Paige2 cc

[Evertking]

PAIGE1 by James Cason, on Flickr

Just practicing and trying to learn D&B. I use a mouse but my wife bought me a pen and tablet. its not a wacom or whatever but a XP pen.. anyone use one before?

 

[tirediron]

I love my Wacom... not familiar with the "D&B", but any tablet/stylus type tool should be a huge help. As far as the image. Honestly, I'm not all that fussed. Bear in mind, I'm looking at this in comparison to your other, recent work. As just an image, it's fine. Well exposed, lovely expression, but as part of your body of work, it's lacking.

The specular highlight along her left leg immediately grabs the eye and pulls it down from her face, and that, combine with the linear elements of the wall upon which she is sitting for a leading line which take the viewer's eye right out of the image. On a more personal note, I'm not fond of her lower legs and feet almost projecting out of the image; while they should form a line taking you up the torso to her face, but the exposure differential defeats that. Lastly, her pose, almost leaning over the edge, creates (IMO) strong, displeasing visual tension. (Oh, and make the bra straps go away; there's a reason they're called UNDERwear).

 

[Evertking]

Thank you. I'm learning and I know that I get so caught up in other things but I do realize that the most important thing is to SLOW down. I hope to get out this week and take some more images and I am going to take my time and not rush, look around the frame and visualize and compose the shot I want.
And then there is posing... well,...

 

[smoke665]

I am going to take my time and not rush, look around the frame and visualize and compose the shot I want.
And then there is posing... well,...

Posing has always created problems for me, but I've found a way around it that helps. Prior to the shoot, I research pose ideas for the subject, I narrow those down to the ones I want to accomplish and create a simple shooting list. I list the pose, even do a crude stick sketch if need be, the lighting setup I'll use, where I want to be on camera settings, and any accessory equipment I might need. I do a short checklist of potential problems to remind me what to watch out for like hair, makeup, clothing, etc out beside each pose. Prior to the shoot if it's not in studio I do a quick recon of the location at the approximate time of day that I'll be shooting. You'd be amazed at how many potential problems you can eliminate.

I know it sounds a little much, but I find having my list keeps me on track during the shoot, takes a huge burden off my memory, shortens the shoot and eases tension, because I'm not worrying about what I might have overlooked.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I don't know about that background, especially signage to the left. Having backgrounds out of focus doesn't eliminate shapes, colors, etc.

I've done sports and events and learned to go early, wander around, figure out good vantage points; look thru the viewfinder and see what the backgrounds will look like before the subjects are there.


I would think so too John, but apparently 'the kids' sometimes layer two tanks. (Not my thing but I used to wear jeans dragging on the ground and bibs with one side hanging loose so I can't criticize! lol) If that's the case here, probably needed to ask if she wanted both straps showing or if one needed to be tucked in, and have her double check how they're arranged. For that matter, take along (or have subjects bring) a mirror, comb/brush, etc. Check hair, clothing, & jewelry; long hair and necklaces move and need to be rechecked every time the subject moves/changes positions/poses.

 

[Derrel]

It is 2019 not 1985, and seeing the bra straps with the a spaghetti-strap type tank is very 21st century, and is a current look. Yes we know it's called underwear, but today it's supposed to show... it's part of the style. sales change and I think a lot of people should be more cognizant of current style and not be so firmly rooted in styles from 45 years ago.

as far as this pucture goes I don't think it's one of your best shots for a variety of reasons, but it is not really that bad. I'm not particularly fond of the lighting look, nor the background, nor the pose. As far as her legs go, where one person above saw them leading the eye out of the frame,I see them as leading the eye _into_the frame.

I think that this would have looked quite a bit better with the better background, and with more even lighting, or more dramatica lighting.

 

[tirediron]

It is 2019 not 1985, and seeing the bra straps with the a spaghetti-strap type tank is very 21st century, and is a current look. Yes we know it's called underwear, but today it's supposed to show... it's part of the style. sales change and I think a lot of people should be more cognizant of current style and not be so firmly rooted in styles from 45 years ago.

I'm aware that it's a "current look" and perfectly acceptable. My issue isn't with it as it relates to fashion, rather that it's visually messy, and IMO, doesn't photograph well. It's one thing in a casual snapshot, but when you're creating a portrait, it feels like a missed detail. No different than a ring turned upside down, mis-aligned necklace, etc.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Those probably needed to be arranged if both would be showing, like the lighter strap maybe should have been on the outside of the darker strap on both sides.

