Kaitlyn Test Shoot

dcbear78 · Mar 5, 2016

I pick a model to do some ongoing TFP shoots throughout the year. These are a few photos from the young lady I've chosen to work with. All comments and CC appreciated. I really think my post work is coming along nicely.

1.

Kaitlyn by Crew One Photography, on Flickr

2.

Kaitlyn by Crew One Photography, on Flickr

3.

Kaitlyn by Crew One Photography, on Flickr
Kaitlyn by Crew One Photography, on Flickr

Derrel · Mar 5, 2016

I see you went with allowing actual, genuine skin texture to show. And even some, gasp!, peachfuzz and arm hair. Smoothing the living daylights out of a woman's skin in every model-y type of image has become the norm to such an extent in the Unites States that I suspect many people who view these will freak out.

The skin texture shows up the most, and in probably the most disconcerting way in the Rembrandt lighting setup's cheek triangle, in shot #1. While I myself am not a major skin-smoothing, detail-killing, plastic skin fan, and while I appreciate seeing pores and skin detail on many lighting setups, Rembrandt lighting is very hard and dramatic, and in this case I think about a 40% reduction in the detail there would help balance out the triangle patch with the other side of the face.

The other issue--use of an on-axis SMALL-source fill light with Rembrandt lighting...that small,pinpoint catchlight in the shadow-side eyeball bothers me. I think Rembrandt lighting looks best with out a fill-light catchlight, or even, no catchlights at all.

Just wanted to make it clear, I am not kidding about how insidious skin smoothing has become over the last decade, to the point that seeing these types of images of younger women with their real, human qualities feels kind of shocking.

dcbear78 · Mar 5, 2016

Yeah that cheek is the area I now realised I missed with my retouching. Whilst there is still a lot of texture on her face I have gone to great lengths to retain this and perfect the minor imperfection like those seen on that cheek. I have recently been following quite a lot of highend retouching pages and guides and keeping people looking real seems to be a major focus right now. Perfected but still real.

That catch light is from a softbox mounted on the wall above and behind me used as fill. I found I liked the photo better using it. But yes I looked at the extra catch light and wondered if I should remove it. Thanks. My key light was a gridded 22" beauty dish.

tirediron · Mar 5, 2016

Very nice. For some reason, I'm not quite as fussed about # 2, but 1 and 3 are excellent!

pjaye · Mar 5, 2016

I agree with Derrel's comments. And just wanted to say how nice it is to see skin texture and imperfections. I'm so tired of seeing photo's of women where their skin is smoothed to the point where it looks fake.

dcbear78 · Mar 6, 2016

Thought I would soften the skin texture just a touch on this one to see what it would look like. Also fixed a bit of the yellowness in the face and burned the shoulder area a little. But I keep forgetting to fix up that bra strap mark and catch light!!!!!

Kaitlyn by Crew One Photography, on Flickr

I might apply a similar reduction to the B&W ones. And especially fix up that cheek.

dennybeall · Mar 6, 2016

I agree with all the comments regarding touch-up and all, but frankly I like them as they are. There's something about REAL that appeals to me. Perhaps if they were of a grizzled old prospector REAL would be more right?