Sisters Modeling - C&C Please!

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

Hey guys, so I'm doing a bunch of shoots with friends in order to improve my skills. These two are sisters, and kindly volunteered to help me. Can you please give me some feedback?

Also, why do people hate selective colour? I saw that comment in another thread. The first one is my favourite out of the set!

Thanks in advance

natural.disaster · Jul 26, 2010

None of the links are working....

Try reading this
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...forum-functions-pictoral-guide-using-tpf.html

Many members will not click links anyway...

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

hmm...on second thought, i'm guessing the desaturation in #1 makes her skin look corpse-like.

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

natural.disaster said:
None of the links are working....

Try reading this
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...forum-functions-pictoral-guide-using-tpf.html

Many members will not click links anyway...

fixed...sorry, i didn't mean for them to be links!

peanut170 · Jul 26, 2010

I'm a noob but I think they are ok. 1 looks good to me except why she's holding the umbrella like that. I like 2 how u used the shutter on that to get the spin look. Not sure how I feel bout 3 behind the bush. And 4 Ida got the basket in the shot, she's got her hand in it and they're laughing but what's going on with the basket.

fokker · Jul 26, 2010

#1 is my favourite, but you cut off her hand. It could also benefit from a bit more light on her face, even just from a reflector.

#2 cool concept but her frowny face and the framing ruin it for me. She should be (IMO) placed more to the left in the frame, and slightly higher up as well (so there's less dead space above her head and so she's facing into the frame)

#3 Focus is a bit off and again, needs more light on her face. Nice composition on this one, except for the one leaf that obscures her eye.

#4 I like their expressions, but I find myself what's so interesting and funny that you've cut off out of the frame.

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

a couple more:

question on this one: i didn't catch the detail in her eyes...how could i have improved this? i didn't want to zoom in closer, could my focusing have been better?

fokker · Jul 26, 2010

Those last two you posted are in dire need of more light on the face. You could use a reflector, or an off camera strobe with an umbrella or softbox.

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

great feedback guys, thanks...keep em coming! this is the best way to learn

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

fokker said:
Those last two you posted are in dire need of more light on the face. You could use a reflector, or an off camera strobe with an umbrella or softbox.

yeah, i agree. i didn't bring my flash because i trusted the weather report calling for sunshine...HA! got a miserable, cloudy evening instead.

LCARSx32 · Jul 26, 2010

Another thing you could have done, since you left the flash behind, is to have the models tilt their head up towards the light. Also, having them with their eyes looking up will automatically make them open their eyes wider and you'll see more detail in them.

shrutebucks · Jul 26, 2010

LCARSx32 said:
Another thing you could have done, since you left the flash behind, is to have the models tilt their head up towards the light. Also, having them with their eyes looking up will automatically make them open their eyes wider and you'll see more detail in them.

great feedback, thanks...i'll definitely do this next time.

Gaerek · Jul 26, 2010

shrutebucks said:
Also, why do people hate selective colour?

Because it's typically tacky and overused. There needs to be a strong, artistic reason to use it. I can count on one hand the number of selective color photos I've seen that actually benefit from the selective coloring. Almost all of the others (and I've seen hundreds) would be better all color or all B&W.

I like the first one, except for the fact that her skin looks grey and sickly. I see you were trying to selectively de-saturate, but it really doesn't work. Either all color, all B&W, or all de-saturated. It might (and I stress the might here) work on #1 if you kept the model and the umbrella in full saturation, and selectively de-saturated the background, but without actually seeing it, I can't make a call on that.

Don't let the opinions of a few people change what you find aesthetically pleasing. I know that I (and a lot of other photographers) really dislike selective coloring. But if you like it, there's no reason not to stop.

Big Mike · Jul 26, 2010

I agree with Gaerek about the selective color. Most people (around here anyway) don't like it because it's usually used poorly. For example, unless your first shot is an advertisement for the umbrella, it doesn't make sense to selectively color it.

By selectively leaving something in color while desaturating the rest of the image, you are asking (forcing) the viewer to look at it...probably making it the strongest focal point of the image...even when it shouldn't be. And that's what most people tend to do...they take the secondary / accessory details and leave those in color, not realizing that they are taking attention away from the main subject of their photo.

i didn't bring my flash because i trusted the weather report calling for sunshine..

I'd suggest changing your thinking on that. Sunny conditions are definitely when you DO want to use your flash...because the sun often creates harsh & dark shadows in places like a person's eyes.

Gaerek · Jul 26, 2010

Big Mike said:
I'd suggest changing your thinking on that. Sunny conditions are definitely when you DO want to use your flash...because the sun often creates harsh & dark shadows in places like a person's eyes.

+1 :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: