Sitting Pretty: Studio Model - Please Critique

This is a friend of mine from work. She's had no modeling experience, but certainly fits the build. Please be honest with your critique - good and bad - this is my fifth session with a "model" in the studio, so I'm still in the learning process.

Setup:
Canon 10D - 25-108mm, ISO 200, Manual F4.0 1/125th
Hot Lights - main and fill with diffusers, hairlight with barndoors, one soft gold reflector

Thanks in advance.

"Sitting Pretty"

Just wanted to say well done - I think its a really good shot.

A really good model too

Thanks - she's probably the best I've had sit for me. Takes direction well and knows what to do with her face for good shots. You'd be surprised how much you have to coach people on how to use their facial expressions.

I'm not too keen on the hotspots on her shoulder and nose. But those could be the monitor.
I'm unsure about the knee being cut off.
The reflected light off the wood by her right hand and foot is a bit distracting, i don't know if anything could/can be done about that.
I'm still working on the hair over the eye and subsequent shadow, but I think that is just my personal preferance.

Overall, I think you and she did a great job.

I think it's absolutely beautiful. The colors work well, but I'm a big fan of muted tones. The ONLY thing would be the foot and knee missing. I basically don't think missing body parts are a big deal, but you almost had perfection!

Good idea before you do a shoot with a model to look through some fashion mags and pick out some poses you would like to try.Show them to her and work from there.You can make any changes you want from that start.Better than trying to make up poses on the spot.Lighting is good except shadow of her hair across her face.
Keep on working at it.
Bobby

You are so close on this shot, I'm almost mad at you :) . I don't think the knee is an issue but the shadow on the face is a deal breaker. I think you have this shot nailed except for that. Was that light bounced? If so you may have needed it to be closer to center and stopped down. This is what makes portraits difficult, the details. It looks like you got everything else right.

No critique. I just want to know if ALL the women in TN are as beautiful as you have shown in the past month since I have been here? If my wife ever leaves me for a another man, I'm movin' down there with y'all!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by katt

I'm not too keen on the hotspots on her shoulder and nose. But those could be the monitor.
I'm unsure about the knee being cut off.
The reflected light off the wood by her right hand and foot is a bit distracting, i don't know if anything could/can be done about that.
I'm still working on the hair over the eye and subsequent shadow, but I think that is just my personal preferance.

Overall, I think you and she did a great job.

---

Katt - thanks for the comments - I appreciate it. I wish I had got the knee in there too, but it was too good a shot to pass up either way. I'll remember that in the future.

I think I could burn the chair reflection a little and see what happens.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sandi Z

I think it's absolutely beautiful. The colors work well, but I'm a big fan of muted tones. The ONLY thing would be the foot and knee missing. I basically don't think missing body parts are a big deal, but you almost had perfection!

---

Thanks a billion - it was a close one - maybe next time.

Thanks - great suggestions about the magazine. I'll have to try that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tab

You are so close on this shot, I'm almost mad at you :) . I don't think the knee is an issue but the shadow on the face is a deal breaker. I think you have this shot nailed except for that. Was that light bounced? If so you may have needed it to be closer to center and stopped down. This is what makes portraits difficult, the details. It looks like you got everything else right.

---

I kinda dig the shadow - maybe it's just a personal preference. To answer your questions though, the light was not bounced on that side, but diffused. She leaned forward and then back and we got the hair issue (as it fell across her face). Thanks for the comments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Todd Patten

No critique. I just want to know if ALL the women in TN are as beautiful as you have shown in the past month since I have been here? If my wife ever leaves me for a another man, I'm movin' down there with y'all!

---

LOL, Todd - Your like the third person who's asked me that. I'd love to say that ALL the women are this pretty, but alas it would be a lie...only 99% of them are. ;) :p :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ACArmstrong

This is a friend of mine from work. She's had no modeling experience, but certainly fits the build. Please be honest with your critique - good and bad - this is my fifth session with a "model" in the studio, so I'm still in the learning process.

Setup:
Canon 10D - 25-108mm, ISO 200, Manual F4.0 1/125th
Hot Lights - main and fill with diffusers, hairlight with barndoors, one soft gold reflector

Thanks in advance.

"Sitting Pretty"

---

I've looked at his sveral times since you posted it (which in itself is a critique of sorts) but couldn't offer much other than "great shot."

The shadow doesn't bother me a bit. The cut off limbs do a little more, but they are forgiveable. The only other thing I though of was the lighting on her black shirt. The way it is lit doesn't show much detail - it's becomes a deep shadow. A white shirt or some lighting there might have shown her contours a little more.

By the way, it is a "great shot." I hope you and your model are very pleased.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ACArmstrong

This is a friend of mine from work. She's had no modeling experience, but certainly fits the build. Please be honest with your critique - good and bad - this is my fifth session with a "model" in the studio, so I'm still in the learning process.

Setup:
Canon 10D - 25-108mm, ISO 200, Manual F4.0 1/125th
Hot Lights - main and fill with diffusers, hairlight with barndoors, one soft gold reflector

Thanks in advance.

"Sitting Pretty"

---

Very nice. There is a sort of guarded senuality in the way she is posed here.

Just something to consider. I find my eyes are constantly being pulled down to the whites of the pants. Would the shot be more balanced if the white was burned?

Ed