Just strumming at the park

[GB1]

A model at a recent photoshoot.


Comments?

g

[MB1]

Pretty tough light there.

Light is nearly everything.

I also think the background isn't out of focus enough (or is too close in tonal range and color to the model) hence it is somewhat distracting.

[GB1]

Pretty tough light there.

Light is nearly everything.

I also think the background isn't out of focus enough (or is too close in tonal range and color to the model) hence it is somewhat distracting.

So True on the lighting! It was just super bright outside, and reminded me of the desert, which I have a bit experience shooting in, and know that on days like this only dawn and dusk shots work

The EXIF data shows an aperture of f 5.0, so it's almost wide open (I prefer not to shoot at maximum aperture because it leaves so little room for error. I usually shoot one stop smaller). I believe I used flash on this too, which may have resulted in the very close tonality between her and the background. :mad2: Ah.. I need to come up with a strategy for what to do on days like this and still get some keepers......

g

[draymorton]

I agree with MB here. Two things I would have done: shoot much more wide open (maybe 2.8) and warm up the light somehow.

[Didache]

I have kept coming back to this over the past day or two because something bothered me about it. I think I know what it is: the model (attractive though she is) looks distracted and unengaged. There doesn't seem to be any spark between you (the photographer) and the model, and that comes across I think. Hence, we (the viewer) do not engage with her either. Most of your other model shots do have that sense of engagement, but not this one.

Cheers
Mike

[TheDigitalMage]

you did some work cutting her out. seems a shame to waste it. why not drop her onto another background? then use the "liquify" to change that "i gotta go potty" facial expression... rofl

[jetrim]

I am by no means anywhere close to your level in model photography, but it would seem to me that if you exposed for the sky and brought the model up to that brightness through reflectors or portable strobes, it would leave the background sufficiently dark so as to separate it tonally. The white shirt might cause huge problems with this though as you'd run the risk of blowing it out. The only other way I see around it, is to bracket the shot and then HDR merge it back together. I do agree with Mike's assessment also though, this shot is VERY static, and the pose somewhat contrived, so there is zero interaction between the viewer and the subject. Perhaps if she weren't smiling, she wouldn't look so much like she was posed and you could play up the voyeuristic angle...dunno

[GB1]

Thanks guys.

It was a last minute shot where we just grabbed the guitar as a prop (she is a musician just not a guitar player) and shot away. What happened here is that a bunch of other photographers immediately jumped in vying for her attention, and as you may be tell from this shot, she's looking at someone else.

Note that I DO like shots of models looking out and away, but when they're posing for another photographer you can sometimes tell, as their expression is not quite the same.

Here's a few more shots of that scene.

Dray, I find that shooting wide open usually produces disappointing results. You just have to be soo perfect on your focus and so careful not to shoot at too much of an angle. Regardless, this is almost as wide as this lens get. I could play with it in PP and blur the background more. Actually, a friend did that for me as an expt, but to me it looks processed (maybe because I know it is! ).

Mike, as noted, she was distracted, posing for about 3 other photographers shooting like Popperatzi. This was by far the craziest shoot I've been on with them. I hope others go better. Pls check out these shots and let me know what you think. She seemed tired at that pt btw - very hot, near dinner time.

DigitalImage, I did mask her and then desat the background. Sorry, but I don't see what you do on her expression - maybe you're seeing an expression that girls give you all the time? (sorry.. but like they say to kids, make a stupid comment, get a stupid response ). I could cut and paste her if I have some time to play around

Jet - That's an idea. Note that using a flash and very small aperture would mean that any background in view would be very sharp. What I could do though is underexpose and then overexpose with lighting, so only the near area is correct and everything else is dark. Sounds interesting and fun - I have seen this technique with Cokin filters and will have to try this sometime.

G