Charity Shoot

[D-B-J]

D-B-J I see what you're trying to do, but it looks like the contrast is completely blown out (possibly you also sharpened the image more or just simply maxed out the clarity slider?) This is creating artificially harsh lines everywhere, like the curls in her hair for instance.

An important aspect in these photos is retaining her soft features that make her so attractive in the first place as well as making sure to accurately represent the designer's dress (because let's be honest, getting to wear something as expensive as that isn't an every day occurrence!)

My edit for this image in b/w would be closer to this:

Again I've kept to simpler editing as I would probably like to tone down the light on the left.

Nono, but since I had such a small file that any edits once exported ended up looking incredibly harsh. I added no a little clarity on everything but her and didn't sharpen, but the small file upload ruined it all.. Haha.

 

[shmne]

Oh that is odd, I'm using the file downloaded directly from my website that I've been linking. Not really sure what happened then!

 

[D-B-J]

Oh that is odd, I'm using the file downloaded directly from my website that I've been linking. Not really sure what happened then!

Well I downloaded it right off here, and Nik Silver efex said it was 1.3mp, so clearly I had a downsized version [emoji12]

 

[shmne]

Oh that is odd, I'm using the file downloaded directly from my website that I've been linking. Not really sure what happened then!

Well I downloaded it right off here, and Nik Silver efex said it was 1.3mp, so clearly I had a downsized version [emoji12]

That is the same one I've been editing then, ~1mb each. I would check your output settings because there is definitely something going on if you didn't mean for it to come out like that. Even your blacks are off color.

 

[D-B-J]

Oh that is odd, I'm using the file downloaded directly from my website that I've been linking. Not really sure what happened then!

Well I downloaded it right off here, and Nik Silver efex said it was 1.3mp, so clearly I had a downsized version [emoji12]

That is the same one I've been editing then, ~1mb each. I would check your output settings because there is definitely something going on if you didn't mean for it to come out like that. Even your blacks are off color.

That's because there is a light coffee filter on the B&W conversion.

 

[Derrel]

I imported the original post's

JPEG into Lightroom...the processed .JPEG file doesn't have the bit depth to properly get the highlights right, but I was thinking something kind of like this (which looks better seen on black than on white!). I was trying to give it a more "shot at twilight, under the building's actual lights" feeling.

I used a heavy vignette to compensate for the lack of tone-manipulation ability that the RAW file would likely have.

 

[frommrstomommy]

She looks so fun! I would photograph her again in the future if possible. The camera seems to like her and vice versa!

 

[ronlane]

Couldn't help but try it in PSE11 using Silver Efex Pro.

 

[Heather Koch]

Wow. These are great! AND THE DRESSES!! Omg love. I really like the dress in the first photo/pose. But I like the second edit, with the more shadows in the background with the teal dress. That one is very well done.

 

[shmne]

She looks so fun! I would photograph her again in the future if possible. The camera seems to like her and vice versa!

Without a doubt. She mentioned to me before the shoot that she has spent a lot of time learning how to pose for the dance photographers since they often miss the shots she really wants, really helps having a model so capable.

Derrel I see what you're looking to do now, makes a lot of sense.

Wow. These are great! AND THE DRESSES!! Omg love. I really like the dress in the first photo/pose. But I like the second edit, with the more shadows in the background with the teal dress. That one is very well done.

I definitely regret not sticking to my style more when I shot these, generally I would not need to edit in more contrast. I won't be making a mistake like that again

The designer that made the dresses has done a few more shoots with me now and we have a very strong relationship. Anything I dream up she can make, she even made my mom a dress in exchange one time. Really awesome stuff!

 

[rexbobcat]

Your flash seems a little hot and there's some slight flare from the flash in the first photo (left corner; I think you fixed it though), but otherwise, they look good.

 

[DanOstergren]

The light from the flash seems a bit hot to me as well.
In the second shot I don't really like the lopsided shape that the movement gives the dress, and also wish her foot wasn't cut off by the bottom of the frame.

Those dresses are amazing though. I love that first one!