high key self portrait

[mmaria]

I need some photos for the home page on my recently started blog.
Name of the blog is Sounds of a shutter and I'l just copy explanation I wrote there why I named it that way.
...."Sounds are clear enough but a shutter can be interpreted in few ways. It can be a camera shutter but it also can be a window shutter, door shutter or else.
With the sounds of shutter you can hear that exciting sound every time you press a camera shutter and I can hear it too.
Just, for me, on the other hand, there is an impossible desire to close all other shutters available in order to stop some sounds come to me."

That is, I have issues with some sounds and I found out that there are more people there with the same problem. On the blog I write about photography and that problem.

So here is me-part, photography-part, problems with some sounds-part images I want to place on the home page.

High key is because I'm not comfortable in front of the camera. That way I don't feel exposed so much, if that makes any sense to you. I also processed them a bit differently because they supposed to send different message.
Do they pass the message I want to send when someone come to my blog?

C&C please, and thanks in advance!

 

[EOV]

I know you are shy in front of the camera but my opinion is that the images would be more powerful if we could see your eyes. Waiting to hear what others say. Good luck with your blog!

 

[SCraig]

Do they pass the message I want to send when someone come to my blog?

I don't think so. They don't look high-key to me, just overexposed. Dress up all in white and stand against a white wall or out in the snow. Then shoot it without blowing the highlights. That would be high-key in my book.

 

[mmaria]

I know you are shy in front of the camera but my opinion is that the images would be more powerful if we could see your eyes. Waiting to hear what others say. Good luck with your blog!

first thanks!
as for opening my eyes, well, I can't do it yet even this was huge for me

 

[mmaria]

Do they pass the message I want to send when someone come to my blog?

I don't think so. They don't look high-key to me, just overexposed. Dress up all in white and stand against a white wall or out in the snow. Then shoot it without blowing the highlights. That would be high-key in my book.

I should reedit high key-sort of, got it. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to follow that snow idea...but it's a nice one
thanks!

 

[Tee]

Your highlights are so blown your face is melting into the background. You may want to study up on what high key is. It's a little too "Etsy-ish" for my taste but I see where you are trying to go. Recommend one photo with your eyes open. You're pretty hot...show it off girl.

 

[tirediron]

Sorry, but these are simply over-exposed, NOT high-key. A high-key image is one which has very low contrast, is evenly exposed and generally shadowless. This isn't quite high key but it is close. You can see that the face is properly exposed, the contrast ratio is relativley low, and there's almost no shadow in the image.

 

[limr]

I'm not sure what constitutes 'high-key' or not, so I can't comment on the success of these photos in that area. But for me, the harsh lighting works to convey the message. If it seems a little too harsh, maybe the idea of white clothes and white background will create an illusion of harsh lighting without having to blow out so many details. Or perhaps just turn your face slightly away from the light source and have fingers in both ears. That could also give the impression that you are turning away from something painful (with light taking the place of sound.)

I like the second pose better.

 

[mmaria]

Your highlights are so blown your face is melting into the background. You may want to study up on what high key is. It's a little too "Etsy-ish" for my taste but I see where you are trying to go. Recommend one photo with your eyes open. You're pretty hot...show it off girl.

not sure what to say :blushing: I guess thanks!

Sorry, but these are simply over-exposed, NOT high-key. A high-key image is one which has very low contrast, is evenly exposed and generally shadowless. This isn't quite high key but it is close. You can see that the face is properly exposed, the contrast ratio is relativley low, and there's almost no shadow in the image.

we all agree that this is not high key, ok? I could say washed out.

I wanted to not have that much definition, I deliberately washed out almost all of my features in pp.

So it's my bad, I'm not calling this high key. we established that.

 

[mmaria]

I'm not sure what constitutes 'high-key' or not, so I can't comment on the success of these photos in that area. But for me, the harsh lighting works to convey the message. If it seems a little too harsh, maybe the idea of white clothes and white background will create an illusion of harsh lighting without having to blow out so many details. Or perhaps just turn your face slightly away from the light source and have fingers in both ears. That could also give the impression that you are turning away from something painful (with light taking the place of sound.)

I like the second pose better.

Oh Leonore thank you for that idea!
It's very difficult for me to come up with something in self portrait that will say "sounds go away". I'll try your suggestion for sure, and thank you for that. I'm clueless. All I can think off are dark images and I didn't want to present myself with something dark. So I tried this.
With the first photo I tried to say that I'll be peaceful when sounds don't come to me.
With the second photo, with the finger in one ear, I tried to say that shutting down those sounds is not possible. I can try to ignore them but I'll hear them no matter what. That's why I didn't put the finger in the other ear.

 

[mmaria]

Just to add, for posing.
It's not easy to pose with fingers in ears really. I have to think how to place my hands because they will be, in most poses closer to the lens then my head and for that reason bigger and dominant.

other ides? help

 

[limr]

How about the same pose as the second shot, but with your elbow down and your head turned slightly away from the light source and down a bit towards your shoulder. Also with a slightly more distressed look on your face. Nothing dramatic, maybe just a bit more furrow in the eyebrows. We still get the idea that something is stressful to you and you can't quite block it all out (the one ear covered but the other exposed, like you said.)

Edited: The side of your face that is towards the light will still be harshly lit and washed out, but then you'd get some shadows on the other side if it's turned away and down, which could also give you a bit of that 'dark' feeling you wanted to convey as well. At least that's how it looks in my mind!

 

[Tee]

I'm not sure what constitutes 'high-key' or not, so I can't comment on the success of these photos in that area. But for me, the harsh lighting works to convey the message. If it seems a little too harsh, maybe the idea of white clothes and white background will create an illusion of harsh lighting without having to blow out so many details. Or perhaps just turn your face slightly away from the light source and have fingers in both ears. That could also give the impression that you are turning away from something painful (with light taking the place of sound.)

I like the second pose better.

Oh Leonore thank you for that idea!
It's very difficult for me to come up with something in self portrait that will say "sounds go away". I'll try your suggestion for sure, and thank you for that. I'm clueless. All I can think off are dark images and I didn't want to present myself with something dark. So I tried this.
With the first photo I tried to say that I'll be peaceful when sounds don't come to me.
With the second photo, with the finger in one ear, I tried to say that shutting down those sounds is not possible. I can try to ignore them but I'll hear them no matter what. That's why I didn't put the finger in the other ear.

If you're going for the washed out look, you're on the right track. Just dial back the exposure a hair to give your right side of your face some definition. I think the finger to the cheek is cute but the top one should have your eyes open.

 

[mmaria]

If you're going for the washed out look, you're on the right track. Just dial back the exposure a hair to give your right side of your face some definition. I think the finger to the cheek is cute but the top one should have your eyes open.

I just can't open my eyes yet I need more time. I decided to take self portraits often, that should make me more comfortable in front of camera.

I backed of a bit and introduced a bit color. I do understand that I went too far, but I didn't see it, probably tired eyes.

I'm staying with the whole wash out look. Even with this reedited version I feel uncomfortable to look at. You can see more of me



better? or I'm still not seeing it well?

 

[mmaria]

ok guys. I'll set the second one. Not sure if I thanked you

Thank you all!