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01/12/2005 08:08:44 PM · #1 |
I did my first model shoot last night, and I would love peoples ideas and comments on them.
//www.dpchallenge.com/portfolio.php?USER_ID=16487&collection_id=5515
Thanks
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01/12/2005 08:17:58 PM · #2 |
Matthew,
Well, I have to say it's not my style - therefore take my opinion for what it's worth.
It seems that the emphasis is on those wings, not on the model and I think it looks a little silly (sorry.) The one I do like is number 4. I think that pose is thought provoking. I'm not sure what mood you're going for with the lighting. I'm not a big fan of the really heavy shadows that you have here, but I suppose it depends on what you were hoping to accomplish.
I think I like the number 4 one because so many of the poses are from the back, which places the emphasis on the wings. I like the front facing shots much better.
Hope this helps!
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01/12/2005 08:23:09 PM · #3 |
I like them. Not crazy about the floor moulding or her bra *wink* but I like the pictures.
Mel
Message edited by author 2005-01-12 20:23:27. |
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01/12/2005 09:00:23 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by jpochard:
Matthew,
Well, I have to say it's not my style - therefore take my opinion for what it's worth.
It seems that the emphasis is on those wings, not on the model and I think it looks a little silly (sorry.) The one I do like is number 4. I think that pose is thought provoking. I'm not sure what mood you're going for with the lighting. I'm not a big fan of the really heavy shadows that you have here, but I suppose it depends on what you were hoping to accomplish.
I think I like the number 4 one because so many of the poses are from the back, which places the emphasis on the wings. I like the front facing shots much better.
Hope this helps! |
Hey thanks for your opinion!
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01/12/2005 09:06:37 PM · #5 |
I like the idea, not sure if the pictures are good though. I know it was your first try and It's not like I'm going to punch you in the face but you wanted a comment.
The concept and angles are very nice, the lighting is what I think you went about wrong. I'm not sure if I like those wings either. I like the idea of wings, but those look like they are for a little girl at haloween. I think you have a lot going for this shots, I really like the pose for number four just take the watch and rings off next time. mabey but some different lighting angles on all the poses too.
sorry this reply seems so scrambled but I haven't slept much...it's finals week at school so you know how that one goes
Message edited by author 2005-01-12 21:07:23.
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01/12/2005 09:44:48 PM · #6 |
Here are my two cents:
Okay, so you broke the ice and you followed whatever it was you had in mind. I do not know what your level of trepidation was but I suggest you use this experience as a springboard for the next shoot.
If you do not have the facilities of superb natutal light than you must either employ hot lights or strobes and while two will do, three is preferable.
At the start, it is always best to avoid props. What I do is always begin with head shots and to fix the lighting so that it compliments the face. The head shot are a models first port of entry and I have always tried to outdo the current headshot she carries in her portfolio.
Next, you want to explore singular light and do not be affraid to use a fill light and then explore the back light even if is used exclusively as a hair light.
You want images of the head, the torso and the full figure. The full figure is harder to capture because it requires a lot of even lighting. While doing these, if you use hot lights have the model sit or kneel, whatever and pass the light across the subject. Something interesting always shows up. In short first seek the main light, then it is a simple matter to decide how much fill you need.
There are many books for posing the body and these are invaluable to a beginner. However, it is best to stay simple and allow your skills to show. The pose does not have to be provocative, the lighting yes.
Again, you have survived your first attempt, now give the matter a serious thought and prepare for the next wonderful shoot. Good luck |
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01/12/2005 11:40:05 PM · #7 |
Matthew,
I like some things about your photos but found a couple of little nits.
