Modeling Shots- C&C Please! NSFW

[fragged3d]

My models do enjoy posing for me and they love their pictures, I'm thankful for that!

I am beginning to see some things with the light. You pointed out that the #2 in the first set was the best, I removed the umbrellas from the constants and brought the lights closer to the models. This seems to work but just like #1 in the first set, it sometimes blows out the background.

The issue with the iso, I never go over 100 unless I am shotting them moving, like a fan blowing their hair. I have not posted any of these simply because model Benita did a set and they turned out crappy.

I have tried fill flash from the camera but it seems to me that it muddies the picture. A side note that I'm not really sure about but #2 might have been shot in mf mode because when I get too close my camera will not af correctly. Previous posts by me will show that I don't know what model of strobe to go after. I made a couple posts about lighting as well as camera equipment. I stayed with my Sony to hone up on my skills but never purchased a strobe because I didn't want something cheap just to start, I don't want to have to re-buy equipment in the future. I am a web design major but I have taken a life long interest in photography and I will spend the money for good equipment even if it only stays a hobby.

 

[stsinner]

The issue with the iso, I never go over 100 unless I am shotting them moving, like a fan blowing their hair. I have not posted any of these simply because model Benita did a set and they turned out crappy.

This is twice now that you've mentioned ISO when talking about motion.. Can you explain this to me? Are you raising your ISO if there is motion because yo're changing your aperture to capture the motion and,therefore, darkening the pictures? I've never read anything about associating ISO with motion, but rather using the aperture and shutter speed.

 

[fragged3d]

ISO 400, No umbrellas and fill flash from the camera. No editing only resized.

 

[fragged3d]

This is twice now that you've mentioned ISO when talking about motion.. Can you explain this to me? Are you raising your ISO if there is motion because yo're changing your aperture to capture the motion and,therefore, darkening the pictures? I've never read anything about associating ISO with motion, but rather using the aperture and shutter speed.

Maybe I took something wrong away from photography class and what I've learned, this could be a BIG problem then!

 

[SrBiscuit]

yeah, iso has nothing to do with the blurriness...it would be that they are either focused in the wrong area (someone said above that the arms were in focus), or the shutter speed was just too slow...

*edit*
looks like we posted at the sametime.

i would vote dropping your ISO back down to 100, and just add more light.

and when you say fill flash from camera, do you mean the popup flash?
if so, a flash unit would be an awesome addition to your gear...that way you could bounce and aim the flash differently to suit your needs.

 

[fragged3d]

yeah, iso has nothing to do with the blurriness...it would be that they are either focused in the wrong area (someone said above that the arms were in focus), or the shutter speed was just too slow...

*edit*
looks like we posted at the sametime.

i would vote dropping your ISO back down to 100, and just add more light.

and when you say fill flash from camera, do you mean the popup flash?
if so, a flash unit would be an awesome addition to your gear...that way you could bounce and aim the flash differently to suit your needs.

Yes, I mean the popup flash from the camera.

I'm sitting here with the manual out for my camera and I'm seeing I have been neglecting the shutter speed and letting the camera pick it for me. I have been messing with it but I have not gotten it down yet, it seems to change my fstop when I move it and my light meter spot on the camera. I won't be able to test my findings till later in the week but it sounds like I need to brush up and learn the shutter speed part of my camera.

 

[SrBiscuit]

sounds like you pinpointed a major part of the issue!

i look forward to seeing more images.

 

[MelodySoul]

Yeah shutter speed is a pretty important part lol. ISO has nothing to do with movement, it's only to let in more light but keeping the ISO low if possible is best. You want to increase your shutter speed if there is movement.

 

[biancarose]

I personally do not find anything really artistic about them. I am not against nudes or semi nudes, but these kind of look like porn. The models are not that pretty either, and their makeup is aweful. The first one looks like she took a sharpie and drew her eyebrows on. No offense, but I would have had them just wash their face and shot them natural.

Mindy is the best. Because she looks in the lense. The rest have their eyes all over the place.

