Just a girl with a pretty camera.

[JustJazzie]

I worked a bit today on creating an image to be used for marketing. I'm not 100% in love, but I think its enough to get me started.

 

[tirediron]

Nicely done! I really like the lighting and overall look. My only VERY minor niggle is that your right hand is a bit hot. As a marketing image, I'm not overly fussed with your clothing choice. The black-on-black just seems a bit much, but that's purely personal preference.

 

[JoeW]

Lovely photo. It works for me. I think it would be better with a dark grey background or some backlighting so your hair didn't blend in to the background--got a bit more separation. But for starters, it's a fine portrait.

 

[Granddad]

Be still my beating heart!

 

[jcdeboever]

Beautiful model and camera. Well done. Wonderful sculpting of light.

 

[ronlane]

Nicely done Jazzy. A couple of questions. Why did you choose to broad light? Did you try posing and shooting short lite?

This may be the reason that you aren't in love with the image. I think if you notice, your avatar photo is lite with short lighting.

I like the pose and I don't mind the black on the black background because there is a slight separation because of the skin that is showing on the arm.

 

[smoke665]

Very nice indeed. Self portraits are extremely difficult because you have to anticipate what the camera sees, I think you did very well. I like the choice of lighting, might have used a reflector to bring just a tad more light into the right side of the face, flagged some of the light off the hand because of all those reflective surfaces, and as others have mentioned a little backlighting, but then it's hard enough to do a self portrait without adding more alignment issues.

 

[JonA_CT]

I think it’s perfect for marketing. The camera looks natural in the pose, and the broad lighting and direct eye contact exude confidence, in my opinion.

If someone is looking for a photographer, I think this photo would draw them to investigate your services further.

 

[joecrumley2]

Wow,

This one gets a thumbs up. For me I'd allow more head room. Which is to say it's cropped a little too tight. Needs a little room to breath.

 

[SquarePeg]

Nicely done self portrait with good lighting and an attractive pose but the dress seems to clash bit with the camera/professional image as far as marketing goes.

 

[Designer]

I realize I'm about to incur the wrath of our dear sweet Jazzie, but I think your very pretty dress is not the best choice for a promotional photograph.

Of course, I don't know anything about your wardrobe, but I would pick something more "professional", like a perma-press or cotton shirtwaist dress with a high collar. Skip the hair beads.

The reason is; you should dress for your picture as if you were going to "work". So minimal jewelry, wear a wristwatch if you have one, prop your camera up a little higher, and make it "weigh more".

Save the lace sleeves and pearl tiara for shooting a wedding, and when you come dressed like that, they will be pleasantly surprised and very pleased by your appearance.

Fire away.

 

[JustJazzie]

@tirediron Thank You! Nice catch on the hand. Many people have commented on my shirt choice, I will have to ponder it. I have decided to focus on bodiour predominately, so I wonder if that changes the styles deemed acceptable for the shot?

@JoeW Thanks for your thoughts! I don't mind the black on black, personally. I was a bit lazy here and just used window light and a reflector. Perhaps next time I will pull out some strobes and add a backlight.

Aww, thanks @Granddad!

@jcdeboever Thank you for the kind words.

@ronlane Actually, MOST of the set was short lit and this was a "fluke" but there was something just off on them. The pose is the same, only reversed, but my smile was a bit more stiff than this one came out. I guess I put the window on my bad side when I popped up the background.. :giggle: I will have to flip it around next time and see if that changes anything.

@smoke665 Self portraits ARE super difficult. I would like to think they get easier with time, but I haven't found that to be the case yet! There was a reflector on the right, I thought I had it as close as I could, but maybe the angle was off. Next time I will pull out the strobes. They are definitely easier to control.

Thank you @JonA_CT! The eye contact and confidence thing was one of the main points I was trying to hit, so I am glad that it came through well!

@joecrumley2 Thank you for sharing your thoughts! This is HEAVILY cropped. The original image was a 3/4 ish shot because I was using my 50mm.. I was thinking I wanted to fill the frame well for social media when the images are so small on the screen to begin with. I will reconsider though, as I know I stared at these for too long yesterday.

@SquarePeg Think you! The dress is actually just a shirt, but of coarse you cant see that once I cut off my legs from the frame. The style is very much "me" so I'm not sure it bothers me at all that its not a traditional business portrait. As I mentioned to tirediron, since I have decided to focus on boudoir, I wonder if that affects the styles deemed appropriate/acceptable. I will have to think about it!

 

[JustJazzie]

@Designer - I'm certain you don't need to be concerned about "incurring (my) wrath" I am not sure thats a feeling available to me in my emotional toolbox. :giggle: Confusion? Check! Contemplation? Double check! Contentment? Oh yeah! And I try to burry frustration deep down in the kit.....But nope. No wrath.

As for the top and especially the headband- both are items that I wear in general. Most days, I wrap something similar in my hair even if I am heading to the grocery store, so while some may think I should save it for a wedding- its just "me" which is what I was trying to show in the image.

My wardrobe consists of yoga pants and tank tops (but I get a pass on that, because I actually do yoga every day when I am not nursing an injured body part LOL) and Jeans and a few dress shirts like the one in the picture. I do have a suit jacket type thing in the back of my closet somewhere that I haven't worn since I was in sales 11 years ago. If I decide I agree with everyones thoughts on my wardrobe, perhaps I will use that in my next headshot.

 

[Fstop-]

Very Nice. Professional looking and highlights you mad skills. Nailed it.

 

[SquarePeg]

I have decided to focus on bodiour predominately, so I wonder if that changes the styles deemed acceptable for the shot?

Yes, I think that does make your choice of tops more acceptable as a marketing photo. The head thing looks a bit like a tiara which I think is why the lacy black top comes off as more formal than sexy. Just my 2 cents.