The first shot is more of an artistic interpretation; it includes surfaces that are pretty easily recognizable such as the carpeted floor and the wall. I like the use of light here. You have blown out the details at the far left side but that serves your vision by enhancing the gauzy material of the left wing. I like the depth of the shadows along the right side of the subject's body. I like the slight blur you've achieved in the hair standing up over the back of the subject's neck. What I find distracting in this shot is the bra, the panties, the molding on the wall and the bend of the subject's knee. The bra just flat needs to go. If the subject is uncomfortable with that then I would suggest that you have a good interpretive piece of art here that would be better suited to another subject. Nothing against the subject but I find it difficult to imagine this shot working with the disruption that the bra straps cause here; even the strap for the wings (which appears to go over the bra strap and under the subject's arm) is less intrusive to the composition as the gauze and darker design on the wings draw attention away from it. The bra just sits at the edge of the light and dark and reinforces it rather than allowing the smoother gradiation that the viewer notices at the small of the subject's back (which is a nice reminder of the feminine form). The panties aren't a show-stopper per se but these have to go. Get her in some black, white or, perhaps best of all, some ecru colored panties. Something neutral in color. Heck, even gray; just not something patterned. You went to some amount of trouble to get the subject, setup the light, either direct her or help her pose and then the design on the panties (both in this shot and throughout) just detracts from what I assume to be your vision. If you have a vision or concept that seems to rely on the subject's body and on how you light it and how you create movement; don't muddy the concept for your viewers by throwing in extra elements that aren't germain to your composition. Here, these panties just seem to be whatever she had clean and felt comfortable in (which if this was for her portfolio might be a good idea but since these are more artistic in nature I would assume that she'd want to help convey the concept instead of standing out based on her panty selection). The molding on the wall is appropriately blown out on the left side of the shot but it is evident on the right. With the gradiation you might try and clone it/healing brush it out of the shot but then again you might be as well off to reshoot and simply move the light around behind the model just a fraction more to cast all the molding either in bright light (to blow out the details) or in deeper shadow. Finally the crook of the leg is a place where you have another set of tones that ease the viewer from high contrast (between the subject's right side, the wall and her right arm) to the easier shadows on the wall to the right of her arm. Right in the middle of that tonal range you have a dark line caused by the subject's folded leg. Perhaps a healing brush pass at that section would allow you to maintain more of the illusory tones that seem to sweep the thigh and knee of the subject.
Overall, this shows some interesting attempts on your part and on the model's for the pose she hit. Good lighting and composition, just some elements and execution that may have fallen short of what it looks like you were aiming for.
On number 4 this is a little sharper with less "interpretive" elements from my vantage point but even with it being more "concrete" than "fanciful" I'd suggest your subject lose the jewelry (rings/watch). If you're going to go with a fantastic composition or elements (such as the lighting, motion blur and wings) then I think modern or even some manmade items may shock the viewer out of their suspended disbelief upon looking at your composition. Mind you, there may be a time when you want to setup the viewer to expect something beyond the ken of the modern only to smack him/her in the face with latter-day elements such as a watch or heels or something modern looking. Given the other photos in this selection I assume that you were going for an overall theme that is fantastical. The lighting here is more "modern" feeling to me with focus pretty closely achieved on the well-lit parts of the human subject rather than focusing your light on the fanciful wings and capturing motion blur. The execution on this shot says "glamour" or perhaps "editorial" style to me rather than the legendary or fantastic feeling that I get from the other photos you've shared in this collection.
Five again feels more modern although I like the inclusion of the wings here. Keeping a hint of something out of the ordinary here while not focusing the viewer's attention completely on those elements seems like a great way to make the subject the de facto central element. I get some pretty strong inclinations from the lighting that this is more a "portfolio" type shot that is used to display the subject much moreso than the lighting/composition of #'s 1 & 6.
Six is where I feel like you get back into more of what you seemed to start in photos 1 & 2 (and somewhat in 3). Again I'm having the hardest time with the inclusion of the bra in this shot. Her back is to the viewer; its an implied nude but that's different from a topless or nude and I think that shooting this with just the subject's back and outline coupled with the warmer light, the composition and the prop wings I feel that this is much more an artistic example of something you can do instead a great representation of the subject's skill or range. I wish you'd gotten just a touch more room at the top of the composition. I'm not sure if you wanted to ellicit the emotions of a fairy contained/trapped by cropping so close to the subject's head but that is the feeling that I get (one where the free fairy spirit is constrained).
