Feedback requested: first female model shoot (skimpy outfit warning)

[Lmphotos]

To me the above crotch shots is not good posing. Good posing includes so many elements right down to a models fingers and on top of all that then you have to make them feel comfortable and not feel posed! Sounds like a catch 22 right in my mind its a hard thing to master and on top of all that you have women who usually have some type of insecurity and trying to make them feel comfortable in scant clothing as well as other angles/factors for a woman's body. The above poses nothing about them are feminine, the second with the camera angled up at her even looks feminine. I bought a book by Roberto Valenzuela and he open my mind to posing on a whole different level! What I thought was "good" turned out was not good enough as he thinks of every small detail and finesses his posing so intricately ever since I seen GOOD posing it has become one of the harder things.

I didn't say that the poses were perfect. But they aren't as bad as you guys are making them out to be. In fact, they are a lot better than you make them out to be.
Like e-rose said, this may not be your cup of tea, but if you are going to critique, you have to do it without bias. Also, just because you read somewhere that shooting at an upward angle makes a woman look less feminine, doesn't mean it's true all the time. It's also an empowerment angle. And it can be used for women as well. And I'll tell you, you don't think these poses are feminine, but they certainly aren't masculine.

I showed it to my husband who is without bias......on #1 he said hooker and cheap #2 he said manly and thought she looked very unattractive. My husband knows nothing about photography. I see the girl and she has potential for some great shots if executed well. There was a guy today who posted a shoot similar to this and even though I am not a fan of it his was leaps and bounds better than this.

 

[e.rose]

I know, and they don't allow critiques there anymore. That's where I think the forum went wrong.

Dafuq? Since when? Where the hell was I when that happened?

PFFF It's been almost a year! Where have you been?

Out improving MAH MAD PHOTOG SKIIIIIILLLLZZZZZZ.

 

[jamborras]

I agree B, however, on here there is usually only helpful critiques (from what I've read) what would anyone of these amazing photographers have to gain by disagreeing just for the hell of it, with someone who isn't even on the same level ?? It's obvious to me that they are just helping and this guy is just super defensive over his pics. But I'm not here to be in any online drama. :banghead:

 

[Ballistics]

To me the above crotch shots is not good posing. Good posing includes so many elements right down to a models fingers and on top of all that then you have to make them feel comfortable and not feel posed! Sounds like a catch 22 right in my mind its a hard thing to master and on top of all that you have women who usually have some type of insecurity and trying to make them feel comfortable in scant clothing as well as other angles/factors for a woman's body. The above poses nothing about them are feminine, the second with the camera angled up at her even looks feminine. I bought a book by Roberto Valenzuela and he open my mind to posing on a whole different level! What I thought was "good" turned out was not good enough as he thinks of every small detail and finesses his posing so intricately ever since I seen GOOD posing it has become one of the harder things.

I didn't say that the poses were perfect. But they aren't as bad as you guys are making them out to be. In fact, they are a lot better than you make them out to be.
Like e-rose said, this may not be your cup of tea, but if you are going to critique, you have to do it without bias. Also, just because you read somewhere that shooting at an upward angle makes a woman look less feminine, doesn't mean it's true all the time. It's also an empowerment angle. And it can be used for women as well. And I'll tell you, you don't think these poses are feminine, but they certainly aren't masculine.

I showed it to my husband who is without bias......on #1 he said hooker and cheap #2 he said manly and thought she looked very unattractive. My husband knows nothing about photography. I see the girl and she has potential for some great shots if executed well. There was a guy today who posted a shoot similar to this and even though I am not a fan of it his was leaps and bounds better than this.

Oh, well since your husband without any photographic knowledge agrees with you, case closed then

For starters, if the first shot was done in a bathing suit on a beach, the comments here wouldn't be like this. It's a pretty typical pose.
Also - I didn't say that the initial poses were good. I said they weren't as bad as everyone is making them out to be.

I'll give you the outfit, it's definitely a bit cheesy, but both the model and the photographer like it, so that's not my concern.

 

[e.rose]

But I'm not here to be in any online drama. :banghead:

Why not? It's fun.

...Kidding. Sort of.

I've had too much coffee...

WHO WANTS SOME WINE?!

 

[TATTRAT]

Reminds me of the type of stuff some ladies do to send off to the men who are serving overseas.

