Gothic Lolita, Magnetic-Style - DPChallenge Forums

06/16/2004 01:30:53 PM · #26

wow. thanks, Kevin. i REALLY appeciate your remarks.

this is the 3rd time i worked with this model. we had a good rapport the first time. the second, we seemed to struggle a bit - and i was also having technical difficulties, with my slaves not triggering and such. then, this time, it seemed to come together, and i knew that we got some good stuff. i'm really glad to be validated in that belief :D.

and yes, on some of the shots, i selected the skin tone, using select/color range, copied and pasted the skin to a new layer, and then guassian blurred, and then reduced opacity to blend. clean up with eraser, where necessary. aside from that, it's pretty much unprocessed.

used a canon 50/1.4 for this shoot, hence the shallow DOF. Let me know if there's any thing else you were curious about that I left out.

kollin

Originally posted by KevinRiggs:

Kollin these are friggin inspiring. Great job with lighting, composition, DOF and the skintones. Did you use any softening for any of the shots? The chains and eyes are good and sharp (I left you a comment on the first one on PBase) while the jawline and cheeks have that soft "lolita" tone to them. I can only say that you nailed exactly some of the look that drives this format.

The last shot has me lightheaded its so . . . erm . . .darn good. I can't tell if its your eye that I envy or just the incredible compositions you put together on this set. If you went into this set meaning to produce these then DAMN! You oughta be very proud of this work.

Thanks for takin' a shot at this style and then sharing it with us.

Kev

Message edited by author 2004-06-16 13:49:48.

06/16/2004 01:45:01 PM · #27

couple more worked up since this AM:

06/16/2004 01:47:53 PM · #28

Originally posted by ursula:

I was just wondering why chains would appeal to such a beautiful girl.

there is no accounting for people's tastes? just kidding. :) seriously tho--regardless of whether or not it is the photographer's fantasy--and as with what pedro and mag said, i think a lot has to do with self expression. not that surface beauty has anything to do with it, but i can think of many beautiful people with various piercings (not just ears but navel, tongue, nipple, etc.), tattoos--you name it. even the blue hair is just an extension of that, it just 'appears' less painful. :)

06/16/2004 01:50:52 PM · #29

i pretend to no deeper meaning. i'm merely playing and experimenting and reacting in the moment to what looks good to me, and adjusting to enhance that, and so on, in continuous feedback loop ... :)

Originally posted by JEM:

grigri made the essential point...mag, pedro and gggirl, you are all talented photographers - but that is not enough for your restless talent. Nothing wrong in shopping the areas of "kinky to downright perverted" for photo opportunities so long as the photographs are technically excellent.
It would be a kindness, for we gentle souls who have led a sheltered life, if you would explain the deeper meaning of your photographs.

06/16/2004 01:52:02 PM · #30

Originally posted by magnetic9999:

why am i not surprised you know where to get good chains? :)

it's for those cold canadian winters. really. :D

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

06/16/2004 01:52:24 PM · #31

mag--chains_06 is my very favorite. :)

ursula

Fujifilm X-T2

06/16/2004 01:54:56 PM · #32

Mag, you are an excellent photographer, and your pictures are very well done. This batch looks great in b/w and toned b/w. I really like chains05.

ursula

Fujifilm X-T2

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

06/16/2004 01:57:32 PM · #33

Good answers, thank you.

Originally posted by magnetic9999:

not only what pedro said, but in a photo there may be some elements of the symbolic and theatrical to the photo. they may be more about a theme or an idea than just about the personality of a particular individual :)

Originally posted by ursula:
OK, purely out of curiousity, why would anyone want to have their picture taken with a bunch of chains?

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/16/2004 05:01:52 PM · #34

suuuure ..

Originally posted by Pedro:

Originally posted by magnetic9999:
why am i not surprised you know where to get good chains? :)

it's for those cold canadian winters. really. :D

Jesuispeure

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

06/16/2004 06:12:32 PM · #35

Hey! Would have said so earlier, but I was sleeping. Very cool shots! Just goes to show a girl doesn't need a bunch of daisies to show off her beauty...

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

06/16/2004 06:53:53 PM · #36

Excellent shots there Magnetic, truly excellent.

Finding a good model is just as hard as the taking of the photos at times, and it looks like you are onto a real winner with that girl :)

Usually I prefer b&w but in this instance I think I prefer the initial shots you posted.

Message edited by author 2004-06-16 18:56:41.

Sonifo

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

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

06/16/2004 07:02:47 PM · #37

Originally posted by magnetic9999:

And here is another:

This one has to be my favorite, because of the sitting position. I love how she is looking away from the camera. Her hands are placed just perfect. Excellent shots!

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

06/16/2004 07:58:32 PM · #38

I have no idea where this is going to go, but I have some thoughts, so move along if you don't want to know what goes on in my head.

I've always said that to me photography is about perspective. I guess I always thought that it was about showing people things in a way they'd never looked at them before. Before today, I think that always meant physical perspective; like a point of view almost. But suddenly I think it's bigger than that.

