C&C: Cuddleshoes

OrionsByte · Apr 19, 2011

I haven't tossed anything up for C&C in a while, so I figured it was time. I took this tonight for my 365 Project. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions, technical AND artistic.

OrionsByte · Apr 20, 2011

Bumping this up. Any comments at all?

Geaux · Apr 20, 2011

I think its a cute daddy/daughter shot.

No true CC on it though, besides MAYBE a different angle to get more of the whole boot to invoke the HUGE shoe vs little shoe idea.

vtf · Apr 20, 2011

That princess shoe looks too small for you. :lol:

I like the concept but the boot cut off at the top bothers me and its a tight crop with the girls shoe.
Looks like it was metered on the shoe that made the boot lose definition being black. Maybe some fill light, flash?
Believe it or not my daughter wore those princess shoes in the 90's. I sold shoes for 20 years. :lol:

bentcountershaft · Apr 20, 2011

For some reason my mind wants to see the shoes posed differently. When I think of a father and young daughter, I think of a little girl that has Daddy wrapped around her little finger and can thus go "toe to toe" with him on most subjects so I think you should try them posed like that, toe to toe. And the shot taken from floor level.

OrionsByte · Apr 20, 2011

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

I agree that the crop is too close on the left, but I didn't notice until I'd put everything away, and I was too lazy to get it all back out again and re-shoot.

As far as the angle and arrangement, there were reasons I chose them, but that doesn't automatically mean it works, of course. I chose a tight crop that didn't show the whole shoe because to a daughter, a father is often perceived as larger-than-life, so I thought by not quite showing the whole shoe that would kind of lend itself to that concept. I also accentuated the scuff marks and wear on the big shoe to indicate this was someone who works hard. So ultimately I was trying to tell a story - hard-working father, and the daughter who adores him but doesn't necessarily see everything that he does for her at the same time.

The only reason I didn't shoot it from floor-level was because I was trying to use the carpet as the background, so that's not really an excuse. Just more laziness. :meh:

I appreciate the input a lot though - I may attempt a re-shoot this evening, with a different location, slightly harsher lighting (for drama), and try out some different angles.

gsgary · Apr 20, 2011

Just what i expect from a 365 project

OrionsByte · Apr 20, 2011

gsgary said:
Just what i expect from a 365 project

Heh, yeah pretty much. I'm committed to following through with it, but I certainly haven't been super happy with the results because too often I find I'm not putting as much thought in to the photo as I should. I did spend some time on this one though.

I probably won't do the 365 thing next year.

I'm trying to slow down and be more deliberate, but to be honest, this shot is pretty much indicative of where my skill as a photographer is right now. I read through Light, Science, and Magic and it all made a lot of sense, and I've been using what I learned, but part of what I learned is that I need to invest in some more light modifiers besides the small umbrella I have in order to get the results I want. Even if that "investment" is just in time putting some DIY stuff together.

Composition is also still an area I'm working on, especially when "posing" things - thinking creatively is sometimes a challenge for me.