Attempt 2 B&W

[JMLPictures]

I traveled back to Spokane WA from AZ for the 4th of July. I went over to CDA Idaho to do a shoot with a friend. Here is one from that shoot.

Lets here it? Good Bad? What do you like? What do you not like? THanks in advance!

Josh

 

[Alpha]

I hate hate hate hands on hips. I don't really understand why you stripped all the detail out in post. If you want to make her look like a ghost then go all out. Barring that, keep the detail. You don't have to sacrifice it in the name of contrast.

 

[JMLPictures]

In the small version its harder to see the detail but it's there.

Why do you hate the hands on the hips?

 

[Alpha]

Could you post the larger one?

Feel free to take the following with a grain of salt.

I don't hate the hands on hips in and of themselves. And I know well it's cliche to hate cliches. However, in my experience, many amateur models and photographers alike use them as a crutch. Unless you and your model are aiming for a mood that the pose helps effectuate, the pose isn't adding anything to the shot. I think that goes for all poses, in fact. The pose has to work to some end. In this case, and in the case of the vast majority of photos like this one, it looks to me like you said "let's shoot a pretty girl in an alley with her hands on her hips." There are, of course, ways to shoot a pretty girl in an alley with her hands on her hips that actually work. But if I look at the photo and the first thing I see is the setup, then at the very least, the substance of the shot (if any) is taking a back seat to it. So let me ask you a question. What were you expecting from the shot?

 

[tirediron]

Alpha put it a lot more eloquently than I can. In short, sorry, it just doesn't work for me. The pose appears awkward and my eye is drawn immediatley to the blown sky above the subject's head. This might work as a high-key image, but not, IMO, as-is.