Katie

[DanOstergren]

Cool shot, interesting composition. I prefer the 1st shot. I like the way she is framed inside it, really adds an artistic vision. Without them, the clouds sort of take away from the model, the frame keeps her in there.

Thank you. I feel the same. When I compare the two I feel like the one without the structure lacks dimension.

 

[DGMPhotography]

I don't feel too strongly about either version, but I think if it was my image, I'd go with the version with the poles/wire removed. I'm all about "clean" images.

But I'm still wondering about the light. How did you manage to get both the model and background/foreground so well-exposed? And I'm surprised there aren't any nasty shadows, or that your model's eyes aren't squinting. I would think that you at least had a scrim or something filtering the light.

And I'm guessing this was about 3 hours or so before sunset? Definitely not high noon.

 

[DanOstergren]

Great shot. The low angle and light are fantastic. As to the poles and wire I want to like it because of the interest it adds, but compared to the one without, I prefer without. Maybe it's because they are visually strong leading lines that pull the eye away from rather then toward the model, and are to far away to work as a frame.

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[DanOstergren]

I don't feel too strongly about either version, but I think if it was my image, I'd go with the version with the poles/wire removed. I'm all about "clean" images.

But I'm still wondering about the light. How did you manage to get both the model and background/foreground so well-exposed? And I'm surprised there aren't any nasty shadows, or that your model's eyes aren't squinting. I would think that you at least had a scrim or something filtering the light.

And I'm guessing this was about 3 hours or so before sunset? Definitely not high noon.

Having such a bright light source on the model allows me to set the aperture around f/8, which lets me get the sky in focus compared to a wide aperture which would blow out the background. Having a bright light source on the subject also allows me to expose for the subject, which in most cases will require a fast shutter speed that will render the sky behind the subject clearly. It's different if I were to be pointing the camera towards the sun, which would require me to shoot at a slower shutter speed in order to properly expose my model, which would also blow the sky in the background out.

There were no nasty shadows because with the right use of lighting, it's something you don't need to worry about. Direct sunlight can be beautiful high contrast light, and you don't always need a scrim to work with it. As for not squinting, the sun was at a high enough angle that it wasn't shining directly into her eyes, and for most of the shots I had her keep her eyes pointed away from the sun until we were ready to shoot. I forget what time it was, but it was at least a couple of hours before sundown.

 

[DGMPhotography]

I don't feel too strongly about either version, but I think if it was my image, I'd go with the version with the poles/wire removed. I'm all about "clean" images.

But I'm still wondering about the light. How did you manage to get both the model and background/foreground so well-exposed? And I'm surprised there aren't any nasty shadows, or that your model's eyes aren't squinting. I would think that you at least had a scrim or something filtering the light.

And I'm guessing this was about 3 hours or so before sunset? Definitely not high noon.

Having such a bright light source on the model allows me to set the aperture around f/8, which lets me get the sky in focus compared to a wide aperture which would blow out the background. Having a bright light source on the subject also allows me to expose for the subject, which in most cases will require a fast shutter speed that will render the sky behind the subject clearly. It's different if I were to be pointing the camera towards the sun, which would require me to shoot at a slower shutter speed in order to properly expose my model, which would also blow the sky in the background out.

There were no nasty shadows because with the right use of lighting, it's something you don't need to worry about. Direct sunlight can be beautiful high contrast light, and you don't always need a scrim to work with it. As for not squinting, the sun was at a high enough angle that it wasn't shining directly into her eyes, and for most of the shots I had her keep her eyes pointed away from the sun until we were ready to shoot. I forget what time it was, but it was at least a couple of hours before sundown.

Hmm... I will have to try this out!

 

[DGMPhotography]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

 

[DanOstergren]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

She did her own makeup and hair, and brought a large wardrobe that we put together looks from. It wasn't really anything serious, just a thing we had been talking about doing for a long time.

 

[Donde]

I think the poles provide an energy from their dynamic radial placement and the wire helps frame her in a nice isosceles triangle.

 

[terri]

Love this shot, and for me the framing from the pole & wire makes it special. I love the additional photographic element, especially these wires and pole. Being rougher, more texture-y elements, for me they actually complement her tatts and the jeans. Without the poles/wires, it's technically still an excellent shot, but then the yawning expanse of overhead sky seems pointless, and I'd be of a mind to create a square crop to draw in around the model.

But that's too cliche. What you did rocks!

 

[DGMPhotography]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

She did her own makeup and hair, and brought a large wardrobe that we put together looks from. It wasn't really anything serious, just a thing we had been talking about doing for a long time.

I'm impressed. Always nice when a model can handle her own hair/makeup.

 

[DanOstergren]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

She did her own makeup and hair, and brought a large wardrobe that we put together looks from. It wasn't really anything serious, just a thing we had been talking about doing for a long time.

I'm impressed. Always nice when a model can handle her own hair/makeup.

It doesn't take much to be honest. Going overboard and overthinking the styling and makeup can often ruin a shoot.

 

[DanOstergren]

Love this shot, and for me the framing from the pole & wire makes it special. I love the additional photographic element, especially these wires and pole. Being rougher, more texture-y elements, for me they actually complement her tatts and the jeans. Without the poles/wires, it's technically still an excellent shot, but then the yawning expanse of overhead sky seems pointless, and I'd be of a mind to create a square crop to draw in around the model.

But that's too cliche. What you did rocks!

Thank you. Yes I agree, once the structure is removed, the image becomes a bit basic to me, like I've seen it a million times.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

She did her own makeup and hair, and brought a large wardrobe that we put together looks from. It wasn't really anything serious, just a thing we had been talking about doing for a long time.

I'm impressed. Always nice when a model can handle her own hair/makeup.

It doesn't take much to be honest. Going overboard and overthinking the styling and makeup can often ruin a shoot.

True. But you'd be surprised how many girls actually don't even know the basics of makeup. So much so, in my experience, that I've begun learning makeup, myself, to compensate.

 

[DanOstergren]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

She did her own makeup and hair, and brought a large wardrobe that we put together looks from. It wasn't really anything serious, just a thing we had been talking about doing for a long time.

I'm impressed. Always nice when a model can handle her own hair/makeup.

It doesn't take much to be honest. Going overboard and overthinking the styling and makeup can often ruin a shoot.

True. But you'd be surprised how many girls actually don't even know the basics of makeup. So much so, in my experience, that I've begun learning makeup, myself, to compensate.

You could always go without as well.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Oh, and did yall have a makeup/hair artist? Her whole look is on fleek!

She did her own makeup and hair, and brought a large wardrobe that we put together looks from. It wasn't really anything serious, just a thing we had been talking about doing for a long time.

I'm impressed. Always nice when a model can handle her own hair/makeup.

It doesn't take much to be honest. Going overboard and overthinking the styling and makeup can often ruin a shoot.

True. But you'd be surprised how many girls actually don't even know the basics of makeup. So much so, in my experience, that I've begun learning makeup, myself, to compensate.

You could always go without as well.

Depends on the model.