Crystal Covergirl photo shoot contest results

[stormrider]

Some of you were following and also help give me feedback on this covergirl photo shoot contest I had entered. I just thought I'd post the pics I submitted (we were allowed 10 4x6's max) and the winning photos.

Here are the 10 that I submitted:

[stormrider]

And now the winning photos .. sorry about the quality ... I just took a couple quick shots of them as I was looking at them thru the glass display.

These are the 8 consolation prizes ... notice one photo of each gal (this is one of the reasons i submitted at least one for each gal, to give myself a better chance to win "anything")



the winning 3 shots are on the top row of this next image:

[Asylum Steve]

Yeah, thanks for sharing this with us. I was kind of curious how things turned out, and especially wanted to see the winning shots...

I must say I'm impressed with the winners. I didn't think it would be possible to come up with shots that good and clean in the kind of event you described. And while I think you did a real nice job under the circumstances, I also think you'll have to admit the winning images have a much stronger look than what you ended up with.

So what you should do is take a long look at them and try to figure out what qualities they have that yours lack. This is a great opportunity as you all shot the same girls in the same setting.

One important thing I noticed is that many, if not most of the winning shots have a a strong hair light that really adds a magazine cover "polish" to the pic. Most of your shots don't have that. Is there a reason for that? Were you in a bad position, light-wise?

You can also see that most all of the winners had a great sense of timing. They captured the girls at just the right moment and got a really good expression and eye contact. I can't stress enough how important this skill is. Sometimes much more important than any technical issues...

[stormrider]

Yeah, thanks for sharing this with us. I was kind of curious how things turned out, and especially wanted to see the winning shots...

I must say I'm impressed with the winners. I didn't think it would be possible to come up with shots that good and clean in the kind of event you described. And while I think you did a real nice job under the circumstances, I also think you'll have to admit the winning images have a much stronger look than what you ended up with.

So what you should do is take a long look at them and try to figure out what qualities they have that yours lack. This is a great opportunity as you all shot the same girls in the same setting.

One important thing I noticed is that many, if not most of the winning shots have a a strong hair light that really adds a magazine cover "polish" to the pic. Most of your shots don't have that. Is there a reason for that? Were you in a bad position, light-wise?

You can also see that most all of the winners had a great sense of timing. They captured the girls at just the right moment and got a really good expression and eye contact. I can't stress enough how important this skill is. Sometimes much more important than any technical issues...

Hey Steve, thanks a lot on your tips and suggestions.

All in all it was pretty disheartening to see 12 shots without my name on a single one in a field of probably 30 photographers - that was pretty bad.

With the hair light, I had some of those but I didn't like how any of them looked so I didn't really bother to submit any (though one of mine that I submitted seemed to recall had some). A couple of the winning shots were pretty harsh looking with the light but I don't know if it was the light from the display unit doing it or if it was harsh. I'll dig up a couple of mine and post it later.

With the timing, I thought I am working on my 6th sense with timing - mostly thru concert shots but maybe I got a ways to go yet. I'm not sure about the circumstance of the winning shots though, whether it was just luck or whether they were one of the photographers that were vocal in calling out the gals. Most photographers were quiet like me but some were vocal.

Next up for me is to see if I can do any better at the much bigger Miss Chinese Vancouver ... it too has a photo shoot contest and I'm fixing to make some noise on that one. I didn't enter last year but I did jump in with all the photographers and started shooting, no one kicked me out so I kept at it ... even got my Elan 7 busted halfway thru and didn't even know it until I got home. Stray light got in and ruined half my shots LOL

[another view]

Thanks for sharing, I wondered about this too. I have to say I agree a lot with what Steve said, and he knows this type of work very well. You did very well under the circumstances, but taking advantage of any kind of available light (hair light) would have made a difference. The other thing I notice is eye contact. I don't think you always have to have it to get a great shot, but some shots look like they should have had it - like the model was looking at the photographer a few feet away from you (remember the Austin Powers suggestion...). Again, tough circumstances for shooting and all in all I think you did well.

[stormrider]

Thanks for sharing, I wondered about this too. I have to say I agree a lot with what Steve said, and he knows this type of work very well. You did very well under the circumstances, but taking advantage of any kind of available light (hair light) would have made a difference. The other thing I notice is eye contact. I don't think you always have to have it to get a great shot, but some shots look like they should have had it - like the model was looking at the photographer a few feet away from you (remember the Austin Powers suggestion...). Again, tough circumstances for shooting and all in all I think you did well.

Hey thanks for the feedback, I will try to post some of my shots of the gals with the hair light this weekend ... I guess it was a matter of me having some shots with the hair light and also some with a couple of the models looking at me but I didn't like those shots so I didn't submit them - maybe I made a bad choice but I'll post some up and maybe you guys can let me know.

But now something else has my attention ;-) ...last nite I was surfing and found that some local camera shop is introducing the new Sony camera at their store and they mentioned they were making an "event" out of it by having a stage with models. I'm going to see if I can get some practice there

[tink]

The one of yours that's in there is the one I would have picked a winner! Well done!

[stormrider]

The one of yours that's in there is the one I would have picked a winner! Well done!

Thanks. Which one of my 10 pics do u think could have made it into the winner's list?

[starriderrick]

You are a winner because you're out there , trying. I like your work! :thumbsup:

[stormrider]

You are a winner because you're out there , trying. I like your work! :thumbsup:

Hey thanks for the words of encouragement - I'll be at that same contest again next year!

[Asmarlak]

I think getting a winner portrait is starting with picking the right model. You cannot have in your photo what the model is unable to give to you. What the model gives, shines through in her photo and felt by the judges or anyone who sees it. You cannot pick a model that looks like "The housewives of New Jersey" for example and expect to show her as if she is Scarlett Johansen. What you see in her with your naked eye is what everyone else will see in her photo. I guess my advise is, train your eyes to make the right judgement before others do.