 

[jamborras]

Wine sounds fab.. Sign me up for a couple bottles! Err, I mean glasses!!

 

[Ballistics]

I agree B, however, on here there is usually only helpful critiques (from what I've read) what would anyone of these amazing photographers have to gain by disagreeing just for the hell of it, with someone who isn't even on the same level ?? It's obvious to me that they are just helping and this guy is just super defensive over his pics. But I'm not here to be in any online drama. :banghead:

You're an optimist. That'll go away as your post count gets bigger

As for the something to gain question - It's got nothing to do with gain. Some people are just extremely bitter and others just like to impose their own agendas on other people.

And the OP wasn't being defensive. People didn't like the content, and he said if you don't like it you can leave. It goes both ways. You don't get immunity to critique just because
someone asks for it.

 

[jamborras]

Ok B, I will submit to your opinion! I guess I haven't been around long enough here or in life to be bitter

 

[Pallycow]

I think a lot of people don't read the part about "first time"

How many of us/you hit a home run first time up?

They are happy with what they got, because they don't know any better. That's not an insult, it's reality. They will both look back on these and go "man...we were dumb"

However, for now...it's not so terrible as to deserve much of the comments here on posing, cheap look, etc etc. They are young, and young people just don't know. I'm sure he'll keep at it, and learn.

Some good constructive criticism was given here, and I think the OP will get it and use it next time.

Give them a break...it's first time and he does not have the attitude of some of the first time douches on here. So I say get off your feminism horses and realize they are young and trying.

 

[Robin_Usagani]

I dont think you can blame it on the photographer 100%. Based on her outfit she chose to wear and the location, I think it was destined to fail. If I was shooting her, I would have encouraged her to wear something that someone would wear at home, not a dancer outfit. Why cant she wear lingerie or something? I dont get it.

There's reasons for the outfits that I don't want to go into here, actually. But that's a subjective thing. I'm looking more for feedback on the technicals and less on whether people find the model or her attire attractive.

I am sorry, outfit and location is part of technicals. The outfit can work if you had picked a better location. Or perhaps do it in the studio. Usually it is easier to change outfit than location though. Last time I had a similar shoot, all I had to work with was a small apartment. Guess what? I took down the curtain, took down picture frames, decoration etc. to make it look as simple as possible. I went with implied nude.

Wanna go a little naughty? Sure... but really think about it. Working girl outfit in a living room environment just wont work unless you put a guy in there too.

 

[Pallycow]

Implied nudity for the win.

Sometimes plain old nude can work and be very sexy, if you use lighting right to make it sexy. However I am a big fan of implied nudity as Robin pointed out.

To add to my point earlier.

Robin - not a newb
OP - a newb

You can't look at a newb and expect to see such works. It is usually going to be a bit tasteless, maybe even tacky. That is where we help them, not give them chit.

Too many people around here forget that we are better off helping each other instead of being a douche. Well, except for the newbs who deserve it...those are just fun. lol

I don't feel this guy is the typcial douche newb we see on here, and I think a few should just put on their helping hat instead of their asshat.

 

[Pallycow]

Robin, I like how you left the stuff on the fridge. Says "house mom" being sexy to me. Dunno if that was intentional or not, but I like that shot and I like that you left the stuff on the fridge.

 

[Ballistics]

Robin, you as a professional photographer are really comparing a shoot you did after how many years of experience, to a guy doing it for the first time. You really showed him.

 

[Lmphotos]

I dont think you can blame it on the photographer 100%. Based on her outfit she chose to wear and the location, I think it was destined to fail. If I was shooting her, I would have encouraged her to wear something that someone would wear at home, not a dancer outfit. Why cant she wear lingerie or something? I dont get it.

There's reasons for the outfits that I don't want to go into here, actually. But that's a subjective thing. I'm looking more for feedback on the technicals and less on whether people find the model or her attire attractive.

I am sorry, outfit and location is part of technicals. The outfit can work if you had picked a better location. Or perhaps do it in the studio. Usually it is easier to change outfit than location though. Last time I had a similar shoot, all I had to work with was a small apartment. Guess what? I took down the curtain, took down picture frames, decoration etc. to make it look as simple as possible. I went with implied nude.

Wanna go a little naughty? Sure... but really think about it. Working girl outfit in a living room environment just wont work unless you put a guy in there too.

Yes! MUCH better!