When it comes right down to it, I think many of us really have one goal when we take a picture - to move people. Somebody. Anybody. Make them happy, sad, scared, laugh, cry, cringe...it almost doesn't matter what, we just want to touch them enough that they'll remember it for more than the 5 seconds it takes them to vote on it. Frankly this is why I love the "favorites" section. It tells me that I did something that touched somebody enough that they wanted to remember it. If somebody marks me as a favorite photographer...dayum maybe I've touched 'em more than once!

Why do you think so many people start threads about some photo they luuuurve but it scored a 4.34562434? It's because it touched them in some way, and they want the validation that it found someone else, too. So they start a thread and a few people pipe up and say they love-it-the-voters-suck-nobody-understands-us-artists-you-were-robbed. Then the Thread Starter feels better about themselves and their photo, and they go back to taking pictures of other things they think will move people.

Alecia said it perfectly: it's about self-expression. Here is me baring my soul to all of you every time i post a photo that i love. Hell I feel like I know some people after looking through their portfolios. I saw a photo once that compelled me to meet the photographer, who turned out to be one of the most beautiful people I've ever met, inside and out.

So John (JEM), my answer to you is this: the greater meaning to my photography - and I suspect to that of many others - has nothing to do with being kinky or perverted or sheltered or anything else. It has to do with showing you something you maybe have never seen or considered before. Or better still, showing you something you've seen a thousand times in a brand new light.

Chains on a young girl? Betcha never thought of that before, Ursula ;)

Anyway. My apologies for the loooong-winded dissertation on the meaning of photography here. i don't profess to know anything about photography or the feelings of my friend Mag or Alecia or GriGriGirl. I'm just feeling a little melancholy today, and the Vodka is encouraging me to share. :)

Peace.

His Royal P-ness.

ursula

Fujifilm X-T2

06/16/2004 08:26:13 PM · #39

Self-expression often carries a message though. And that message is lost to me if I do not understand it. My intention was to understand a bit more the why of it. In general, if I understand something, I am able to better appreciate it. You're right, I would not have considered chains for a young girl, so I wondered why. I wanted to know why a young girl would choose to have pictures taken of herself biting on chains or wearing chains. It was not a comment on the quality of the pictures, but curiosity about the motive.

As far as showing the world in a new light, even though I would not consider chains for a young girl, it's nothing new, that is people wearing chains or photos with people, usually women, and chains. It's been done many times before.

Oh well. Another long day almost over. Don't drink too much, Pedro :)

Ursula

EDIT: spelling

Message edited by author 2004-06-16 20:26:35.

grigrigirl

Nikon D3

Nikon AF Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G IF-ED DX

06/16/2004 08:37:57 PM · #40

Perhaps the young girl feels chained by society....afraid to reveal herself. Perhaps she is wanting and craving self expression. Maybe the chains have a far deeper symbolism about the inner tumoil and struggle to find freedom of self.

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

06/16/2004 08:38:36 PM · #41

Or maybe they just look kind of cool. :o)

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

06/16/2004 08:58:53 PM · #42

Ummmmm........I don't want to get into a big discussion about beautiful women and chains, but these shots are way cool.

06/16/2004 09:30:01 PM · #43

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Ummmmm........I don't want to get into a big discussion about beautiful women and chains, but these shots are way cool.

as long as it doesn't degrade to discussions about man-boobs (sorry...'moobs') again, we're good.

06/16/2004 09:36:26 PM · #44

Originally posted by Pedro:

as long as it doesn't degrade to discussions about man-boobs (sorry...'moobs') again, we're good.

speaking of which, i almost forgot i had a pic in my possession to show off... ;)

06/16/2004 09:41:50 PM · #45

Originally posted by Alecia:

Originally posted by Pedro:

as long as it doesn't degrade to discussions about man-boobs (sorry...'moobs') again, we're good.

speaking of which, i almost forgot i had a pic in my possession to show off... ;)

shhhhhhh.

JEM

Sony DSC-F707

06/16/2004 10:25:46 PM · #46

Alecia - anything which will help us better understand the REAL Pedro...please. We suspect that behind that brash exterior there lurks a child who only wishes to be loved and understood.

06/16/2004 10:30:29 PM · #47

Originally posted by JEM:

Alecia - anything which will help us better understand the REAL Pedro...please. We suspect that behind that brash exterior there lurks a child who only wishes to be loved and understood.

am I brash? who knew? :) I would love to be understood. Especially by Alecia :)

06/16/2004 10:45:43 PM · #48

Originally posted by JEM:

Alecia - anything which will help us better understand the REAL Pedro...please. We suspect that behind that brash exterior there lurks a child who only wishes to be loved and understood.

brash? hm. i think sardonic perhaps, and certainly droll more often than not. but i do agree with the rest of your statement. :)

however, as much as i would like to share my secrets with you, i'm afraid it is not my place to do so. ;)