I shot the mayor.

[Granddad]

I shot the mayor (by request) for her formal portrait. This is the one she chose.
The pose is (apparently) the standard mayoral pose. Extra room has been allowed all around so it can be cropped to fit the frame and the matting.

Quite a lot of post work went into this one including creating a custom background.
C& C always welcome.

In a day or two I'll post some informal ones of the mayor and her 16 year old daughter who came along to see what it was all about.

 

[tirediron]

Nicely done GD - out of curiosity, what was your lighting set-up here?

 

[Granddad]

Thanks John. Two strobes with reflecting umbrellas, one high left at about 30 degrees and the other low right. Facial lighting has been adjusted in Portrait Pro, mostly using the modeling slider and just a touch of smokey eyes.

 

[tirediron]

Okay, that's the way I had it figured; to be honest, I'm not a fan of that lower light. I think it's cost you some detail & depth in the whites (a VERY nit-picky point, but there are only a few people here with whom I can discuss studio portraiture, so... ). What was your lighting ratio?

 

[The_Traveler]

It seems a bit tilted and unsaturated to me.

 

[Granddad]

It seems a bit tilted and unsaturated to me.

View attachment 126867

I'll take another look at the tilt and the tones, thanks for that Lew. I may have had some mental blindness by the time I'd finished processing. She was a bit sunburned so I tried to reduce/fix that and it looks like I made an error. Unnatural? As in too formal and posed? I agree but that's the look of the 40 mayors that went before her and that's the look she wanted. I could not get her to change that pose or relax in this set.

Okay, that's the way I had it figured; to be honest, I'm not a fan of that lower light. I think it's cost you some detail & depth in the whites (a VERY nit-picky point, but there are only a few people here with whom I can discuss studio portraiture, so... ). What was your lighting ratio?

Thinking about it (which I wasn't at the time) probably about 1:2. I need to do some work in that area, don't I? I'm realising that I don't have all that much experience with stationary studio subjects - the majority of mine have been leaping about and wafting veils while I shoot.

Thanks guys, it's a BIG help to get real critique from people who know what they're about.

 

[runnah]

She was a bit sunburned ...

Sunburned in England? Something is fishy...

 

[jcdeboever]

I am amazed that one can find things that could be corrected. I thought the original is fantastic. So much to learn, amazing really.

 

[HughGuessWho]

Just to give my opinion as a non-portrait photographer, I'm just not a fan of the background. Looks like noise to me and it keeps drawing my eye.
Again, take my opinion with a grain of salt, as I am certainly not an expert in this area.

 

[Granddad]

She was a bit sunburned ...

Sunburned in England? Something is fishy...

"Azeem: Is there no sun in this cursed country? Which way is East?" (Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves).
Maybe she'd been on holiday to Spain?

 

[Granddad]

Is this better?

I am amazed that one can find things that could be corrected. I thought the original is fantastic. So much to learn, amazing really.

Flattery will get you almost anywhere.

Just to give my opinion as a non-portrait photographer, I'm just not a fan of the background. Looks like noise to me and it keeps drawing my eye.
Again, take my opinion with a grain of salt, as I am certainly not an expert in this area.

Yes, it's noise but I kind of liked it and so did the client so it stayed. I doubt if I'd use it again. This one had some time pressure involved as she needs to get it printed and framed in time for the first town council meeting in September.

 

[HughGuessWho]

Yes, it's noise but I kind of liked it and so did the client so it stayed. I doubt if I'd use it again. This one had some time pressure involved as she needs to get it printed and framed in time for the first town council meeting in September.

Well, then. That explains it. I thought it was texture in the backdrop that looked like noise. Shows you what I know.
**back-steps off stage**

 

[Gary A.]

You're not supposed to shoot the mayor ... You're supposed to shoot the deputy.

Oops, wrong country.

PS- I like the tones of number two best.

 

[Granddad]

You're not supposed to shoot the mayor ... You're supposed to shoot the deputy.

Oops, wrong country.

We actually do have county High Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs here... but it's a strictly ceremonial and non-law enforcement role. They're appointed by the Queen. Usually wealthy landowners of good breeding... their traditional duties usually cost them a bomb. As a peasant I'd be quite happy to shoot a couple.

PS- I like the tones of number two best.

Thanks, I think it's an improvement.

 

[waday]

I also like number 2!

You're supposed to shoot the deputy.

That song is going to be in my head all day.