learning men/Updated OP

mmaria

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So... as you already know, I mostly photograph women... But on Tuesday, I photographed two male models.

My main concern with shooting men was that I won't be able to produce anything "manly" enough. While I was shooting them, I was thinking "Oh well this isn't that difficult". Guys were just awesome, really. We had a good time together.

My conclusion from the shoot: working with men is much much easier. And editing men is easier.

I realised that I'm looking the same feelings, things in men as I do in women. But I found difficult to tell a story with a guy. So I went with portraits mostly. And I was really scared when I started to edit some photos.
I'm used to adding gentle colors but what do I do with a guy? etc etc.

Anyway, I edited four photos just so you can tell me your thoughts. How did I do?

...and I posted large files ....

__________U_P_D_A_T_E_D_ ___________________________________________________________
1.
It should have looked like this
blpark_260416_0020 (Medium).jpg


2. I adjust like Tim suggested but can't do it right now
blpark_260416_0025 (Medium).jpg



3. I deleted it, because I'll edit it from the begining

4. Following Dan's instruction I did this... and I think it's my final version because I spent so much time on this image and I can't see it straight any more ... I'll move to the next one when I hear your opinion, I have plenty to learn and practice.


blpark_260416_0219 (Custom).jpg
 
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I agree; the WB does seem a tad off, but that's easily corrected. Two further nits: I'm not fond of the way you've cropped off his back in #2 and in #4, there's one collar point inside and one outside his sweater. Minor, but to me at least, visually annoying! Overall I think you did really well, and the chap in the second set has a great look for young men's fashion work!
 
They look very eastern european.
 
I'm used to adding gentle colors but what do I do with a guy?
These aren't bad, but you can learn a lot by looking at other photographers' work. Try to look at several portfolios from photographers who have a really good reputation for portraiture.

I think you will find that for men you can shoot in "low key" and allow shadows, something that you probably wouldn't do when shooting women. Study posing for men, as it will be different from posing women. We're not complicated at all, so have fun with it.
 
These guys would be described as androgynous. Which for your style fits well. If on the other hand you were dealing with more masculine men, workers, and such then what Designer said would apply to a much greater degree. Harsh lighting and 'strong' poses are the mainstay of masculine subjects.
 
Didereaux said:
These guys would be described as androgynous. Which for your style fits well. If on the other hand you were dealing with more masculine men, workers, and such then what Designer said would apply to a much greater degree. Harsh lighting and 'strong' poses are the mainstay of masculine subjects.

Yes, they do seem a bit andro. As far as that goes, the head tilt to the high shoulder in shot #4....that is a classic feminine head tilt, and that really suggests femininity, depending on whether the subject is male, or female. Such an extreme head tilt, with the low shoulder very low, and the high shoulder and head very prominently aligned as they are is a traditionally verrrry counter-masculine connotation among those who have studied painting and photographic traditions in body posing. At the studios I worked for in the 1980's and 1990's this feminine head tilt was discouraged, very strongly, for men. However...this is a different time, and if you want to give off an androgynous vibe, this makes sense to pose a male in this way. This is part of the visual language, and it's been done this way for literally centuries...look at classical painting as a guide to shoulder alignment, and head angle in relation to the shoulders.

This topic here on TPF in the past has drawn some very non-beleiveing responses from people who claimed there "is no such thing" as a masculine or a feminine head tilt, or pose. Designer's comments on posing for women is a good example of the hidden bias toward masculine poses and masculine head positioning, versus how women are posed (women today are often posed in BOTH masculine OR feminine poses and feminine head tilts!).

Poses #1 and #2 have a slumped-over, hunched back, which conveys depression and hopelessness very well, and works very well for this young man. #1 has very clever framing and composition. #2 really conveys a sense of sadness, and the eye contact reinforces it. #3 has pretty good background control, with squared up, level shoulders, head in alignment with the face angle (neutral), but the long expanse of cloth below the folded arms looks like a skirt...it really does (maybe it is?)....it would look better cropped at the bottom a bit. #4..well...there's the androgynous effect, big-time.

Nice color palette on these though..moody...subtle.
 
