Model in Shade

[GB1]

The same model, in street clothes. I'm curious what you think of this photo's composition?

GB

[originalpopo]

so Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jetrim]

Nice work GB, though I'm not crazy about the hands being buried behind the plants, it's not a dealbreaker. As an environmental portrait, you did a fine job here, the face is perfect and beautifully lit/posed.

[hminx]

I feel completely out of my depth trying to critque this GB, so I won't, having said that I'm so impressed. ,
The glamour shots that you, Jet, and Phil post are right out of my league.

[armando_m]

Those eyes, wow ! really like the relaxed mood, she seems so comfortable having her picture taken

When I first opened the page and saw a portion of the photo i thought she'll be seating on something ...

I do not have critiques, but do have questions/comments so I can learn when - hopefully - I get a chance to shoot a model.

I'm amazed at the ability of the camera exposure system, given that the exposure on her is correct even with the strong backlight, seeing the exif you were on aperture priority, 0 EV, matrix metering, you didn't really have to do anything additional to get the exposure correct ?!?!

Perhaps only the focus was specific on her face ?

[n8]

it'd be nice to see her smile a little bit...she looks like she's in time-out.

Ok, so I took the liberty just for kicks, although it makes her look like she's got botox now.

[PhilF]

I like it... lighting, pose, composition.

especially the one "smiling" one.

[fidgety]

it'd be nice to see her smile a little bit...she looks like she's in time-out.

Ok, so I took the liberty just for kicks, although it makes her look like she's got botox now.

The PS work is poorly done as the model looks like she had bad Botox injections into her lips.

[n8]

The PS work is poorly done as the model looks like she had bad Botox injections into her lips.

Yep, I was aware of that when I posted, hence my quoted statement. I definitely lacked the time and know-how to make it look believable.

[GB1]

Yippee .. Good responses on this one.

Jet, now that you mention the plants blocking the hands I really wish I could have angled them out. But I was one of several photographers shooting her (the others had the better angles). Like you I like the trees and structure - so natural a setting. I did use a fill flash (on board), but I don't know if it reached her as I was at least 10 feet away.

Pete, Thanks, but if you can do some of the stuff I've seen you post here (which you obviously have), you can definitely shoot models too. I hear the New Zealand and Australian beach babes are stunning -- so quit wasting time!!! Summer's just around the corner for you guys

Armando - thanks and I don't see why you also haven't done a little model photography yet (? Mexican gals loved to show off and be photographed).

To answer the question, you bring up an excellent point with the exposure. I think it has a lot to do with the newish Nikon D700: it's dynamic range definitely seems better than my former Nikon D200. It has something called "D Lighting" that somehow adjusts the image; it has low, med, high and Auto settings. Auto seems to work fine for me.

But maybe just as important, I don't see it on the EXIF here but my camera's EXIF shows that I used the on-board fill flash with the flash adjusted to -1 EV. (I almost always set the flash to -1 to -2 power, or it looks artificial.) However I was at least 10 feet away, so it probably had marginal effect. But I think it had some.

Finally, I did some post processing to include Portrait Professional for skin and Corel Photo Paint for normal, general clean up and exposure fine tuning. Attached is the original shot for you eval.. all I did was resize and sharpen a little on it, so you can see the differences.

N8, I got a smile too seeing this Not bad for a quick edit. Believe me, she can smile .. she said that she has to resist smiling when she poses cause that's her natural state. See the attached Btw, looks as if you also slightly modified the exposure esp on her face, and I like it.

Phil, Chris, originalpopo - thanks too!

GB

[n8]

That's odd, all I did was get her with the liquify filter...no other adjustments. Probably an effect from saving, editing, reformatting from tiff, and posting. I'm glad you got a kick out it though.