does she look akward?

RSteele · Dec 12, 2008

I think the color scheme etc are fine, but she said she "looks" akward. I don't think so, but maybe other people might? what do you think?

chrisburke · Dec 12, 2008

yea, she looks very awkward...good picture though, other than the awkward look... aas a heads up for the future.. if the model says she felt/looks awkward.. chances are she is..

LaFoto · Dec 12, 2008

Yes. I'm afraid she does look awkward. Look at how un-relaxed her feet are. She using every muscle to keep herself in that position, and it shows - also in the way her hand grabs her knee but doesn't simply rest on it.

RSteele · Dec 12, 2008

ok, thanks for the critiques

(and in a nice way even LOL)
She didn't SAY she was feeling that way, she posed herself, it was only after the fact and she got a really good look at the pic.

So should I be asking my subjects "Are you comfortable?" Even if they put themselves in that position?

LaFoto · Dec 12, 2008

Little do I know, since I hardly ever work with people who pose for me (I find posing people incredibly difficult and therefore applaud you on this photo overall!!!), all I could do was try to help you find out why she later said she "looked awkward". She might not have felt how many muscles were involved to keep her on those rocks like that, she may have felt like it was normal to be sitting there (using all those muscles), if sitting there was what she had (also) thought was a good idea. And only later, upon seeing herself, she realised that "hang on! something's wrong here".

Really, I am the wrongest person to be asked for advice, but maybe, when you have a patient, willing model (like you seemed to have had in her), who is happy to go along with your ideas, and is happy to offer ideas of her own, you might start to watch for such tell-tale signs as sticking-up feet (not relaxed), and grabbing fingers?

But hey, best wait for the pros to come along, though they rarely come to this forum. They much rather meet in the professional's forum... a pity.

RSteele · Dec 12, 2008

lol, I might add that the rocks were really wet (it was raining and snowing that day)
So she was probably not trying to touch much at the time.
She was really willing, and pretty much through the whole shoot, she posed herself and I just snapped, she's kind of a natural at that.

ATXshots · Dec 12, 2008

I agree that she looks awkward. Maybe if she was leaning against (or at least closer to) that taller rock it would be more of a natural position for her.?

Overread · Dec 12, 2008

Raining and snowing - I bet it was a bit chilly then

Cold weather or a cold breeze can make people tense up - fully relaxing in colder weather takes a bit of tallent and a warm drink.

chrisburke · Dec 12, 2008

this isnt an edit attempt (clearly) just showing you how i would have used that scene.. there seems to be a natural chair, just to the right..

Overread said:
and a warm drink.

or a stiff drink

LaFoto · Dec 12, 2008

Brrr. Chris! That would have meant she'd have had to lean almost all her back, her entire bottom, the backs of her thighs ... all this against wet and about 3°C cold rocks ... shiver!

Just joking. I see how your idea might be really good when the weather is a bit better and the rocks dry and not quite a cold!

chrisburke · Dec 12, 2008

LaFoto said:
Brrr. Chris! That would have meant she'd have had to lean almost all her back, her entire bottom, the backs of her thighs ... all this against wet and about 3°C cold rocks ... shiver! Just joking. I see how your idea might be really good when the weather is a bit better and the rocks dry and not quite a cold!

yea i wasnt really thinking of the cold... i was thinking more of a "look less awkward"

LaFoto · Dec 12, 2008

But on another aspect of this photo ... the blue colours of her clothes, her blue eyes, and then the colour of her hair and the brownish autumnal/wintery background look really good together!!!

ETA: My daughter just cast a look at this photo and wondered, if not the background alone could be brightened just a tad, to bring out some more of the reds in there? I'm relaying her thoughts to you, they are not necessarily mine.

"Wow, this is a very pretty girl!", she then added ... and left.

RSteele · Dec 12, 2008

LOL, my own 16 year old son said "dang she's hot"...then he walked out LMAO Kids.
I messed up in the beginning by not scheduling this shoot just one weekend before when we had unnatually WARM weather for this time of year. What a difference one week can make!