A couple of shots done for a friend

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

After leaving TPF for a good two years (to photographically find my path) im glad to say im back. This was my first attempt at studio style portraiture, that is directing the model instead of hiding behind the bushes and sneaking candid spy shots. Had to over come a few things like no ambient light, and a room that was currently being renovated. tried to hide that fact instead of embrace it. These turned out much better than i anticipated considering it was my first time.


Fashionista-7 by rastapai, on Flickr


Fashionista-5 by rastapai, on Flickr


Fashionista-2 by rastapai, on Flickr


Fashionista-33 by rastapai, on Flickr


Fashionista-31 by rastapai, on Flickr


Fashionista-19 by rastapai, on Flickr


Fashionista-17 by rastapai, on Flickr

Any comments are appreciated.

Andrew

 

[randy!]

Nice shoots

 

[joealcantar]

Favoring -19
-
Shoot well, Joe

 

[IgsEMT]

Fashionista 2 - be careful when placing extremities closer to the camera, they will look bigger. In this case it's a 50/50 thing doesnt subtract from the model but it doesn't add to her either. However should her legs be a bit larger it would have been horrible shot ;(
Overall very nice. I like the ration you have going on, it adds depth to the image and enhances the model.
The redshoe shot- not my flavor BUT that's subjective

Keep shooting and enjoy wonderful life of LIGHTING

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

IgsEMT, i assume you mean ratio? as in lighting ratio I actually wasnt using an off camera strobe or flash i was just bouncing my 430ex off of anything i could find in the room lol but thanks guys. just got commissioned for a wedding partly thanks to these...

 

[bennielou]

Ok, I might be flamed for saying this, but I think there is a lot of work that needs to be done here to make them to the standard of professional level.

Flame away, but hear me out first:

1.
The red balance is over the top. It's super red. The white balance is not correct. The hand on the right side of the image comes out of nowhere. The elbow on the left side is cropped at the elbow.

2.
The red and yellow channels are super dominent. Again the white balance is way off. And what's up with her hair? She's a pretty girl, but she has some crazy hair in this photo.

3.
Yellow channel is off the charts here. Plus her feet look 2x bigger than her head. Big feet....not good with ladies.

4.
I have no idea what this photo is about.

5.
Pull her away from the wall so there isn't that huge shadow. What's going on at the right side of the photo?

6.
Photo is flashed to hell and back and there is a super "creative/weird" in camera crop. I don't get it. It seems akward to me.

7.
Best of the bunch, but still the white balance needs major correcting.

Please don't take any of the above wrong. I just see a lot of major problems here.

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

I hate to say this, but as much as I really appreciate your feedback Bennielou, this is one of the reasons I stopped posting here. I understand you mentioned to take it with a grain of salt, but what this kind of criticism leads to is a very boring standardized style of post editing. I realize the colour is obviously off balance with these, but i think its pretty clear that it was done intentionally. as with the photo being "flashed to hell" its a personal/asthetic choice to blow some of the highlights in her face. You dont like it? cool just say so. these photos were meant to demonstrate the fashion stylings of a friend, so the focus should be on what she is wearing. Now the stuff i do appreciate is some of the framing issues you brought up like the obtrusive limbless hand entering the frame in the first one.

 

[bennielou]

Sorry, I'm just speaking frankly. You said yourself this was your first time doing this sort of thing, so I offered suggestions or reasons I wasn't in love with the photos.

The "off" white balance doesn't look intentional to me. I'll be frank again, and say it looks to me like lazy editing. Tell me the steps you did, the programs you used to get this "look". It's not any disernable style as far as I can see. It just looks like bad white balance. Again, JMO.

I'm sorry you don't like the CC. I'm honestly trying to help you grow. If you tune out, then you stay the same. I'm telling you from a perspective as someone who makes their entire living off of making and selling photos. What I don't think you understand, is that I am trying to help you get better. I'm not the be all, person at all. You might get a lot of differing opinions. I say hear them out, and really take into account how you could become better.

These shots don't suck, but at the same time there is some really avoidable problems here. These are things easily corrected in the future.

As for the flashed out shot, maybe convert to B/W. Her cheeks are totally blown.

Again, I'm sorry that you don't what I have to say, and I certainly don't think it's worthy of hiding under a rock over. Just mull it around in your head, and perhaps try some new things. You never know. You just might get even better.

All the best to you.

