Fitness Portraits - Hit or miss? C&C requested

[tirediron]

This is Bruno, a former Royal Canadian Navy EOD technician and Afghanistan Veteran who now runs a Cross-fit training centre in Victoria. The images are both a part of my Veteran's Portrait Project and for use by Bruno as well. Unfortunately, due to a schedule issue, we only had about 20 minutes to shoot instead of the hour I had planned, and I'm honestly not sure if these images 'make the cut' or not. I would appreciate critique, especially from anyone who knows more about fitness imagery than do I (which is pretty much everyone on the planet).

1.

2.

I'm especially concerned about the slightly askew look of #2.

Thanks!

 

[D-B-J]

For me, I like aggressive lighting on fitness portraits. I think a second rim light on the right of both of these would have really helped. The light you used is nice and all, but a second or third to really make him POP off the background would have helped. Also, I really like some context on these types of shots--where's the rest of the gym?

Jake

 

[curtyoungblood]

I don't think these make the cut. Crossfit is a really active form of working out, and the first one doesn't really convey the fun, different workouts they do. The second one is a better, but I still think there is something more interesting in his space.

I like where you are going with the lighting, but I agree that it needs a little something. I like the dramatic lighting in the first one, but this is sort of in between, and the shadows in his eyes bother. The light is just off in the second one. His face and arms are decently lit, but the rest of his body is way too dark. At the very least, go in and burn in the top left corner to get the gym detail that is visible out of the image.

 

[tirediron]

For me, I like aggressive lighting on fitness portraits. I think a second rim light on the right of both of these would have really helped. The light you used is nice and all, but a second or third to really make him POP off the background would have helped. Also, I really like some context on these types of shots--where's the rest of the gym?

Jake

About the lighting (not an excuse, just a statement): I wanted to keep it in a similar style to my other Veteran's portraits; and in my mind, this was fairly dramatic, but looking at it now, not so much. My next sequence was going to bring in a strip box image right, but we didn't get that far.

That is the rest of the gym; it's a 25x25 open square; there's a couple of racks of weights in one corner, the rings on the wall behind, and a small counter at the entrance. Other than it's blank walls.

I don't think these make the cut. Crossfit is a really active form of working out, and the first one doesn't really convey the fun, different workouts they do. The second one is a better, but I still think there is something more interesting in his space.

I like where you are going with the lighting, but I agree that it needs a little something. I like the dramatic lighting in the first one, but this is sort of in between, and the shadows in his eyes bother. The light is just off in the second one. His face and arms are decently lit, but the rest of his body is way too dark. At the very least, go in and burn in the top left corner to get the gym detail that is visible out of the image.

In retrospect, this is my own fault. I should have spent an hour watching him teach a class to get a better feeling for what was involved, but instead I relied on him to tell me, and being a bit camera shy, things didn't come out as well as they could have.

 

[astroNikon]

I would have liked the right rim light too - first thing I thought of looking at it.
and his bar is slightly tilted in the 2nd.

 

[ronlane]

John, I like the first one as is. The second to me, you loose the weights a little in the dark. It's not that it's bad, but you have to look for the weight and also the light fall-off from the arms to the legs.

 

[tirediron]

I would have liked the right rim light too - first thing I thought of looking at it.
and his bar is slightly tilted in the 2nd.

Yep... the bar is bugging me more than anything, but have you ever tried to tell someone who's holding up 125 pounds, "A little up on that side, and a little down on that side"? It doesn't take long before you start getting the stink-eye!!!

John, I like the first one as is. The second to me, you loose the weights a little in the dark. It's not that it's bad, but you have to look for the weight and also the light fall-off from the arms to the legs.

Good points, thanks Ron!

 

[thebasedsloth]

pretty much what everyone else said, More lights! definitely need at least some fill on the first.
The second shot looks underexposed to me, definitely burn that background to get that little hint of detail out.

