Trapped

[jetrim]

Shot this 2 weeks ago and just got around to processing tonight (this was an afterthought, not the main theme of the shoot). Wondering about brightness and contrast - this may be a touch dark, but lighter seems too light...

second shot is a crop of first, lighter w/ additional contrast.

[Coastal Flyer]

Jet,

It is dark, as you say. But so is the subject matter your model conveys. I think you should leave it just the way it is. Nicely done.

CF

[dbutler]

I like the closer crop. It makes it more intimate. You have no choise but to notice the chains and her expression. And it's lighter but not so much as to make it less of a message. But with her sensuous look, is she really trapped?

Would you share your PP work? I love the way this came out.

[jetrim]

Dee,
The title and the "chains" are metaphoric. The chains are actually silver elastic necklaces, and the look was not supposed to come across as sensuous, but the processing of the eyes was deliberate - wanted to show a spark of life.

Processing included the usual blemish cleanup and brightening of the eyes (they were 2 black holes in the image out of the camera). Duplicate layer converted to sepia and set to 75% opacity, then erasing the lips and eyes to let the full color background show through (can be done by masking as well). Merge 2 layers together and duplicate that - in photoshop the keyboard shortcut is CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+E. set the new top layer to "multiply" for the blend mode, add slight Gaussian blur (this was 2.2 I think) and adjust the opacity to taste.

Set-up was a single umbrella with a diffuser placed 45degrees right, centered about 1' above her head and very close. Model was sitting on a stool in front of a black seamless background.

[w.slayman]

Jetrim,

I think the second crop is the best, I do not see that she is sensuous in either shot. Excellent work overall.

[gahspidy]

I love her pose and expression here. I absolutely prefer the uncropped version. Seeing her torso and having the head and hands up higher in frame seems to add something to the balance as well as offering more of the girl. . .she is mysterious even moreso with more of her in the shot somehow.
I would prefer the lighting level somewhere in between the two of these. Your light set up gives this a mysterious almost Rembrandt like lighting and mood.
Its very cool and artistic.
btw, i also like the dreamy soft focus effect in these.
Well done

[PhilF]

#1 for me is a keeper