Mask

[jetrim]

Our Makeup artist got a little frisky this week

[Anbesol]

Ahhh man! With the exception of the shadow on the left side of her face, the lighting is absolutely flawless here. Some may like that kind of lighting, but I personally don't care for face shadows unless they very softly and gradually appear. Terrific expression, very strong eyes, love the dof as well. Something about the eyes seems processed, I think the pupils are unnaturally black, like you painted them with a solid black paintbrush, the edges look unnaturally circular.

*edit - oh wait, I do see it, you did paint her eyes - the reflection of your lights in her eyes isn't complete, you shopped out that twinkle glow from your lights. Personally I would leave it the natural black, which isn't jet 256 black. (varies between 245-255). Theres just something about the eyes that changes her look. Can you post original?

[jetrim]

Well, just as I suspected, that didn't take very long at all! I recently picked up a Kelby tutorial DVD on beauty and portrait retouching which came with a lot of extra brushes and files. Interestingly enough, they spend 9 chapters on eyes and 1 on skin. This was the result of following the DVDs suggestions on replacing pupils, irises, catchlights, and moonlights using entirely too many layers. Think I'll probably go back to doing it the old way :lol:

[jetrim]

This is her with her own eyes, doing it the old way. I've also made an attempt to move the shadow line over so it's not such a prominent divider down the right side of her face:

[gahspidy]

Nice work, Jet.
The second post with the "original eyes" is much better. also, the shadow removed helps.
Nice expression. Is that a muslin backdrop?

[draymorton]

The second one is much better all the way around. Great job!

[Anbesol]

Very good! WOW! How did you adjust that shadow like that?! Anyway, if I can be really picky - can you do the same for her forehead? I also like the eyes much better in the second as well.

[EOSThree]

I didn't comment this morning as I was trying to decide whether something was completely fake about the eyes or whether the mask was playing tricks on me. The second version is excellent, the eyes, while maybe not as prominent as in the first, look a lot more natural, and therefore much more appealing.
Great job on the second edit!

[jetrim]

Backdrop is painted canvas Gary. Actually belongs to a friend and looks pretty cool when you blast it with light (kinda fiery)

Anbesol, luckily this was a straight-on shot so I just grabbed a selection from her opposite cheek, mirrored it and blended it in.

Dray (and everyone) thanks for the feedback. I was really skeptical about this eye treatment and you guys confirmed it immediately - you should have seen it before it got toned down, looked like 2 orange lifesavers LMAO

[daq7]

Removing the shadow did help a lot. Was this originally shot with a soft box above and below the face?

[jetrim]

I love these "builds" It's much the same way I try to approach the lighting in the beginning of a shoot, adding and subtracting little bits until it seems right.
Daq this was a 3 light setup. I've attached a diagram with the details - pretty straightforward broad lighting configuration (the over/under softbox is usually referred to as "butterfly" or "Paramount" lighting)

[gahspidy]

Backdrop is painted canvas Gary. Actually belongs to a friend and looks pretty cool when you blast it with light (kinda fiery)

Jet, do you have a preference of canvas over muslin or vice versa. I just can't stand the way muslin wrinkles so badly.

there is a newer fabric on www.backdropoutlet.com that has something called Diamond cloth which is similar in look to canvas but supposed to be very resistant to wrinkiling.
i'm thinking of giving it a try.

[Coastal Flyer]

Jet,

This form on photography is completely beyond my knowledge/skill set so has been an education to read the posts. If there is room for my uneducated eye and can make any suggestion at all, take a look at HER left eyebrow: it has flairs, four hairs that point in the opposite direction of the rest of that eyebrow. Don't know if having both sides of her face the same matters, but as long as the discussion is on fractions of pupils, the out of sync eyebrows might make a difference. Otherwise, she is gorgeous and you did a really great job.

Personnally, I am more taken by what you capture from the beaches there in Florida. ;]

David

[BlueRob]

Nice one Jet, no doubt I like the original eye version of this, on the first pic they look fake IMO.

[GB1]

It's an interesting effect Jet .. I can't help but wonder what it would be like w/o the mask too, but I really like the sharpness and lighting. Her hair looks so alive here, at least on the lit side. Sure seems wild ..

G

[jetrim]

Gary, I don't have to pack up backdrops and transport them from place to place so wrinkling hasn't been a huge issue yet, but I do prefer canvas for the weight, it seems to help it hang better. Honestly, I prefer seamless paper to both, once it gets dirty, just cut it and roll a little more out.

CF,
Noted and corrected in the final version. Sometimes you stare at a pic so long you overlook the obvious. Thanks for the input, it helped. This stuff isn't really any more difficult than other types of photography, just different. Heck it's probably easier - try getting an Osprey to tilt it's head down a little and more to the left :lol:
GB,
Wasn't thrilled with the other wardrobe choice but here's one that came out OK with a treatment the MU artists call "smokey eyes"

[alik]

Real Nice Work.

[speedracer 36]

I'm not going to lie one bit. I love all of these so far. Honestly im looking at these shots thinking "wow how can I do this without the extra lighting." Since I am at the point that I just have the camera and nothing else. But I just wanted to say I really like the Shadow in the first one with the eyes from the 2nd one.
I am not sure what it is about the first on but I am really drawn to the shadow.

[jetrim]

Seedracer, honestly - you can't do it without the lighting BUT you don't necessarily need to buy the lighting. Search your area for photography clubs, rental studios that offer classes, meet-up groups about studio photography, etc. They're out there. I shot this with a group of guys that meet on Monday nights. This particular week we used my lights, but not every week. One of the guys owns a small studio in a warehouse district, another is a part time actor who knows a lot of models/actresses. We all kick in $20 towards paying a makeup artist and the studio's electric bill. The guys that don't own their own pocket wizards (radio triggers for the lights) borrow from those that do. Two or three of us have light meters and digital targets for color calibration. It's a way to learn that's fun too. May 2008 was the first time I walked into a studio - ever.

[speedracer 36]

Ah, that sounds like a good set up. The difficult part of that whole thing is that most of the people that I take photos with are all my age and we are around 17-19 so its kinda hard to get a hold of any equipment beyond the cameras which we each have our own. But I will for sure look into maybe finding some people in my area with some additional lighting equipment.