 

[chuasam]

Not bad. just watch your colour balance

 

[JoeW]

Just a couple of additional thoughts:
1. If your client is going to insist on a darker look (i.e.: no second or third light), then go much moodier on us. Have him dripping sweat. Add some contrast and embrace the shadow. Put him in a resting pose, as if the workout has just ended. Or he's taking a break b/c he's getting ready to hit it again in 30 seconds. Almost noir-like, as if he's working out in the dead of night while everyone else sleeps. I think that approach would allow you to get away without showing the rest of the gym or equipment, with no head light or backlighting, with a dark background and be consistent with your other lighting approach.

2. On the second shot, you can go ahead an tilt it so the bar is truly horizontal--I don't think viewers will focus on the feet. It's the bar from the weights that we use to judge the horizon in this case b/c it's a strong line.

 

[Granddad]

Interesting advice, I happen to have a shoot for a male fitness model on Friday so I'm taking notes.

 

[frommrstomommy]

I feel like fitness portraits automatically require some grit, sweat, and lots of contrast.

 

[tirediron]

pretty much what everyone else said, More lights! definitely need at least some fill on the first.
The second shot looks underexposed to me, definitely burn that background to get that little hint of detail out.

The background was a deliberate decision, the brighter area image left was a result of the open door, and something I didn't notice until I got the images into the pixel room; I liked the effect and left it as-is.

Not bad. just watch your colour balance

Thanks - where are you seeing colour-balance issues?

Just a couple of additional thoughts:
1. If your client is going to insist on a darker look (i.e.: no second or third light), then go much moodier on us. Have him dripping sweat. Add some contrast and embrace the shadow. Put him in a resting pose, as if the workout has just ended. Or he's taking a break b/c he's getting ready to hit it again in 30 seconds. Almost noir-like, as if he's working out in the dead of night while everyone else sleeps. I think that approach would allow you to get away without showing the rest of the gym or equipment, with no head light or backlighting, with a dark background and be consistent with your other lighting approach.

2. On the second shot, you can go ahead an tilt it so the bar is truly horizontal--I don't think viewers will focus on the feet. It's the bar from the weights that we use to judge the horizon in this case b/c it's a strong line.

The lighting decisions were mine; there are many other images from the set which have more "conventional" exposure, but these were a couple about which I had concern. What I wanted was just slightest hint that he wasn't in an empty room, but the reality is that the room is, other than those rings, pretty much empty. You're spot on about the bar; I've got that sorted now.

Interesting advice, I happen to have a shoot for a male fitness model on Friday so I'm taking notes.

Good thing you said 'male' - I was about to ask if Gran had given up the guitar for a weight-lifting career!

I feel like fitness portraits automatically require some grit, sweat, and lots of contrast.

Generally I agree - this wasn't a fitness image in the coventional sense. Bruno is a former EOD tech with the Royal Canadian Navy who retired for medical reasons after multiple tours in Afghanistan. Part of the reason for the shoot is that the images will be part of my 'Veterans Portrait Project' and therefore, the lighting decisions (and the lack of sweat/grit) were made, in large part, based on my want to maintain a similarity across the series.

 

[kundalini]

Ditch the first one. You know as well as anyone (because you preach it so much) "football shoulders" are a no-no! Having the ball out in front like you have makes him look goofy rather than confident and fit. Have the ball resting in the crook of his elbow or in the beginnings of a throw/toss. Also you know as well as anyone (because you preach it so much), there should be clear definition between subject and background. More cowbell.

The second shot needs some cleanup on aisle #3..... PP on removing the background support post and extend the blackness to the edge of the frame.

For having only twenty minutes, you did very well.

 

[tirediron]

Ditch the first one. You know as well as anyone (because you preach it so much) "football shoulders" are a no-no! Having the ball out in front like you have makes him look goofy rather than confident and fit. Have the ball resting in the crook of his elbow or in the beginnings of a throw/toss. Also you know as well as anyone (because you preach it so much), there should be clear definition between subject and background. More cowbell.

The second shot needs some cleanup on aisle #3..... PP on removing the background support post and extend the blackness to the edge of the frame.

For having only twenty minutes, you did very well.

Mea culpa! I do have versions with a defined background. As for #2, can I ask what you don't like about the brighter area? I deliberately left that in after seeing it because I thought it provided some context to the image.