As generic as it gets for me.

[rexbobcat]

There's just something I don't quite...like...about the light. It's not bad light at all. It's kind of Rembrandt-y.

But...I think it's not hitting her eyes enough for my tastes.

I could see this kind of dramatic natural light being a good high fashion look, but for me it doesn't quite get there with this particular model/purpose.

I think it also had a little bit to do with the background. The elements in it aren't necessarily distracting, but it does seems brighter than the model.

 

[ronlane]

I lke the pose in #1 and also think that it is a little cool. Charlie's edit looks really good to me.

 

[DanOstergren]

I agree, slightly underexposed in general (but the dramatic lighting on her face makes that difficult to correct without overexposure) and they are somewhat cool. As an example... +3 Brightness, +6 Red, - 6 Green (edit on the right) Pretty significant difference...

View attachment 47878

To me that just makes her skin tone way too red. As for under exposure, it was a challenge to expose her properly without clipping the highlights in the background.

 

[DanOstergren]

There's just something I don't quite...like...about the light. It's not bad light at all. It's kind of Rembrandt-y.

But...I think it's not hitting her eyes enough for my tastes.

I could see this kind of dramatic natural light being a good high fashion look, but for me it doesn't quite get there with this particular model/purpose.

I think it also had a little bit to do with the background. The elements in it aren't necessarily distracting, but it does seems brighter than the model.

I agree with you about a lot of this. Im wishing I had caught more catchlight in her eyes. Regular portraits like these just aren't my usual style, so I was a bit out of my element. All a big learning process for me still.

 

[cgipson1]

I agree, slightly underexposed in general (but the dramatic lighting on her face makes that difficult to correct without overexposure) and they are somewhat cool. As an example... +3 Brightness, +6 Red, - 6 Green (edit on the right) Pretty significant difference...

View attachment 47878

To me that just makes her skin tone way too red. As for under exposure, it was a challenge to expose her properly without clipping the highlights in the background.

Odd.. I am on a calibrated monitor... and your original has skin color I would expect to see in a vampire or zombie movie! lol! No warmth at all!

 

[frommrstomommy]

I gave one a go..

 

[ktan7]

Great shots! But my first reaction was that you took the colour off her face. She looks pale. Otherwise, good work.

 

[DanOstergren]

I gave one a go..

View attachment 47893

This looks really great to me. Definitely not too red like a tomato (sorry cgipson, the overly red tones were too much for me) and just the right amount of warmth to me.

 

[DanOstergren]

Great shots! But my first reaction was that you took the colour off her face. She looks pale. Otherwise, good work.

I usually like to make my models pale when I do art shoots, and I think I was editing by habit with this shoot when I should have been editing more towards the style of portrait (not being an art portrait).

 

[kundalini]

She looks grey, not cool.... and under exposed which plays into the hand of the grey look. I'm not exactly sure what your intentions were, but I doubt zombie-like was in the mix. BTW, my 24" monitor is calibrated.

Apart from #2, all are shown with football shoulders. This is not the most flattering pose, particularly for females. #2 only gives a glimpse at a more dynamic pose.

The subtle use of Fill flash and/or reflectors would have been a bonus to make her stand out. With a background so bright, the subject should be brighter and the background reduced in intensity. Experience will be your guide.

If your purpose was to highlight her image for a newspaper article, then IMO you have failed. Your artistic vision sometimes needs to take a back seat to convention whether you believe it or not. The greater good would be to accentuate her features, not your art in this instance.

 

[cgipson1]

I gave one a go..

View attachment 47893

This looks really great to me. Definitely not too red like a tomato (sorry cgipson, the overly red tones were too much for me) and just the right amount of warmth to me.

I like warmth.. not corpse pallor! My edit is within the accepted range, on the warm side. The image two posts above is in the acceptable range on the cool side. I would suggest that you need to recalibrate your eyes for normal flesh tones... since it would seem you seldom work with them. (not saying that is a bad thing.. but when you are working with a pretty girl, you don't want her to look like she just rose from the grave, do you?)

This may help....

Correcting Skin Color: CMYK Tone Values & Nationality (Ethnic) Variations | Measuring and Correct Skin Color

Tip of the Day: Skin Tones By the Numbers | Popular Photography

 

[DanOstergren]

Thanks for the advice cgipson. Regardless, it is about my vision, and I decide what is too red for my own personal taste. The other one that I quoted is still the one I prefer. It's a simple difference of taste, not a matter of right or wrong.

Kundalini, I think you are right. She looks gray to me, not blue. I'm going to try watching for these things in the future. This was my first time shooting for a newspaper to do a feature. That being said, both the newspaper and the girl really love the photos, so I do not see this as a failure. Definitely a good lesson though.

 

[kundalini]

Do not confuse acceptance as acceptable. Your due diligence to discern between the two is what is required. There have been several comments already that should allude to the truth.

 

[DanOstergren]

Do not confuse acceptance as acceptable. Your due diligence to discern between the two is what is required. There have been several comments already that should allude to the truth.

Like I said, I'm taking this as a learning lesson. I can be happy that both the publisher and client are more than accepting of the photo though, nor do I have to look at it as a complete failure. This doesn't mean that I don't see what I can do better in the future through the feedback that I'm getting here.

 

[Juga]

Are those shoes dem Sperry's?

I am surprised she isn't wearing XTRA Tuffs (Official Shoe of Alaska)