A Venus

[megan]

This is part of a series I'm currently working on. I haven't posted any at all on PR, but I thought I'd post it here. I'm going to re-shoot and wrap my model in cloth instead of the black top. IMHO, the black top makes the image appear not well thought out and executed, and I want it to be great. If anyone else has any more suggestions, questions, criticisms, whatever, feel free to post. My scanner BTW is consumer grade and the contact sheet was way magenta - I didn't spend much time color correcting it. I used my Holga and double exposed, Kodak Portra 400 VC.

Thanks for looking!

[GB1]

Hi Megan

Well, I can see the artistic side coming out here, but I have some suggestions that could improve the shot:

- Change the angle. This one is too common, pretty much the lying on the couch or bed angle.
- Increase the sharpness. Sometimes you want to soften for effect, ,but here it's just too soft (my opinion on that..)
- Need a better facial expression on the model. This one's a little too non-expressive. (Needs more 'attitude', for lack of a better word.)
- The filter effect .... Hmmm... maybe it would work if the above three items were improved. By right now it seems like a bit of a desperate attempt to save the photo. Gotta be real careful with filters.. Only use them in rare situations, for overuse can really make the photo seem gimicky

I hope my suggestions help . Good luck with the series
GB

[megan]

Thanks for the input! I appreciate it.
No filters were used - I shot with a Holga, hence the softness. Sorry, I should have noted that. And it's a double exposure. I should have noted that as well.

Megan

[Dzerzhinski46]

Dear Megan,

When I saw your title, I expected a semi naked woman reclining on a couch or something! Sorry about that. On a more serious note, this isn't really what I would expect of a Venus. Classically, from what I can remember, a Venus is depicted more in either the "emerging from the sea" pose, or the "reclining on a couch with attending Cupid" pose. I would say that it needs work. You might try the reclining on a couch pose, clothed of course. I think especially with the Holga, you might be able to approach the "look" of the old masters' Venus. I am sorry for being very vague on all this. Hope this helps.

Drew

[gahspidy]

Yes, you did mention the Holga and the double exposing ( I'm quite surprised that it looks this sharp considering that) but also that PortraVC film adds to a dreamy look at times. I just finished a roll of Portra VC 160 . .I like it's effect for other shoots besides portraits as well.
i would agree with another comment on the facial expression here, and also the pose looks very stiff and tense. The thing is, I'm not sure exactly what your going for here with this series and maybe seeing the rest of the series may put this into some context for me.
I feel that the technical aspect is good, i like the softness and the holga feel here, but I'm not getting any impression of what the composition is saying or wants to make me feel. But like I said, I may "get" it if I saw it in the context of the rest of the series.

[drg]

This is part of a series I'm currently working on. I haven't posted any at all on PR, but I thought I'd post it here. I'm going to re-shoot and wrap my model in cloth instead of the black top. IMHO, the black top makes the image appear not well thought out and executed, and I want it to be great. If anyone else has any more suggestions, questions, criticisms, whatever, feel free to post. My scanner BTW is consumer grade and the contact sheet was way magenta - I didn't spend much time color correcting it. I used my Holga and double exposed, Kodak Portra 400 VC.

Thanks for looking!

Megan,

When the Venus topic comes up, emergence or rising also come to mind. I'm not getting that from this one part of the series. May not be the facet you're seeking.

I like the vignetting and double exposure (ethereal effect anyway). Are you going to do more with the shells or are they a small continuity to be carried throughout the series?

Hope to see more of these or all of them!

[megan]

Hope to see more of these or all of them!

Here is another from the shoot. I hate the angle and so little of her being in the frame, but a friend of mine likes the movement created by the sand. I exposed the sand first, then layered it with my model.

I'll be shooting more Venuses, a Medusa and a Salome (or two) soon, so I will post for opinions!

Thanks, all

Megan

[Chunk]

I like the dreamy feel. I think the cloth wrap would be an improvement, especially if it could appear to be a continuation of the cloth held by the hand (Neptune's?) in the other half of the exposure. It could feel like it was crossing planes of existence.

[megan]

Thanks everyone!

And couldn't you read my mind for the rest of the information?!?!!

I won't bore you with blah-blah-blahing, but basically, I'm doing my own interpretations of classic themes/idealized female in art (history.) So this is actually titled "Death of Venus," after Boticelli's "Birth of Venus." Hence the shells circling her head, and the purple cloth covering her face instead of covering the newly emerging innocent Venus arriving on land. And the non-expression. Would it work better if the eyes were in a dead stare and open? When I re-shoot, I will give that a try in a few of them.

I don't have any others in the series done yet. I'll be shooting pretty heavily this month and next month - I've already got my Sundays booked for the rest of June. I'll definitely post a few for more feedback.

Thanks for taking the time to comment and look!

Megan

[drg]

. . .
And couldn't you read my mind for the rest of the information?!?!!


Megan

Did I mention that Mind reading is EXTRA! ;)

The second photo reminded me of something and I had to go look it up. There's a Venus that always sticks in my mind (the seashells did it) and that's Venus and Cupid by Cranach. I can never remember that name.

Looking forward to as many of the series as you wish to share! Are you going to use the same model for all of them? That could be interesting . . . (a piece of advice probably worth less than its cost)

I like the second face in the first photo but not the location.

I'll go back to sorting photos from work this week and designing test images for the new cameras now.

[megan]

Did I mention that Mind reading is EXTRA! ;) ..... Are you going to use the same model for all of them? That could be interesting

nope, i've got a huge wonderful crew of narcissistic friends that are more than willing to model for me for pictures of themselves!

Kidding - they are good people and willing to help me out.

thanks agian - and i will post more when i get them. i've got one shoot this sunday, we will be working with noh masks, and then next week i'll be doing medusa, then the following weekend another couple of venuses!

megan

[Dzerzhinski46]

thanks agian - and i will post more when i get them. i've got one shoot this sunday, we will be working with noh masks, and then next week i'll be doing medusa, then the following weekend another couple of venuses!

megan

Dear Megan,

The Medusa one will be something else! And no masks too. You have piqued my interest. Your choice of classical subjects is interesting, but very innovative. Keep up the good work.

Drew

[Seb]

This is part of a series I'm currently working on. I haven't posted any at all on PR, but I thought I'd post it here. I'm going to re-shoot and wrap my model in cloth instead of the black top. IMHO, the black top makes the image appear not well thought out and executed, and I want it to be great. If anyone else has any more suggestions, questions, criticisms, whatever, feel free to post. My scanner BTW is consumer grade and the contact sheet was way magenta - I didn't spend much time color correcting it. I used my Holga and double exposed, Kodak Portra 400 VC.

Thanks for looking!

Hello Megan,

I looked at both version, I took note of all your comments and others comments as well.
I basically like both pictures and I don't think that the "flaws" you are talking about (your scanner, the color cast....) really matter at all. I mean, the Holga have an aesthetic of its own with technical imperfections (by today mainstream standards...) which create the magic.

Having the model wraped in cloth would certainly make the pictures more interesting but that's about it. I prefer the second picture over the first one as your model appears too tense to be dead in the first one (if it makes any sense). Otherwise, I really like were you are going with these.

Seb

[megan]

I prefer the second picture over the first one as your model appears too tense to be dead in the first one (if it makes any sense). Otherwise, I really like were you are going with these.

thanks for your thourghtful response!
too tense to be dead - i agree, and i get what you're saying.
i guess i'kk ahve to ply her with some - er - ambrosia, the food of the gods - for the next shoot so she's more relaxed

megan