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Challenge: Babies and Toddlers (Basic Editing)
Collection: 2011
Camera: Nikon D700
Lens: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Date: Oct 16, 2011
Galleries: Portraiture, Traditional Art
Date Uploaded: Oct 17, 2011

Models: Dana Peterson, Fluffy, Zeke

These ARE toddlers and babies in MY world.

I've been wanting to do Dana's portrait since FOREVER. She is a dear friend, a brilliant actor, and a marvelous model. I also knew I wanted to try a classical setting with her because she just has that sort of look. When I told her I was thinking something Vermeer-like, she practically fainted - apparently, that's her most favorite artist of all time. As she is a costumer working at Warner Bros. - which has arguably the greatest costume department on earth - she was able to pull the wardrobe for the shoot.

Vermeer is know for his marvelous directional natural light, so I wanted to shoot with natural light, but brought my strobes along, just in case. I ended up not using them, but did use a gold reflector to the right, just to fill in a tiny bit on the rocking chair. I knew she had French doors (which I'd envisioned for the shoot), but didn't realize she had a 56 inch plasma TV in that corner - too heavy to move. Fortunately she had those wonderful wood dividers, which served perfectly to both hide the TV and add a sense of period. The rest of the styling was mostly moving clutter out of the shot, finding something we could use as a "table" (a music stand flipped over is under the shawl I used as a tablecloth), and hanging a white sheet across the outside of the doors to diffuse the light. The only things I brought with me were the shawl, the bowl, and the pitcher - the most unburdened shoot I've done yet.

The dogs were a dream to work with. Zeke (the "toddler" boxer) is a total lover, and adores leaning on people. Fluffy (the "baby" mutt) was the most patient little model. As soon as Dana stepped into the shot, they assumed their positions, and I had my shot after the first take. I've never had a more uncomplicated shoot. Naturally, we took several more, and I'll post those at some other time. From arrival to departure I was there a little over an hour.

This is a very special image for me, as it is a transition in my work. I've been wanting to do a series on classic masters imagery, but wasn't ready to give up on my pet portraiture just yet.

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[Oct. 19th, 2011 02:14:59 PM]

Mariuca, your eye is unfailing. I was looking for a Vermeer influence, not an exact replica. Plus it was not possible to shoot in the plain uncluttered style of his work - there were too many things I couldn't move. I plan to edit out the back window for the final image, but as this is basic (and DPC), I had to go with what I had.

--
Thank you for all your incredible comments. I knew this would probably get hit hard because not everyone thinks of pets as their "babies". In one of life's many little ironies, one of my best shots on DPC also has one of my worst scores :-)

Statistics
Place: 71 out of 88
Avg (all users): 4.5034
Avg (commenters): 6.3333
Avg (participants): 4.2889
Avg (non-participants): 4.5962
Views since voting: 930
Views during voting: 353
Votes: 149
Comments: 18
Favorites: 2 (view)


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AuthorThread
11/01/2011 09:45:04 PM
What an exquisite photo! I love the contrast of the wine tablecloth with the wood. The lady and her outfit & tying the blue of her towel, the pitcher, and the pillow.
The only nit-pick I'd give is that the boxer almost blends into the background, and the shot is a bit dark over-all.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/30/2011 11:01:22 AM
WOW....I loved this image. I thought it was great. Dogs are babies in my world too!! I didn't vote but this was one of may favorites!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/26/2011 09:34:30 AM
Wow... a 4.5?? Hmmmm....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/26/2011 07:58:10 AM
Johanna, I gave this a 9. There was really no way to mark it otherwise among the multitude of family baby pics. Your work was tremendous. I'll PM you with more details.
Your model would be splendidly suited for a la maniere de Chardin (and using the same outfit!)
//www.cab.u-szeged.hu/wm/paint/auth/chardin/market.jpg
also
//www.artunframed.com/images/1chardin/chardin83.jpg

Fixed the link.

Message edited by author 2011-10-26 08:16:02.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/26/2011 04:23:58 AM
Nice to see that others liked this image. Also nice to see folks doing there own thing,makes things more interesting in my mind.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/26/2011 02:08:03 AM
Shoulda used in the Free Study (unless you've already got something better there). This is a fantastic image and in the right challenge, is certainly ribbon-worthy.

Remember, voters don't live in "your world" ;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
10/25/2011 11:41:36 PM
A lot of character in this scene.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/25/2011 10:15:19 PM
ha fun. Love the lighting. There's no way my baby would sit still like this - especially if water is running :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/25/2011 12:50:26 PM
Strange choice for challenge but not a bad shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/24/2011 10:24:20 AM
Great setup.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/23/2011 09:08:49 PM
I love the Vermeer look of this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/21/2011 09:58:14 AM
Great Vermeer-esque set up! I'd like to see softer lighting on the left side. Like your original idea for this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/20/2011 04:46:51 AM
I find this too staged and cluttered and both dogs look too old to be toddlers let alone babies
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/19/2011 10:08:38 PM
Very, very ambitious shot. Hard to mark though. I applaud your work, tenacity, humour, fearlessness, photo skills.
Am wondering what Vermeer would think of it.
Do you know the work of Ori Gerscht?

Since I have an inkling of the photographer I can formulate several problems that I have with this picture: you wanted to tell too much and crowded your shot with too many props, the opposite of what Vermeer did.
Hard to crop it but it might benefit from it.
The screen looks a bit cheap and does not match the intention and the style of the foreground. Same for the chair, an almost Adirondack style as far from the subject as it could be. The window in the background should have been obstructed in favor of the central subject.
The woman, dress, position, dogs ... is perfect. But the woman's face does not convey the spectacular serenity of Vermeer's portraits. The background should have been a lot darker.

This being said, I will mark this shot very high since the work and intention is unparalleled. But I do not love this picture since it is too much of a hybrid. Your work and talent is much superior to this shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/19/2011 08:04:27 PM
way out on the left field this....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/19/2011 07:38:44 PM
This is a lovely image that I would have given at least a 7 in a free study, but completely and utterly does not meet the challenge for me. Did you accidentally submit it into the wrong challenge? Lighting and subject matter remind me of the work of tanguera. No vote
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/19/2011 02:59:52 PM
great tribute to Vermeer. The little guy is adorable.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/19/2011 08:42:12 AM
Vermeer might have rented a real baby! Great lighting!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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