 

[tirediron]

... but what this kind of criticism leads to is a very boring standardized style of post editing.

I would hardly call what bennielou posted criticism; it seemed to be a pretty objective review of the images you had posted and one with which I agree on every point.

...I realize the colour is obviously off balance with these, but i think its pretty clear that it was done intentionally.

Really? How is that clear?

...as with the photo being "flashed to hell" its a personal/asthetic choice to blow some of the highlights in her face.

True; an unusal approach to be sure however.

these photos were meant to demonstrate the fashion stylings of a friend, so the focus should be on what she is wearing.

Fair enough; for my own edification though, how am I supposed to form an objective opinion of her clothing if it's not represented accurately? While I am not, and do claim to be a professional fashion photographer, I would rather doubt that too many designers would approve of advertisements which depicted their clothing using inaccurate colour and/or blown highlights. My understanding of fashion (advertising) photography is that it is generally intended to show off the product (in this case the clothing I understand) in the best way possible. If the shirt (for example) is a white shirt with red stripes, where is the artistic merit or advertising benefit in displaying it with over-saturated red/yellow channels and blown highlights?

Granted there are often artistic reasons from departing from the normal process or style, and while I disagree with your assertion that it leads to a boring editing style, it's a valid opinion. The other side of the coin is however, that very often people (in any field) who produce something that's not quite where it should be cry "Creative license" when people point out what seem, to the majority, flaws in their work.

 

[bazooka]

Bennie, you get a "Like" from me for the courteous critique and responding to the blow-off in kind.

 

[Chris R]

I hate to say this, but as much as I really appreciate your feedback Bennielou, this is one of the reasons I stopped posting here. I understand you mentioned to take it with a grain of salt, but what this kind of criticism leads to is a very boring standardized style of post editing. I realize the colour is obviously off balance with these, but i think its pretty clear that it was done intentionally. as with the photo being "flashed to hell" its a personal/asthetic choice to blow some of the highlights in her face. You dont like it? cool just say so. these photos were meant to demonstrate the fashion stylings of a friend, so the focus should be on what she is wearing. Now the stuff i do appreciate is some of the framing issues you brought up like the obtrusive limbless hand entering the frame in the first one.

I tend to agree with you about the people here (and all other photography forums). Photography is an art and in my opinion there is no right or wrong way to take a photo. I've seen fantastic pictures with awful white balance, technically bad composition, and things wildly out of focus. If everyone followed the same "rules" of photography, everyone's pictures would look identical and boring. I understand such critique can be helpful but it generally comes off as people just trying to flex their "I've read more books on photography than you" muscle.

Anyway, nice shots. #2 is my favorite... Not sure why though it just catches my eye.

 

[SkyBlue]

I like Fashionista 2 & 17,
It looks so real... Ideal for 'Reader's Digest'

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Photography is an art and in my opinion there is no right or wrong way to take a photo.

Ok, so why do people post images and ASK for critique?

If its all art, and no right or wrong, then there is absolutely no point in asking for critique.

Apparently, when the OP said, and I quote, "Any comments are appreciated" he wasn't being genuine.

This is a prime example of why I critique less and less here.

Deaf ears.


Carry on.

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

whatever, same old tpf. have fun boys.

 

[JenniferHynes]

Bennielou, props to you for presenting both the original criticism and your rebuttal in a constructive and helpful manner. Andrew, no matter what level you have achieved in your photographic practice it is always a little disappointing to hear our work isn't a masterpiece but being open to other's opinions and suggestions is what makes our work stronger, not conformist. As with any medium there are basic principles and elements of design and execution, photography because it is a technical medium has more than most. By learning the basics of composition, exposure, white balance and development (true for film or digital) you give yourself a solid foundation for your creative departures. If you post to the pro pages you will get a higher level of criticism by people who (hopefully) really know their stuff. It is a bit of a cop out to chalk all choices up to creative license, and I would agree with Bennielou's comments. I would add that fashionista_19 was my favorite of the group, as a portrait, not a product shot. The choices you made with dof and perspective were flattering and I quite like high key images (use that term in the future instead of "flashed to hell"). That image shows direction, style and post production qualities that are lacking in the other 6. 1 out of 7 is a good batting average for a beginner, I like to keep a quote in mind when editing- Ansel Adams used to say if he had 12 successful images he considered it a good YEAR, think about that the next time you are scrolling thru your images.