Thanks for sharing and keep up the light exploration and artistic stuff.
Kev
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01/12/2005 11:42:59 PM · #8 |
Over analysis aside, these are artistic and show vision.
Number 1 and 2 are my favorites..I esp. like No.2....really nice. I love high key, it's just out of the ordinary...and apparently unboring freaks people out here.
Keep it up :-) Try different locations and see what happens!!!
Lori
P.S. the lighting is awesome...really.
Message edited by author 2005-01-12 23:43:45. |
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01/13/2005 12:49:06 AM · #9 |
Whoa! I would like to thank you all for your opinion, and I have to remind myself that I did ask for it. I feel that my vision needs to be explained here, I see an angelic figure as an everyday person (hence the bra, panties, and jewelry) but in a surreal sense, what I am trying to say is I take photographs of what I want to see not what you want to see, I am an artistic photographer, I tend to think outside the box. To me anyone can take a snapshot and with the right camera it can look great but it is those of us that take a pic of what we want to see that separates us from the pack. So I would like to say thank you for your input but only because I asked for it. And also thank you to the few people that see what I saw.
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01/13/2005 01:21:54 AM · #10 |
| For what its worth Matthew I think 4 and 5 are awesome. They give me a real earth bound angel feeling. (If that makes sense) Go for it man. |
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01/13/2005 02:07:09 AM · #11 |
| quick glance - i know not much about portrait style shots but these are shots i would be proud of having taken for a first attempt. I like the lighting and the mood. |
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01/13/2005 10:23:00 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by petrakka:
quick glance - i know not much about portrait style shots but these are shots i would be proud of having taken for a first attempt. I like the lighting and the mood. |
Thanks man! |
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01/13/2005 10:39:45 AM · #13 |
Combining 'what you saw' with the excellence in technical skill that can be obtained by heeding the advice of graphicfunk, kevinriggs and others, you could really begin to have some incredible photos that take "what you saw" and allow us to see it as well.
I also congratulate you for what you achieved on your first shoot...
Message edited by author 2005-01-13 10:40:30.
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01/13/2005 10:52:19 AM · #14 |
| I think I like four the best but I don't think she should be wearing any jewerly (watches, rings, braclets)... Otherwise, I think your style very unique which I think is a very good thing to have. |
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01/13/2005 11:13:57 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by thatcloudthere:
Combining 'what you saw' with the excellence in technical skill that can be obtained by heeding the advice of graphicfunk, kevinriggs and others, you could really begin to have some incredible photos that take "what you saw" and allow us to see it as well.
I also congratulate you for what you achieved on your first shoot... |
First off thanks, but like i said above I got the results i was looking for, some of you guys seem to think that I didn't want the results I got, but I did, other wise i would have scraped the shots and did it again. Thanks again. |
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01/13/2005 12:08:22 PM · #16 |
5 & 6 are my least favorite, the first 4 are just great. Like I said, maybe it's just me ..maybe I'm just on the same wave length as you, but I see your vision. And I think you did a great job bringing it to life.
Sure they're not perfect, maybe a different location would be better, but I don't even care, I just think the lighting and her positions are great. |
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01/13/2005 12:10:36 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by 0055:
Originally posted by thatcloudthere:
Combining 'what you saw' with the excellence in technical skill that can be obtained by heeding the advice of graphicfunk, kevinriggs and others, you could really begin to have some incredible photos that take "what you saw" and allow us to see it as well.
I also congratulate you for what you achieved on your first shoot... |
First off thanks, but like i said above I got the results i was looking for, some of you guys seem to think that I didn't want the results I got, but I did, other wise i would have scraped the shots and did it again. Thanks again. |
That's cool, congrats on some great shots then!
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01/13/2005 01:13:35 PM · #18 |
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01/13/2005 02:04:59 PM · #19 |
It's always wonderful to get what you have visualized in your head, so congratulations on that!
It's a cool concept as explained and even thought it's not MY style, it may be YOURS, and I'm glad you managed to get what you wanted. Look forward to seeing the next session! |
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01/13/2005 02:25:16 PM · #20 |
to me everyone is capable of improvement... sounds like you think there is no room for it... i think some of these comments point some of those areas out, and you are chosing to ignore them.
Originally posted by 0055:
Whoa! I would like to thank you all for your opinion, and I have to remind myself that I did ask for it. I feel that my vision needs to be explained here, I see an angelic figure as an everyday person (hence the bra, panties, and jewelry) but in a surreal sense, what I am trying to say is I take photographs of what I want to see not what you want to see, I am an artistic photographer, I tend to think outside the box. To me anyone can take a snapshot and with the right camera it can look great but it is those of us that take a pic of what we want to see that separates us from the pack. So I would like to say thank you for your input but only because I asked for it. And also thank you to the few people that see what I saw. |
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01/13/2005 02:33:15 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by soup:
to me everyone is capable of improvement... sounds like you think there is no room for it... i think some of these comments point some of those areas out, and you are chosing to ignore them.
Originally posted by 0055:
Whoa! I would like to thank you all for your opinion, and I have to remind myself that I did ask for it. I feel that my vision needs to be explained here, I see an angelic figure as an everyday person (hence the bra, panties, and jewelry) but in a surreal sense, what I am trying to say is I take photographs of what I want to see not what you want to see, I am an artistic photographer, I tend to think outside the box. To me anyone can take a snapshot and with the right camera it can look great but it is those of us that take a pic of what we want to see that separates us from the pack. So I would like to say thank you for your input but only because I asked for it. And also thank you to the few people that see what I saw. |
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Whoa there bud! I know there are some good suggestions, if you read everything you would notice I said THANKS! It is that some of the suggestions are more like you should have done it this way, instead of improvements on the feel I was trying to achieve.
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01/13/2005 02:33:54 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by soup:
to me everyone is capable of improvement... sounds like you think there is no room for it... i think some of these comments point some of those areas out, and you are chosing to ignore them.
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No, I think he's just caught off guard by the fact that people told him it was all wrong, that what he likes is just plain wrong. lol
The lighting techniques described above in great detail are all great suggestions, for another, more "vanilla" shoot, but it's not what this guy was going for.
He knows they're not perfect and little details can always be improved apon, he's just saying 'just because it's not your style doesn't mean it's alllll wrong'.
Message edited by author 2005-01-13 14:35:21. |
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01/13/2005 02:38:54 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by GoldBerry:
Originally posted by soup:
to me everyone is capable of improvement... sounds like you think there is no room for it... i think some of these comments point some of those areas out, and you are chosing to ignore them.
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No, I think he's just caught off guard by the fact that people told him it was all wrong, that what he likes is just plain wrong. lol
The lighting techniques described above in great detail are all great suggestions, for another, more "vanilla" shoot, but it's not what this guy was going for.
He knows they're not perfect and little details can always be improved apon, he's just saying 'just because it's not your style doesn't mean it's alllll wrong'. |
Thank you, thats what exactly what I mean.
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01/13/2005 06:02:25 PM · #24 |
don't take offense. i did read it all.
just it sounded like you were brushing everyones comments aside because you were satisfied with the result.
Originally posted by 0055:
Whoa there bud! I know there are some good suggestions, if you read everything you would notice I said THANKS! It is that some of the suggestions are more like you should have done it this way, instead of improvements on the feel I was trying to achieve.
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01/13/2005 09:23:37 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by soup:
don't take offense. i did read it all.
just it sounded like you were brushing everyones comments aside because you were satisfied with the result.
Originally posted by 0055:
Whoa there bud! I know there are some good suggestions, if you read everything you would notice I said THANKS! It is that some of the suggestions are more like you should have done it this way, instead of improvements on the feel I was trying to achieve.
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I won't take offense, but I do take all the suggestions to heart in noway have I just brushed them aside. I hope all is good now.
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