Son of one of our Soldiers!

[RauschPhotography]

I'm sorry, but my responsibilities as a photographer END at telling the client that I think her eyelashes are over done and her nails are too long. I've done this family multiple times, and I feel that I have a good working relationship with them. I am pretty darn sure that would end if I told her next time don't use clumpy mascara and please have shorter nails. That is just tacky. Would you tell a heavy set person that you wont take their picture until they lose 30 pounds because your images wont look as good until she's skinny? My job is to take a person with all their flaws (because we ALL have them) and make them look beautiful!

There I will now step off of my soap box!

There are a few things you could do to improve the post processing and overall production of the shoot, however. In the first picture, you could clone out the fingernail. It draws away from the child and really looks out of place. I'm not trying to get on your case about anything, but I do believe there are things you could personally do to better these shots. Also, about her eyelashes.. can't really do anything about that, however I wouldn't touch the eyes in post if that were the case. Her eyelashes make the picture pop already, and doing any other processing on them makes it look overdone.

The pictures of the kid turned out really well--I'm sure the parents love them!

 

[tirediron]

I'm sorry, but my responsibilities as a photographer END at telling the client that I think her eyelashes are over done and her nails are too long.

That's fine; if you've done that, you've exercised your due dilligence, however, reading your original comment, I understood that a make-up artist had been engaged and my response was based on that.

I would be interested in seeing how you handle talking to a customer about their "bad taste." You can guide subjects with a few suggestions at the time of booking but the day of, you basically have to work with what's there. Plus, we have to keep in mind that none of us are the ultimate reference in taste. I don't like the make up either, but that's just me and I don't like make up much in general...

"May I suggest a more moderate cosmetic style on day of the shoot?" No, I'm certainly not any sort of bench-mark for good taste, but I'm pretty sure that eye-make up isn't supposed to look like that. It's not about bad taste, rather poor application.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

"May I suggest a more moderate cosmetic style on day of the shoot?" No, I'm certainly not any sort of bench-mark for good taste, but I'm pretty sure that eye-make up isn't supposed to look like that. It's not about bad taste, rather poor application.

I'm quite sure she thinks the make up job, ie application, was beautiful so, yes, it is a question of taste. Bad vs good is a matter of conjecture in this case just as always

Frankly, I just thought she went to the "Tammy Faye Baker School of Make-up."

 

[twocolor]

There are a few things you could do to improve the post processing and overall production of the shoot, however. In the first picture, you could clone out the fingernail. It draws away from the child and really looks out of place. I'm not trying to get on your case about anything, but I do believe there are things you could personally do to better these shots. Also, about her eyelashes.. can't really do anything about that, however I wouldn't touch the eyes in post if that were the case. Her eyelashes make the picture pop already, and doing any other processing on them makes it look overdone.

The pictures of the kid turned out really well--I'm sure the parents love them!

So what will she think when she receives her pics and the nails that I'm sure she spent alot of money on - that she thinks look great - are not in the picture. I just really think that is terrible to tell someone that your style or opinion of style is above theirs. I don't personally like tatoos, BUT I'm not going to photoshop someone's tatts off just because I think that they make the picture look bad. It's a question of personal taste and respecting your clients.

 

[twocolor]

I'm sorry, but my responsibilities as a photographer END at telling the client that I think her eyelashes are over done and her nails are too long.

That's fine; if you've done that, you've exercised your due dilligence, however, reading your original comment, I understood that a make-up artist had been engaged and my response was based on that.

Sorry about the misunderstanding. There was NO makeup artist. I was trying to be humerous when I said I was the photog not the make-up artist.

 

[rub]

I agree, twocolor, about not commenting on the makeup or nails. If that was my style and a photographer asked me to tone it down for a shoot (as was suggested), I would be offended no matter how nicely they said it.

Obviously she is happy with her look and that's great. She is a gorgeous woman, and in the photos she looks happy and confident. That's what matters most.

When I made reference to her nails, it was because I saw it as a distraction in the image. I think the keys is working around the things that can ruin an image. Sure you need to include them in shots, but because they are so dramatic, as photographers we need to watch placement so we don't get just one crazy nail in there that could look out of place.

 

[mc1979]

Two color,
I'm a beginner, and your style of photography is what my ultimate goal is! I would have sent this in a private message to you but I couldn't figure out if this forum does this. Anyhoo, it looks like you use mostly natural light? I love natural light, but also know it's not always easy to shoot in some light. Was wondering what you do to replicate ? Especially in studio? I know I can look all this up, and I have to an extent, I'm just the type of learner that does so much better with one on one. I hope you don't mind me asking. There are a few in the surrounding area where I live who do this type of photography, I would ask them, but I hope to one day be their competition, and I'm sure they really wouldn't want to give up information to me. LOL If you don't mind me asking also, what PP software do you use? All I have right now is Gimp, but looking to invest in Lightroom 3.

 

[Lukep]

#5 is awesome