Til it goes out of style...

 

[smoke665]

It is 2019 not 1985, and seeing the bra straps with the a spaghetti-strap type tank is very 21st century, and is a current look. Yes we know it's called underwear, but today it's supposed to show...

And that's why the 60's were so cool man, women didn't have to make tough fashion choices like if they should or shouldn't have straps showing.........they just didn't wear bras.

 

[Derrel]

I guess men should button all seven buttons on the front of dress shirts, right? No, the straps show, that's the way people wear clothes now. like I said it's not 1985 anymore. It's not a missed detail if clothing is worn a certain way.... is to be portrayed as worn, currently, not three or four decades ago. It's not the same thing as it ring or necklace is a part of the clothing, just as it was common to button all seven buttons on a men's shirt when not wearing a necktie, it is now common to leave the top button (nearest the collar)unbuttoned. As I said it is no longer 1985 but rather 2019, and bra straps are commonly allowed to show especially with spaghetti type tank tops. It's the same thing as wearing a camisole under a button front shirt---the cami is now allowed to be seen; it is wearing two tops, but in the 1980s such a look would have been basically unheard of. Again, the look is a deliberate showing of the straps, since her tank top straps are narrow… This is not a sleeveless top but rather a tank top, that deliberately willfully and knowingly allows the straps to be shown… It's called situational awareness … She knows that the straps show... she has made the decision willfully and her garments are arranged correctly as worn in 2019--it's not an accidental slip, as would have been common in 1985… I know she's a female but she can make her own choices… This is not you taking care of a customer but rather imposing an outdated idea of a dress code in the 21st century. this is not some empty airheaded female who doesn't know that her bra straps are showing… This is a common and deliberate fashion choice among today's younger people… Like I said it's no longer 1985, but rather 2019

 

[Granddad]

Derrel, in 1985 the fashion look my wife and I adopted was permanently tired, harrassed, stressed and with a spit up blanket over one shoulder and a diaper bag slung over the other.

 

[Derrel]

OK it's 2019. We have strapless bras. The young woman made a conscious decision to allow the straps to show… She could've gone strapless… She's wearing a spaghetti strap tank… The bra straps are wider than the spaghetti straps… Simple conclusion… The straps are part of the look… This is not her bra straps accidentally showing on a sleeveless look blouse, but rather a spaghetti strap tank… Calling attention to it is a mistake on the part of a photographer. Like I said it is no longer 1985… This look is well accepted, and according to the Toronto star, this look draws absolutely no attention in almost all of Europe. Europe is where we get a lot of our fashion ideas from here in North America...in the most enlightened parts of the USA,there is no problem with this look… As a former studio portrait photographer I am used to looking at rings and necklaces and jewelry and buttons and pointing out accidental clothing mistakes that sitters are guilty of committing, but in this case her look is to wear a spaghetti strap tank top, with visible bra straps which happened to be wider than the spaghetti straps. Ergo, it is part of the look, it is deliberate , it is not an oversight, it should not be corrected, she could've avoided this by going strapless, but she elected not do therefore, her clothing is fine as is.

granddad, I like the idea of that spit up blanket as a clothing accessory. LOL.

 

[smoke665]

IMO the whole strap issue is getting off track from the OP. The first post indicated practice with an XP pen, and questioned if anyone had used the device. I for one am also curious about the device.

 

[Derrel]

I learned years ago to use the mouse instead of a pen, but many other times I wished I had a pen that was pressure sensitive. I have not heard of the XP pen, only the Wacom tablet and its associated pen.

in my experience certain operations are best done in three or four steps when using a mouse. This allows for more subtlety in operation. For example let's say we have a Dodge and we need a three stop lightning… I will do it in three steps of roughly .9 EV each

 

[Derrel]

another issue is the amount of flow, and also the percentage of opacity…as well as the use of various tools. For example the tooth whitening feature in Lightroom works remarkably well when used at a much lower than standard percentage. When used at a low setting , You have plenty of time to go over the teeth. My usual practice is to count and I usually go six seconds on the upper teeth and six seconds on the lower teeth, at a pretty low setting. This prevents a total white out. In Photoshop when you are doing dodging etc. I'll like set the flow fairly low and the opacity at somewhere between 80 and 90% typically. it depends. At times you want the opacity at 100%, such as when blackening down a background or painting to white.