 

[GeneralBenson]

I'm going to have to agree that these seem the be rather blunt and tasteless. They seem to be poorly lit photos of boobs. Seems to be camera shake is your problem. Do you know what the shutter speed is on these pics? If you're letting the camera set it for you, then it's probably picking something too slow. Sounds like you have quite a bit to learn. I suggest reading Understanding Exposure by Brian Peterson. I don't think the strip light are getting the job done either. The light as no direction, I think you have too many lights going on. Light shapes things, but if you have a light shining from every direction, it's directionless. You really need a dedicated background light. Have a wrinkled almost white background looks awful. And son on.

 

[KmH]

Yes, I mean the popup flash from the camera.

I'm sitting here with the manual out for my camera and I'm seeing I have been neglecting the shutter speed and letting the camera pick it for me. I have been messing with it but I have not gotten it down yet, it seems to change my fstop when I move it and my light meter spot on the camera. I won't be able to test my findings till later in the week but it sounds like I need to brush up and learn the shutter speed part of my camera.

You'll need to be careful with the popup camera flash. Because it is so close to the lens axis your subjects can wind up with 'red eye'.

You've now discovered that you need to control 3 things to get a good exposure: aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

While you have your camera manual out look at the focusing modes because you should have about 3 choices on how that works as well as a couple of modes that determin how large the AF sensor area uses. Also you should have at least 3 focus points inside the viewfinder that are selectable. Notice too that there are limitations to AF.

The other thing you might explore is how the aperture you choose determines the Depth of Field, or how far away and how close the range of focus is.

Keep working at it and you'll start getting it come together.

Posing and composition are subjects you'll eventually want to explore too.

 

[kundalini]

You are fortunate to have the models that seem to enjoy the camera. Concentrate on the lighting and focus next time. Forget the puritans' comments. We can't ALL be as perfect as they seem to be.

 

[fragged3d]

I would like to point out that I do have 2 constants on stands, I will post a pic of all that when I get a chance. I use a tripod to shoot, so I don't know how it would shake. I also use a remote to shoot so I'm not touching the camera when it snaps.

 

[CW Jones]

well it does have a mirror in it, so unless its on mirror lock up... its going to shake a little. my photo teacher showed us just how much by putting his camera on a tripod and using a cable release. He told us all to put a couple fingers on the tripod, and when he hit the release.... you could feel it all the way through the tripod.

maybe check to see if your camera has the lock up feature?

 

[fragged3d]

I'm going to have to agree that these seem the be rather blunt and tasteless. They seem to be poorly lit photos of boobs. Seems to be camera shake is your problem. Do you know what the shutter speed is on these pics? If you're letting the camera set it for you, then it's probably picking something too slow. Sounds like you have quite a bit to learn. I suggest reading Understanding Exposure by Brian Peterson. I don't think the strip light are getting the job done either. The light as no direction, I think you have too many lights going on. Light shapes things, but if you have a light shining from every direction, it's directionless. You really need a dedicated background light. Have a wrinkled almost white background looks awful. And son on.

I am new at this in the model sense but I have been progessively getting better. When I started out with Kylie and Benita modeling I had no idea what to do or say. I learned very quickly that I had to be the one to tell them what to do, pose them and tell them about thier faces. I have been working with Kylie to loosen up in front of the camera, her earlier shots are horrible with her eyes, she looks so scared in some of them. I try different things to relax the models and try to make them laugh. My initial shots like these are for practice, they were not planned and I don't advertise them as being anything but practice. Everyone will start somewhere and even if you are a purist there is a photogrpahy genre called sensual. I will continue to get better and you will see more put together shots but at this point it's all learning with what I have! I have said something to all of them about showing up next time with makeup and stray away from wearing screamingly aweful nail polish to a shoot, takes a lot to organize by yourself. I have already posted before that I washed my backdrop and ironed it for my next shoot. I have a friend bringing me a crotch rocket for this weekends shoot, should be fun and a learning experience!