At the Gym

[GB1]

Taken at a Gym model shoot last Saturday. The models are preparing for a competition. This one's cropped a bit to make the composition more personal. C&Cs welcome.

G

[hminx]

The male model doesn't seem to look to comfortable .

[Levi1990]

I think when it comes to portraits, natural expressions are key in any shot. In this shot, however, you can tell that they seem really uncomfortable with each other. Especially the male. I think what would have made the shot strong is if he was looking twords the camera as well. It's a good concept for a picture though.

[n8]

I agree, that his expression hurts it. He looks like he's catching a glimpse. Also, the detail in her lips really seems to age her.

[armando_m]

Hi Greg,
nice b&w conversion !

Good composition and poses

facial expression have already been mentioned

no flash used right ?

[Greg McCary]

GB I think it has to many mid tones. I am not sure what you could do to give it more pop. But it looks flat to me. Maybe bump the contrast.? I think a well processed color version would work better. I generally have a reason I convert to black and white, high contrast scene, ect.
This one needs something to make it stand out more.

[chuckdee]

More of her and have the guy pull his drawers up. Details are everything in portraits. Open their bodies up too.

[GB1]

Thanks a bunch, everyone. Good comments. I personally didn't see him being uncomfortable, but the female is certainly more into it than him.

The comments seem unanimous on that, which makes me wonder. One thing I would suggest/recommend is: avoid reading others' comments until you have made your own observations. I follow that rule myself because I think my opinion shouldn't be influenced by another. Otherwise, we get 'Group-Think.' After I write mine, I sometimes read the others before I hit Post. If you didn't do that here, my apologies.

N8- I agree she doesn't look young. I don't think she is though ... in her thirties? Do you think I should try to hide that, e.g., possibly post process to make it look differently? It did cross my mind ...

Armando, I don't believe I used flash here. On some I did. I thought that the fellow who had a mobile strobe would let others use it too - he didn't offer, so we others used on-board flash or none at all.

Greg, you are so right - very flat! I did PP it a bit and improved it somewhat, but it's like cooking with bad ingredients in that there's only so much you can do. Increasing the contrast more made it look weird. I can look for the color version.

Levi, Pete - Here's another shot, more impactful? Maybe more Abercrombie. Maybe still a bit flat.

[armando_m]

second shot ... what's with the double chin of the guy ....

there is a great tutorial about that, let me find it

the eyes look like you added light during pp

Edit: here is the tutorial

[LaurenceCly]

I personally didn't see him being uncomfortable,

[GB1]

Thanks for the tutorial link, Armando. I have that Scott Kelby book 'Light It Shoot It ..' and it's very well written. I do see the double chin on the bottom (first) post, though not the second. Yep, we photographers must learn to see these things I am still learning how to look at the model and immediately determine their photographic strong and weak points, and taking the appropriate camera angles and poses (and use the right lighting) based on that.

Yes, I ran both of them through Portrait Professional. This was the first time I've used it on a guy. I was going to check the original last night to see if it indeed changed his eyes by a noticeable amount, but forgot. I sorta remember his eyes looking like this already though.

Overall, not disappointed with my gym shots, but I obviously have some work to do to learn the angles, lighting and poses. I also want to learn how to PP them to create that ruffled 'old gym' look ... maybe higher contrast, grainy, ... (???) Here's another shot of another model. I think that the B&W may be better?

Chuck - I did notice his shorts being low and showing the top of his underwear, but I'm not sure it's a flaw. Depends on the usage of the image maybe. It can make it look less formal, more relaxed.

Thanks LaurenceCly

G

[armando_m]

nice shot, she is impressive , like a character from video game

her face had a bit to much smoothing on the skin, that is compared to the rest of her body

[GB1]

Thanks for pointing that out Armando, I totally agree. This gal had a few sun spots that I removed, and also, when straining on the weights, the models often squinted and clenched so much to where I wondered if it still made a good photo. I edited them, but maybe too much in some shots.

Here's an adjusted version, both color and B&W - any better?

And yeah, video game looking this shot is! She should go to the San Diego comic book convention (Comic-Con) in July. She'd look awesome dressed up as a heroine.