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I'm not really a fan of these mmaria. I think most of your shots have an unconsious confidence, an insight to the shot and a feel to them that's spot on almost every time. These shots look a bit forced to me. Sure, there's a few things that a bit emo and "twilighty" about these shots and that demographic will like these so it's not that they don't have appeal.

I really don't think it's a masculine vs feminine thing, but more that you got worried about how to pose them and shoot them that it shows in the final image and the shots lack mainly the strong connection that we are used to seeing in your shots. But that kind of shows in your comments too. I think don't worry too much about your subject being masculine or feminine but what your connection to the shot is.

A good example is the older lady's hands you shot, I doubt you were consious of her sex when you took it but you made a connection which was comfortable and natural.
 
@Derrel

Sorry mate, I have to pick you up on this one ;)
"give an overtly gay sexual allure" I think the word you want is effeminate bud. Just because not eveyone is the same. I know it wasn't meant in a bad way though mate, made me laugh though!
 
With men, as with women, it works best when we can connect to the person within, or to what we think we imagine the person to be.
 
mmaria, I think #3 is the nicest of the set, though I think you could strengthen with a little cropping off the top of the frame.

All of them are "angsty whiny teenagerish" looking, which annoys me endlessly... but not from a photographic standpoint so much as an "old curmudgeon" standpoint. :)

I do not think they are as good as your usual stuff, but I do think #3 is great. (and sorry I can't be more constructive on these... people photography is not generally my thing)
 
I love these. Yes, it's good to know how to make a man look masculine, but in my opinion it isn't a bad thing for a man to have soft or gentle body language as well, and I try not to focus too much on making sure my male models look "manly" or basing too much of my posing off of their gender; loosen up a bit and have fun. That said, I think you did a good job by posing them in ways to create sharp angles that compliment their "manliness", but your soft evocative style is still apparent and is what I love most about these shots.

I particularly like 1 and 4. Both of those shots tell a story to me and express something very evocative. 4 is my favorite; it's a beautiful headshot, but I would consider cropping it. I especially like the green tones, but I would perhaps warm up his skin just a bit with some subtle orange/red tones and play around with the colors a bit more to get tones that compliment each other better; the green tones in the background would really compliment a warmer skin tone in my opinion, and would make the dark purple spots under his eyes less apparent and more healthy looking. The dark purple tones in the under-eye spots make him look very sleep deprived, and a little dodging and color adjustment should be enough to fix it. I would also use a layer mask over a "Color Balance" adjustment layer in order to selectively remove the big green spot under the model's chin in the last shot, and another to match the skin tone on the right side of his face to the left side of his face.
Here is a quick edit I did:
_mg_7100_by_danostergren-da0u93u.jpg

(If you like the edit and want to dissect it, here is the TIF file. I'm happy to answer any questions if you have any.
Dropbox - _MG_7100.tif

I think it also makes an interesting black and white: http://orig11.deviantart.net/5205/f/2016/120/5/e/_mg_7100bw_by_danostergren-da0ub0h.jpg

I also thought I should comment on the head tilt in the last image: I love it. It says so much more than a stiff, straight-on look. It adds interest and personality. Don't box yourself into these stupid masculine/feminine rules, and keep doing what you're doing.

The styling on the first guy is a bit boring in my opinion, but the styling on the second guy looks more like something I would see published in a magazine. That model has a high fashion/ agency look to him, and I would definitely work with him more. I'd love to see any more of the shots you got of him.

My least favorite shot is the 3rd one. I don't like the dark spots under his eyes and recommend dodging them to make them less apparent (but don't get rid of them completely), and I don't like the way the color tone of the background looks against his skin. I also don't like the way he's pointing out of the frame. None of these are bad shots though.

I like your skin editing overall. Like I mentioned before, just reduce the dark spots under the eyes just a little bit to make him look less sleep deprived.

Next time you shoot a male, try to use light that is at a slightly higher axis point in order to sculpt their features a bit more (cheek bones and jaw line).
 
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I won't get into the pose, there may have been 100's of pics shot and the ones "you" chose were what you are drawn to, my only thought is that their skin looks a little soft/smooth...losing cheek and jaw definition....
 

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