hope she comes back to teach me more.

THanks....gives me something to consider....

:)

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EOS-5D

05/27/2005 11:14:40 AM · #16

advice? Yeah- get him to sign a model release and then turn him in for stock use. Then when you get published he can be too! :0)

05/27/2005 11:15:47 AM · #17

Any photographic advice for me the photographer? [/quote]

Can't give you any technical advice. However, it looks like you will get plenty of that. That is one of the reasons I love this site.

From a creative standpoint, the main advice I can give is "Steal and Practice". Models and photographers both benefit from studying what is being done and emulating poses, expressions, backgrounds etc.

For example: Headshots are interesting when the model is slightly tilted, or leaning into the camera. Diagonals create motion and excitement, as you have shown in the first picture.

I'm also a fan of tight crops on headshots. The critiques you've gotten so far seem right on.

Curious, how many shots did you take? I want to say, if my memory serves me correctly, that you are doing well if you get three good shots out of 100. Gotta' love digital! There was no such thing when I did it.

05/27/2005 11:16:19 AM · #18

Originally posted by Nuno:

Can you explain the post processing of the above image?

I'll see if I can remember, I did something with the levels and skewing them, etc. and it came out really funky. I should have noted what I did...

I was using Corel Photopaint 8

Message edited by author 2005-05-27 11:16:38.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

05/27/2005 11:18:42 AM · #19

3 out of 100? That doesn't seem like very good odds to me! lol but if you've got the memory cards then go for it.

My problem with these shots is that it doesn't look like much thought went into each composition.

Message edited by author 2005-05-27 12:00:31.

05/27/2005 11:26:29 AM · #20

Probably 250...

And I have several other good shots that I didn't post for lack of time. I tried to post one from each style shot. (Plus about 50 were "running" shots...an experiment to have the model runs towards the camera while burst mode recording.) And a handful were of a totally different model. (Nice white egret that decided to be near-by and I couldn't resist shooting.) All in all, there were probably 30 usable shots.

I am thinking of making the no parking shot available as a print with model's consent. And possibly the beauty / reaching one as well.

:)

Message edited by author 2005-05-27 11:27:28.

05/27/2005 11:30:34 AM · #21

The new shirt color is for greatandsmall. Is it better? Hope she comes back to teach me more. [/quote]

I like the shirt color much better. And in my own opinion, I like a crop like this: Crop

Depends on what you are going for. If he intends to get modeling work, his clients are looking at him as a product, and are probably not interested in the background. If you are doing it for artistic reasons, you may want to play around with some of the poses he strikes for the art modeling. Contraposto for example, just to get him relaxed and inspired.

05/27/2005 11:38:31 AM · #22

Is it acceptable to crop off the top of a head? When ever I crop off a part I feel like I've cut something off and will be judged harshly for such?

05/27/2005 11:43:20 AM · #23

Originally posted by theSaj:

Is it acceptable to crop off the top of a head? When ever I crop off a part I feel like I've cut something off and will be judged harshly for such?

Depends on how it's done. Sometimes it detracts, but in headshots I think it can help.

//www.professionalheadshots.com/headshots.htm

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

05/27/2005 12:04:36 PM · #24

Cropping body parts can cover flaws, too. When I shoot women who may have large arms (like me!) I'll compose the shot tight in that area, cutting off a portion to minimize the focus to that trouble spot. It's helpful to know what to look for, that just comes with practice.

Of course sometimes body cropping is just for the heck of it. Not to cover something up.